HealthInfo Canterbury

Stress in teens & young adults

Stress is a part of life, you cannot avoid it. Throughout life, good and bad things happen. If you know some ways of managing stress well, you're more likely to stay on track and not get fooled into ways of coping that do not really help and can actually pull you down.

Remember, your teenage years are a time of huge change for you. Your mind and body are changing and developing all the time. It's normal to feel overwhelmed at times.

If you're struggling to cope with stuff and you do not feel you have anyone to talk to, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor (remember they have to keep your visit private and cannot tell other people what you talk about). If that feels a bit full-on to start with, you could try one of these free phone counselling lines.

• What's up – Freephone 0800-942-8787 to speak a counsellor for free or chat online (Monday to Friday, 12 noon to 11 pm, weekends 3 pm to 11 pm).
• Youthline – Freephone 0800-37-66-33 (available 24/7) or free txt 234 to speak to a counsellor. Email any time. Counsellors try to respond to emails within 48 hours so if you need help immediately, it's better to phone, txt or use the online chat.

Some websites offering good advice include:

• ReachOut – an Australian site that has just about everything you might want to know about.
• The Lowdown – A New Zealand site with advice for young people on coping with anxiety and depression.

  HealthInfo recommends the following pages

General stress

• All Right wellbeing campaign

  Information about the All Right? campaign, which is designed to help Cantabrians think about our mental health and wellbeing, and ways we can improve it.

• CALM – Practical techniques for managing stress

  Provided by the University of Auckland, this site includes instructions and audio clips to help with dealing with stress.

• Skylight.org.nz – Anxiety

  Information about coping with anxiety.

• Smiling Mind

  A free mindfulness meditation developed especially for young people. It's available as a web-based program or an app.

Exam stress

• New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) – Managing exam pressure

  Information about how to avoid getting stressed, how to study, how to approach exams and how to help someone else.

Information for parents and caregivers

• Ministry of Health – Helping adolescents

  Information about how adolescents experience painful events and how adults can help.

Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed October 2020.

Page reference: 53218

Review key: HISTS-111503