Many students, whether in school or university, are currently preparing for and undertaking their last exams of the year. This can be a very difficult time leading to feelings of anxiety, stress and uncertainty or heightening pre-existing mental health concerns.  Digital mental health resources can be a great tool to help students manage their stress by teaching coping strategies, connecting with peers with shared experiences and providing a safe space to address their worries wherever and whenever they need.

The resources below are designed to help students practice self-care during exam season, as well as assist parents and health professionals to support the young people in their lives.

Stress Less Tips

https://www.stresslesstips.org.au/

Stress Less Tips provides a range of evidence- and research-based tips to help support mental health and wellbeing by decreasing stress, tips to stress less at university, workplace tips, and tips for self-care.

Headspace

How to reduce stress and prepare for exams

https://headspace.org.au/explore-topics/for-young-people/prepare-for-exams/

Headspace is a national youth service providing information, advice and support for young Australians who need help with mental health, physical health, alcohol and other drugs or work and study support. Their website includes advice for creating a study plan, practicing self-care during stressful times, and links to further support.

Headspace Yarn Safe

Stress and pressure

https://headspace.org.au/yarn-safe/stress-and-pressure/

Headspace Yarn Safe provides culturally safe information to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians who are feeling sad, tired, stressed, and angry. Their website includes information on where stress can come from, the potential effects, and explore healthy ways to cope.

Kids Helpline

1800 55 1800

Exam Stress for Teens, Exam Stress for Young Adults, Helping kids cope with exam stress

https://kidshelpline.com.au/teens/issues/exam-stress

https://kidshelpline.com.au/young-adults/issues/exam-stress

https://kidshelpline.com.au/parents/issues/helping-kids-cope-exam-stress-0

Kids Helpline is a free, confidential counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25 years. Their website includes information and support for young people and their parents on a range of mental health and wellbeing topics and moderated peer-support forums. They provide tips and advice on how to cope with stress during exam time, including tips for studying and ideas for exam day.

eheadspace

Exam Stress Group

https://headspace.org.au/online-and-phone-support/join-the-community/chats-by-professionals/exam-stress/

eheadspace is a national online and telephone mental health support service for young people, their friends and family. Students can connect with other people in a guided group chat and explore a range of helpful topics. Their exam stress group chat allow students to share tips to reduce exam stress, learn more about planning and looking after themselves during exam times and how to prepare for exams.

ReachOut

Exam Stress, Exam Stress management

https://au.reachout.com/study-work-and-money/exam-stress

https://schools.au.reachout.com/study-stress/exam-stress-management

https://forums.au.reachout.com/?sort=Top&filter=everything

ReachOut offers mental health and wellbeing support and information for young people, parents and schools in Australia. Their website includes self-help information, moderated peer-support forums, and digital referral tools. Students can access information about exam stress, strategies to cope with exam stress and an exam stress action plan tool. Schools can also access information and an online learning activity to use with students in class teaching practical strategies to manage exam stress. Parents have access to tips, up to four one-on-one parent coaching sessions, and online forums.

Niggle

https://kidshelpline.com.au/niggle

Niggle is an app developed by Kids Helpline to help young people track their wellbeing and find information, quizzes, videos, podcasts and tips to help tame their ‘niggles’ and improve social and emotional health. Young people can get help through niggle with a range of issues including school and work.

ReachOut WorryTime

https://au.reachout.com/tools-and-apps/reachout-worrytime

ReachOut WorryTime is an app to help control everyday stress and anxiety by giving people a place to store worries, and alerting you when it’s time to think about them. The app is designed to interrupt repetitive thinking by setting aside your worries until later, so you don’t get caught up in them and can get on with your day.

THIS WAY UP

Student Wellbeing Program

https://thiswayup.org.au/programs/student-wellbeing-program/

THIS WAY UP is an Australian service providing online treatment, education and research on mental health, including tools to help people manage anxiety, and depression, chronic conditions and more. Their Student Wellbeing Program helps students learn practical strategies for coping with study stress and looking after themselves while at university.