No Laughing Matter
Impact of Stress on Students in Peel
Stress
Gauge
!
Emotional Symptoms
include:
• feeling angry or irritable
• feeling anxious
• being moody and easily
frustrated
• feeling like crying regularly
• having low self esteem or
lacking confidence
• feeling restless all the time
• having trouble
concentrating
Physical symptoms include:
• feeling sick in the stomach
• having constipation
or diarrhoea
• having stomach aches
and/or headaches
• having problems sleeping
• feeling constantly tired
• sweating a lot
• having cramps or twitches
• feeling dizzy or fainting
• eating too much or too little
• using drugs or smoking
*Adapted from Youthbeyondblue
Fact Sheet #7
,
arly
E
Help
Talk
k
ee
e
n, S
e
t
lon
f
A
O
NOT
Talk
e
r
ua
– Yo
Stress affects everyone and everyone responds to the daily demands
of life in different ways. There are both positive and negative stressors.
Both have an impact on your physical an emotional wellbeing.
We asked Peel Region students how stress affected them and how it
made them feel. Stress is the body’s way to react to a challenge that
may be caused by situations in everyday life or by a sudden emotional
spike brought on by a situation. Everyday situations and sudden
emotional spikes can be either positive or negative. When too much
stress builds up it can lead to serious emotional and physical issues.
How Stress Affected You
Components of emotional distress in students % Males % Females
Lost sleep because of worries
13
26
Felt stressed
25
45
Felt could not overcome difficulties
15
27
Felt unhappy and depressed
12
24
Felt lonely
10
19
What the Numbers Told Us
• 79% of females talk to friends about stress
• 54% of males talk to friends about stress
%
• Top three people students confide in – friends, mom and siblings
• Female students are more likely than male students to report
feeling emotionally distressed
• Emotional distress is more common among older students
Why it Matters
Learning positive coping skills now makes it easier to manage and
be more successful socially and academically. These skills help you
throughout your life. As we get older we take on different kinds of
pressure. Facing stress and developing solutions stays with you your
whole adult life.
Talk it Up - You don’t have to manage stress on your own.
Partnering for healthy schools
What it Means
How to Cope
1
Take a time out: release stress by listening to music, playing sports,
going out with friends, or taking a walk.
2
Stay balanced: always make time for doing relaxing fun things that you enjoy.
This might mean saying ‘no’ more often, so you don’t take on too many tasks.
?
3 Organize yourself: make a simple ‘To Do’ list. This helps you identify what homework you’ve done
and what you have to do. It also relieves stress knowing that you are tackling your list one by one.
4 Exercise: physical activity is a great stress reliever. It channels all the stress into the activity
you are performing and relives tension in your body and mind.
5
Unwind: learn to stop and breathe. It relaxes muscles and lowers stress. Simple yoga and
meditation breathing techniques can really help slow you down and relax your muscles.
Resources
Get Help
• Tangerine Youth Drop-In Counselling: tangerinewalkin.com, 905-795-3530
• Kids Help Phone: org.kidshelpphone.ca/en, 1-800-668-6868
Connect with other youth:
• Bullying Canada: bullyingcanada.ca, 1-877-352-4497
Find out stuff:
• kidshealth.org/teen
• prevnet.ca
• peelcc.org
• mindyourmind.ca
• InURhead.ca
Connect with a public health nurse
School public health nurses collaborate with you to assess, plan, implement and evaluate strategies
with whole school communities to create supportive environments for healthy living and learning.
For more information and other fact sheets
Peel Public Health: Phone: 905-799-7700
Phone (Caledon): 905-584-2216
schoolhealth101.ca
This fact sheet series is based on the 2011 Region of Peel Student Health Survey
The Region of Peel’s 2011 Student Health Survey interviewed over 8, 500 students in grades 7 to 12 from both Peel District School Board
and Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board schools. Students answered questions related to eating habits, physical activity, bullying,
and substance use.
The relationships we have with friends and family matter to us. It is natural to want to feel connected
with others. Positive and trustworthy people in your life help us get through difficult times. Young or
old, we all need people in our life that listen to us during our highs and lows.
CDI-0513 13/08