Student stress: what causes it, and how it affects students

Are you overwhelmed with all the imminent deadlines piling up? Do you worry your grades are affected by the pandemic? Do you think you’re not being provided with enough support through online learning? Stress in school students is very common, when tackling your GCSEs and A-Levels, as well as financial struggles, it’s easy to see what causes student stress. But we understand that student stress can be at an all-time high recently. 

With classes shifting online and things being uncertain, it can feel all the more overwhelming. Therefore, we’ve compiled a useful guide on student stress and some of the things you can do to better understand and treat it. 

What causes student stress in high school students

Grades

Grades can be a source of stress when some find it difficult to maintain their performance or get poor results. Unfortunately, many students feel that their worth is attached to how well they do in assignments or exams. 

Heavy workload

One assignment or exam after the other can quickly become burdensome, especially if there’s lots of studying involved. You might feel overwhelmed, even burned out. 

Poor sleep

Getting little to no sleep can make you feel worse. Being tired makes it difficult to concentrate and learn properly, which can affect how well you do in school. This can end up worsening student stress.

Lack of organisation and time management

Since students juggle many subjects, it might feel like you’re doing everything at once. Being unprepared through poor organisational skills can harm your stress levels. 

Procrastinating

Leaving revision or assignments to the last minute is never relaxing. Those who rush to get things done in time might feel they haven’t had the opportunity to do their best.

Difficult subjects

Some students understandably have their strengths and weaknesses. But not doing as well with certain subjects, such as maths or history, can make them feel inadequate.

How school stress affects students 

Stress left unattended can end up worsening in the long run, severely impacting your mental health. 

You might end up developing mental health issues, such as:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Eating disorders 
• Substance abuse 

Equally, your physical health can also be affected. You might experience:

• High blood pressure
• Problems sleeping
• Changes in appetite
• Getting ill more often

How students can reduce stress levels

• Wind down in the evening. Spend time with your family, or put on some Netflix! This will ensure your brain has some downtime from studying, and help you fall asleep that night.
• Schedule in regular breaks. Our brains can only concentrate for fifty minutes, so try to give it a break often. What’s useful is the Pomodoro Technique, which allows concentrating on your studies without burning you out. 
• Be more organised. Draw up a revision schedule, or write up a to-do list.
• Seek support. Talk to friends and family, as they’ll be able to relate to school stress! They can also share with you any tips that have helped them. But if you find your mental health has worsened, you might find it beneficial to get in touch with a professional, such as SupportRoom.

Student stress can be extremely debilitating on the body and mind, so you should reduce it as much as you can. What you should remember is that overworking yourself doesn’t mean success. So try de-stress! 

SupportRoom is here to help

SupportRoom is a digital behavioural technology healthcare company that connects individual clients with a network of licensed therapists. We also offer a digital behavioural technology healthcare platform for businesses and EAP. 

Our HIPAA-compliant web and mobile platform are set to launch in January 2021. Register your interest now. 

With SupportRoom clients can send text, videos and voice messages anytime and from anywhere. All our therapists are fully qualified and offer confidential, convenient online therapy. Get access to therapy, wherever & whenever you need it. SupportRoom’s mission is to make therapy available, affordable and  provide ongoing support for all.