Stress is a common and completely normal feeling. You can be stressed about, for example, not having tied your shoes yet when the bus is leaving in five minutes. You can be stressed about your final exams getting closer. You can be worried and stressed about the need to talk to your friend about a thing that has been bugging you. In all of the above situations, stress can be a healthy feeling. Your body is reacting to something which it recognises as difficult. The problem with stress is when the stress levels don’t go down, when you can’t relax even if you made it to the bus, passed the exam or made up with your friend.

What happens in the body when you’re stressed?

When you are stressed, the brain sends out signals to the body, letting it know. The body reacts in a couple of different ways. The heart starts beating faster, you might start sweating, and your muscles tense up. Those are short term effects. Long term stress manifests a bit differently in the body. For example, you might have difficulties falling asleep, your hunger can change, either so that you never feel hungry or so that you’re constantly hungry, making it hard to concentrate on anything else.

Ask for help

It’s perfectly fine to feel stressed from time to time, but if you notice that your stress affects your life a lot, you can get help. People who are close to you can help you, as well as health care providers. You could contact your school nurse, a youth clinic or a health centre, and the people working there can help you.

Text av Jona Mörn, Förenade tjej-, trans- och ungdomsjourer

Translated by Dannie Milve, Förenade tjej-, trans- och ungdomsjourer

Further reading:

Feeling bad

Self-esteem and self-confidence

More about stress at Umo!