Hey @Tommo welcome to the forums! It's great to have you here 😊
It sounds like you are going through a tough time where you are feeling pressured with your schoolwork and from your parents to do well. Your final year of school is a really trying time and I can see that you are motivated to do as well as you can, but the added stress of your parents pushing you to work harder than you already are is really getting to you. The analogy of trying to break a brick wall just by punching it really stood out to me- I can see why you are feeling helpless around this issue and I'm glad that you came here for support.
I think some of the things that @miso_soup has brought up around parental expectations are really significant. Your parents can be a great source of motivation and support but it sounds like at the moment they are combatting your real efforts to do your best and hitting at your self-esteem. We have an article here on how to get parents to really listen to you, which includes tips like finding a way to discuss when there is less tension, and being aware that it might take several tries for the message to get across, unfortunately! It may be worth trying to find a way to express that some of their methods of trying to encourage you have the opposite effect. I wonder if any tips that have been given so far resonate with you?
I notice that you are most frustrated in the way you are trying to manage these feelings, especially with anger. The fact that it is interfering with the positive aspects of your life, like your work, sport and friendships is definitely cause for concern. You mentioned that you've been lashing out at others, could I ask what this looks like for you? We have an article on dealing with anger which lists some strategies that can help when the anger is starting to peak, like understanding your triggers, moving your body and relaxing. I was wondering if you had spoken to anyone about the anger, whether that be friends or perhaps a school counsellor? It may help to get extra support if you feel like it is getting out of hand.
How do you feel after getting all of your thoughts out here?
