Stressed out - And now?

School work, hobbies, friendships … how are you supposed to fit it all into your limited free time? Of course, you feel stressed sooner or later. You’re not alone - many students report that they’re feeling stressed from time to time. But there’s no need to panic –  here we explain the most important things about stress and give you some useful tips.
Here you will learn more about
  • Different types of stress and its causes
  • How to reduce stress

You want to learn how to deal with stress?

If you want to test your current stress level and learn more helpful strategies for dealing with stress, check out our eSano module "Stressed out - what now?".
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Different types of stress and its causes

Even positive events or activities can cause stress. For example, getting a new sibling or even hobbies that you enjoy but take up a lot of energy can add to your stress level.

Did you know? Stress isn’t always a bad thing.

A little bit of stress can be positive, as it pushes you to be more focused and productive. But there is a difference between acute (= short-term) and chronic (= long-term) stress. Chronic stress can be a risk for your mental, but also your physical health.

Physical signs of acute stress can be a fast heartbeat, tense muscles, sweating or feeling sick. Chronic stress can lead to feeling exhausted, bad mood, weakness, nervousness, bad skin and many other symptoms.

How can you reduce stress?

You basically have three starting points for minimizing your stress level and promoting health
Changing your thoughts

Of course, you can’t just empty your head and get rid of negative thoughts. But it can help to identify negative thoughts you may have in order to change them.

Negative thoughts can include things like:

  • “I must” sentences
  • Thinking it’s impossible to take a break and relax
  • Putting a lot of pressure on yourself (“I need to do well”)
  • “That can’t be true” / “I’m so unlucky”
  • Focusing on negative aspects & consequences
  • Instead of getting lost in these thoughts, ask yourself the following questions:

The tips above can help you deal with stress better and feel less stressed.

If you would like to find your personal strengths and thus create a balance to stress, check out our eSano module "Finding your (inner) strengths".

If you notice that your stress levels have been very high for several weeks and are affecting your sleep, appetite or mood, talk to your parents, teachers or school social workers about it and seek professional help.

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