This leads to a decline in mental health and wellbeing for teens, and is a significant issue in modern day Britain that is not addressed enough. The pressure social media brings to teenagers' everyday lives has become extraordinary. Nowadays, teenagers spend hours on their phones scrolling through other people's content, which often portrays a ‘perfect’ life. This builds immense pressure for young people, as they develop unrealistic expectations for themselves based on a 30 second TikTok video. In fact, surveys analysed by the Pew Research Centre found that around 22% of teenagers identify social media as the main factor negatively impacting their mental health, largely due to constant unrealistic comparison. These expectations may even lead to severe problems with mental health including eating disorders, anxiety and low self esteem ultimately leaving many teenagers feeling that they are never good enough, highlighting the urgent need for awareness, support and healthier online habits. 

As consumers, we have to realise that content creators and influencers carefully curate what they share, building themselves an image of how they wish to be perceived. However, most people selectively present the best version of their lives online, not just influencers. This reflects the well known saying of ‘insta vs reality’, social media portrays an idealised, glamourised version of life, whilst the reality is typically very different. Therefore, by sharing more authentic and realistic content it would allow teenagers to relate to what they are exposed to online, in turn helping to reduce the immense pressure they place on themselves. 



Teenagers today face extreme exam pressure and stress within the education system due to the high-stakes expectation of them to excel in timed exams such as GCSEs and A Levels, which are framed as the determining factor for future successes. This significant pressure to excel and exceed expectations through examination further pressures students to the point of declining impacts on their mental health and wellbeing. For example, the University College London found that “young people who felt more pressured by schoolwork at age 15 went on to report higher levels of depressive symptoms, for multiple years into adulthood”. This research highlights the significant declining impact that pressures in education has on teenagers' mental health and wellbeing in the longevity, portraying the impact as not just temporary but permanent and leading to problems in adulthood.

Furthermore, according to research, in 2020 it was reported that England’s teenagers experienced the third-highest rate of pressure from schoolwork out of 45 countries, further emphasising the extreme pressure that Britain’s education system puts onto students in British schools in comparison to other countries worldwide. To reduce the pressures that teenagers face in education, and to deter further declining impact on mental health, schools could put greater focus onto providing support for teenagers during time of academic pressure and stress. This would create a healthier environment for teenagers in education and would support those struggling with mental health issues in a world where factors such as social media and parental pressure already affect mental wellbeing.

For many teenagers, pressure does not only come from social media or school, it can also come from trying to meet their parents’ expectations. Most parents want the best for their children and often push them because they want them to have a successful and secure future. However, sometimes this support can feel like pressure, especially when teenagers feel they have to achieve certain grades, choose a particular career, or follow a path that has already been planned for them. One of the hardest parts is the mixed messages teenagers can experience. Young people are often encouraged to become independent, make their own choices and learn from their mistakes, but at the same time they may feel judged if their decisions do not match what their parents expected. This can leave teenagers feeling like they are expected to be mature enough to plan their future, but not always trusted enough to decide what that future should look like. This pressure is more common than many people realise. Research by YoungMinds found that 70% of young people surveyed experienced pressure from their families and carers, showing that expectations at home can have a real impact on teenagers’ wellbeing. However, this is not about blaming parents, many are trying to protect their children and give them opportunities to succeed. The challenge is creating a relationship where teenagers feel encouraged but also heard, trusted and supported as they discover their own identity and future.