TEENAGERS 'TURN TO ALCOHOL AND DRUGS TO COPE WITH SCHOOL STRESS'

More than one in four pupils asked said that they suffered high levels
of stress caused by schoolwork.

The study quizzed 172 15- and 16-year-olds preparing to sit their
GCSEs about how they coped with the pressures of school.

Although many of them said they listened to music, watched TV, or
played sport to reduce stress levels, 30 per cent said they drank
alcohol, 16 per cent said they smoked and six per cent said that they
used drugs.

Dr Pamela Taylor, from Salford Local Authority, who presented the
findings at a conference organised by the British Psychological
Society in Manchester, said: "Teenagers face many pressures at school
- - continuous achievement, examinations and having to make important
decisions about their futures.

"Over a quarter of these pupils reported suffering from high levels of
school related stress.

"Our results illustrate how important it is to educate teenagers on
the best ways to manage this stress, and highlight the dangers of
using cigarettes, alcohol and drugs to cope.

"The study also shows there is a need for secondary schools to tackle
pupils' school based problems, including time management, work-life
balance and teacher-pupil relationships."