We all are living in the world of tough and fast competition. All of us might have experienced stress and pressure, whether it is at our work places or in our relationships. But very little of us know that even children of today are undergoing a lot of stress, turmoil and pressures, especially young girls.

In the fast paced world of today, girls as young as 10 years are facing stress, anxiety and unhappiness as they struggle to handle and cope with the pressure of growing up. The findings have been put forward after an online survey was conducted in which 350 girls and eight separate focus groups involving 54 girls took part.

In the report titled ‘A Generation under Stress?’, published by Girlguiding UK in partnership with the Mental Health Foundation, astonishing findings have come forward, where the present generation has been put under focus, who feel that they are being forced to grow up really quickly.

The research has found that the emotional-well being of young girls aged 10 to 14 years is being destroyed by premature sexualisation and materialism. In traditional times, where girls use to grow really gradually and normally, today they are actually being forced to convert into a grown up to keep up with the demands of the present generation.

The reasons for this are multiple. Fashion magazines, which influence and expose the young girls to fashion costumes, accessories and gadgets, take away their minds from cute Barbie dolls and play sets.

The research has suggested that young girls feel under pressure to wear clothes which make them look older.

Gilrguiding UK further has reported that girls are actually being pushed by websites and magazines to go for plastic surgeries to look better and maintain their body weights.

The impact of these fashion magazines, costumes, gadgets and websites is such that girls feel that they have to look fashionable and up to date with all the accessories, if they have to maintain a good image in their peer-group. If they fail to do so, then they would be vulnerable to bullies.

The girls who took part in the online survey have reported shocking experiences. Two-fifths of the girls said that they felt worse about themselves after looking at the magazines pictures of models, pop stars and actresses.

About sixth of the girls often felt angry, while half felt angry some of the time. Other than this two third of the total girls said that they sometimes feel sad, while half of the girls found it pretty hard to cope with sadness.

Taking under focus their mental health, two in five said they knew someone who had self-harmed, other two in five knew who had panic attacks and one in three knew someone who had eating disorder.

According to chief guide Liz Burnley, “Young girls today face a new generation of pressures that leave too many suffering stress, anxiety and unhappiness.”

She further said that all of those who care about he young women have a part to play in helping them find a way through these conflicting demands to build the confidence they need to be themselves.

One thing which was found to keep the young girls away from stress, anxiety and pressures was supportive family environment and stable peer-group.