By June Cheong

Student Ariel Tan reaches for a bag of potato crisps whenever she is stressed. The main sources of the 16-year-old's stress are schoolwork and the pressure to do well.

She said: 'Everyone around you, such as your teachers and friends, expect you to do well. When you don't, you feel you've failed them.'

She is not alone in feeling the heat. In 2007, KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) saw 173 students for the treatment of stress-related conditions. That figure went up to 200 last year.

In 2007, the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) saw 3,000 patients below the age of 19 who had problems in school.

Pressures of academia, parental expectations, peer pressure, relationship problems and family conflicts are among the chief factors which induce stress in students.

Mr Daniel Koh, a psychologist from private counselling clinic Insights-tse, said: 'With families having fewer children these days, there is more pressure placed on a child to succeed or perform. The child also knows that everything is results-oriented and it is the social norm to compete and be the best.'

Stress is not always bad though.

Dr Lim Choon Guan, registrar in the department of child and adolescent psychiatry at IMH, divides stress into two categories - eustress and distress.

The former refers to a positive form of stress such as that felt when one is taking a thrilling roller-coaster ride. The latter refers to the type of stress that can overwhelm us and which has negative consequences.

Dr Lim said: 'Stress can be a healthy, driving force and motivates us to strive towards certain goals. However, when stress overwhelms us, we experience distress.'

Ms Frances Yeo, principal psychologist at KKH's psychology service, said: 'If a person is stressed and does not have an effective way of coping, it may lead to physical ailments such as headaches and stomachaches.

'Stress may also cause a person to be constantly worried or irritable. In some cases, it can lead to clinical depression or anxiety.'

Students may also experience shifts in their behaviour such as becoming withdrawn or reluctant to go to school.

Children, in particular, may be more likely to buckle under pressure as they do not have the tools or emotional maturity to cope with stressful situations.

For example, if a child's parents are going through a bad patch or are estranged, it is vital for the parents to explain the situation to the child.

Dr Lim said: 'Even if parents don't fight, the child can sense that something is wrong from the way the parents interact.

'If parents are going through a separation or divorce, they should put things into perspective for the child so he doesn't have to second-guess.'

Of course, the No. 1 bugbear for most students in Singapore is school pressure.

Dr Lim said that parents can help alleviate their children's stress about school by not placing too much emphasis on academic achievement.

He said: 'Parents have to be realistic about their child's ability. They can recognise and celebrate their child's achievements in other areas like music or sports.'

Ms Yeo added: 'Students have to first know what they can and cannot change and then take steps to solve the problems that they can change.'

To that end, Ariel has found a neat way to cope with pressure - sleeping it off. She takes a nap for one or two hours every time she feels overwhelmed by her workload.

She said: 'When I get too stressed, I feel like giving up on my studies. A nap helps me forget the stress for a while and after that, I have the energy to continue with my school work.'

This story was first published in Mind Your Body, The Straits Times, on Feb 5, 2009.

For more The Straits Times stories, click here.