By Mila Patel
In a world of rising standards and increasing competition, students and teens often succumb to the overbearing eye of society, pushing them to fit an image only a very small percent of teens truly reflect.
Stressors like future plans and pressure to fit in with trends can cause teens to feel isolated, avoid opportunities out of fear of failure, and constantly second-guess themselves as a result of outside scrutiny.
While these pressures are very real and experienced by about 84% of teens worldwide, finding light in the dark develops the power for teens to fight back against the confining sense of “the norm.” Learning efficient coping strategies such as defining your individual goals, building support systems, and practicing mindfulness can help adolescents everywhere combat the daunting image of what a teen is “supposed” to look like.
To begin, defining individual goals helps teens separate themselves from the mass of society; helping them focus on what’s important to them rather than what’s important to their family, peers and social media. Goals may seem like a looming, unattainable metric, but they are extremely important to staying on track to success, and staying true to yourself.
Healthy goals include small, bite-sized steps that teens can take to slowly (but surely) achieve big goals. Breaking big dreams into small steps makes goals appear more realistic, and therefore motivates teens to take the actions to achieve what they set out for. Encouraging teens to focus on their own path helps them define their own success, rather than confining them to the bounds of social standards.
Next, building support systems creates a healthy environment for teens to feel safe and able to express their unique assets. They give teens people to talk to when the pressures feel like they’re just too much to handle, and in turn that alleviates some of the stress experienced.
Reminders that teens aren’t alone provides reassurance and encouragement they need during times where the future looms, strengthening teens confidence through positive relationships. Support systems are proven to have a positive impact on teens, with “Teenagers who always…received support were less likely to be in poor…health (4.8% compared with 13.8%), experience anxiety (12.9% compared with 33.1%) and depression symptoms (8.0% compared with 31.1%)…compared with teenagers who did not always or usually receive support,” (Zablotsky et. al). In the big picture, teenagers receive support from those similar to them as well as gain perspective outside of their own worries.
Lastly, practicing mindful activities regulates the mind and body, automatically bringing teens back to the present to remind themselves what their priorities are. Examples of mindfulness include journaling, exercise, meditation and in general having an outlet for stress. It creates a mental pause from expectations and overthinking, and builds a sense of control and grounding when teens get caught up in rigorous routines from influencers of the media. Mindfulness improves self awareness, making it easier for teens to respond to the negative pressure experienced on behalf of society.
All in all, while social pressure builds around fitting in, plans for the future, and meeting high expectations from peers and family, teens have the opportunity to break free from the clutches of societal pressure. By developing healthy coping strategies such as healthy goal setting, support systems and mindful activities, teens learn to navigate the pressures of society while staying focused on their goals and keeping confidence. The understanding that self worth doesn’t come from others’ views allows teens to focus on personal growth and staying true to who they are.
(This article was done for the social media campaign Redefining Real. Redefining Real is a social media campaign created to teach teens how to navigate the pressures that society pushes on them and to focus on confidence and growth.)
Instagram: @redefiningreall
Works Cited
Admin. “Helping Teens Cope with Stress, Anxiety, and Social Pressure -.” Americascounselors.com, 6 Feb. 2026, americascounselors.com/helping-teens-cope-with-stress-anxiety-and-social-pressure/. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
Zablotsky, Benjamin, et al. “Perceived Social and Emotional Support among Teenagers: United States, July 2021 – December 2022.” PubMed, no. 206, 22 May 2024, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK606852/, https://doi.org/10.15620/cdc/156514.
Weir, Kristen. “U.S. Teens Need Far More Emotional and Social Support.” Apa.org, 1 Apr. 2025, www.apa.org/monitor/2025/04-05/teen-social-emotional-support.
Anderson, Monica, and Jingjing Jiang. “Teens’ Social Media Habits and Experiences.” Pew Research Center, 28 Nov. 2018, www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/11/28/teens-social-media-habits-and-experiences/.
How Coping Mechanisms Help Teens Deal with Societal Pressure
Mila Patel presents her HOSA project with partners Theertha Gopireddy and Aaryahi Thapa for the social media campaign Redefining Real, which encourages teens to challenge unrealistic societal standards, manage stress, mental health, and coping strategies such as goal setting, support systems, and mindfulness to build confidence and develop self-worth.
How Coping Mechanisms Help Teens Deal with Societal Pressure
Mila Patel presents her HOSA project with partners Theertha Gopireddy and Aaryahi Thapa for the social media campaign Redefining Real, which encourages teens to challenge unrealistic societal standards, manage stress, mental health, and coping strategies such as goal setting, support systems, and mindfulness to build confidence and develop self-worth.
