Although self-reported stress-related problems are common among Swedish adolescent girls and young women, few qualitative studies have been made of young people’s own understandings and descriptions of their situation. The aim of our present study, therefore, is to explore and analyze the lived experiences of stress among adolescent girls and young women who had sought help at a youth health center. Interviews were conducted with 40 girls and young women, aged 16-25 years. The interviews were analyzed by qualitative content analysis. “Living close to the edge” is interpreted as the common theme running through all of the interviews and represents the participants’ sometimes unbearable situations. The theme contains dimensions of physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and existential distress, as well as dimensions of distrust and disempowerment. Findings highlight the importance of addressing these dimensions in youth health interventions. The importance of contextualizing young women’s distress is furthermore emphasized.
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