THE HSC might be done for another year, but for many young people the waiting for results, and the uncertainty about their future can be sources of anxiety.
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And new data shows those are particularly relevant triggers for young people in regional areas such as the Central Coast and Lake Macquarie.
Research by the online mental health service, ReachOut, found 60 per cent of regional students showed worrying levels of exam stress, with nearly half (43 per cent) attributing it to concerns about getting a job after school.
With that in mind, headspace Lake Haven has offered some tips to help young people cope during this, and any other, stressful time in their lives.
headspace is the national youth mental health foundation that helps 12- to 25-year-olds.
The headspace manager for Lake Haven (and Gosford) is Helen Isenhour.
The Lake Haven headspace office regularly helps young people from across the Central Coast and Lake Macquarie.
“It can be challenging for young people to stay in a good ‘headspace’ during this time and not feel overwhelmed by the pressure they are feeling from themselves and others,” Ms Isenhour said.
“The HSC is also a time of significant change in a young person’s life as they are getting ready to leave school and face the challenges that will present in the next stage of their life.
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“Young people often reach out to our local services for help around HSC exam time. They may not feel they have the time for appropriate self-care and may need support to develop additional coping strategies.”
headspace provides young people with access to a range of services and professionals including doctors, assessment and counselling, alcohol and drug treatment support, and employment and social services.
“If you are older than 14, you can access headspace without parental consent, and if you are 14 and younger, you will need to have parental or guardian support,” Ms Isenhour said.
“But research shows that young people recover better when they have the support of family and friends.”
Ms Isenhour said simple stress-busting techniques were often the most effective.
“Take regular breaks by doing the things you love – listen to music, go for a walk, talk to friends. This will help keep you feeling refreshed and relaxed,” she said.
“Try to remove negative distractions that might cause extra worry. It is important to look after yourself and take the time to get plenty of rest, eat healthy, and drink lots of water.”
But when these strategies failed to do the job, and young people continued to feel anxious, overwhelmed, or just on a worrying trajectory, it was important to seek professional help, she said.
This could involve contacting the headspace office in Lake Haven, the eheadspace website, a counsellor, a GP, or a mental health help line.
When young people turn to headspace for help, they are encouraged to come in for an assessment.
“Then we can work together on a treatment plan.”
That could involve seeing a GP to develop a mental health plan, or accessing any of the other services or professionals in the headspace network.
But how can a young person know if they have a mental health problem that needs intervention?
Ms Isenhour said everyone was different, but the symptoms typically manifested in particular ways.
“They might start to worry and feel stressed a lot of the time. Their sleep patterns might change. They might stop enjoying the things they normally enjoy. And they might become withdrawn,” she said.
When positive coping strategies such as sleep, eating well, staying connected with others, and movement (exercise) stop working, “it’s a good idea to check in with someone”, she said.
Ms Isenhour said the mental health support offered by headspace worked. And young people who had benefited from the organisation’s help were spreading the word among their peers, and helping to reduce any stigma.
“We take young people seriously,” she said. “Young people will often tell us that they felt listened to when they came to see us.”
Mr Isenhour said it was important for young people to understand that mental health problems were common in their age group, and that seeking treatment was a smart play.
She said 75 per cent of mental health problems occurred before the age of 25, and one in every four people would experience a mental health problem, or mental health illness, in their lifetime.
“This happens to a lot of young people,” she said.
“So the message is that you are not alone. Support is there. And you can recover.”
- The Lake Haven headspace office is in the Gravity Youth Centre, next to Metro Cinemas. Visit headspace.org.au or phone 4394 9100.
