 |
Friday,
April 16, 2004 |
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
STRESS
Classes,
jobs, relationships build pressure on students nationwide
By
Kina Garrison
Contrary
to the belief that college is demanding and enjoyable,
students nationwide are constantly plagued by what the
American Institution of Stress calls America’s No.
1 health problem.
This health hazard — stress — affects each person
differently.
According to the American Institution of Stress, levels
of stress have risen in college students and can lead
to “substance abuse and other unhealthy lifestyle
habits.”
Monica Kintigh, a licensed professional counselor at the
counseling center, said there are many different causes
of stress, and they can originate when you have to make
several decisions in a short period of time. What is stressful
for one person may not be stressful for others, she said.
There are several ways to identify your personal stress
and learn how to control it, Kintigh said. First, you
need to identify what type of stress you are experiencing.
According to the American Institution of Stress, “People
can experience either external or internal stress.”
It reports external stress includes “adverse physical
conditions” including pain or “stressful psychological
environments,” like abusive relationships.
Internal stress can also have physical or psychological
conditions, but an example of psychological stress is
“intense worry.”
Regardless of the causes, most students who become overwhelmed
by stress will experience unpleasant effects. If not controlled,
stress can lead to the decline of the body’s overall
well-being and cause depression or anxiety.
The institution reported if students prevent stress it
can boost school performance and even personal happiness.
“I find that if I practice better time management
skills I won’t be too overwhelmed all at once and
become too stressed to completely focus,” said Jessie
McCarroll, a sophomore elementary education major. “Also,
it’s better not to worry so much and become stressed
over little things — we all have tests and other
things to do and it’s not the end of the world if
you feel swamped every once in a while.”
According to the American Institution of Stress, several
reasons contribute to the fact that stress levels are
on the rise, especially with college students.
Angela Thompson, a sociology professor, said, “With
the rising costs of tuition, increasing numbers of students
are having to work part- or full-time. This is an added
responsibility that increases the stress in the student’s
life.”
Thompson said because her interaction with students is
limited, she cannot always tell when students are stressed.
Certain changes in a student’s behavior — like
not coming to class, falling asleep in class or a dramatic
drop in test scores — can trigger signs that a student
is under too much stress, she said.
James Stuart, a public relations principles professor,
said he knows students are stressed when he notices less
enthusiasm among students or even something as small as
students smiling less.
Everyone will have some symptoms of stress, but when these
symptoms occur for a long period of time is when “stress
becomes distress” and counseling is needed, Kintigh
said.
Students add to the problem of stress by coping with it
in negative ways, especially with drugs and alcohol.
“People in general go for the quick fix because they
think that alcohol and drugs can release stress but it
makes the problem worse,” Kintigh said. “Alcohol
is a depressant and will make you have more stress. They
(people) think they feel better initially, but once they
quit using it, it becomes so much worse.”
To prevent stress, Kintigh said it is a good idea to have
a healthy diet and to exercise. Taking care of your body
and not taking matters so seriously is a great way to
prevent stress. She also said humor is a great way to
relieve stress because we have no control over what goes
on in life, but we do have control over our attitude.
“If you’re going to laugh about something a
year from today, go ahead and laugh about it today,”
Kintigh said.
The counseling center can be reached for more information
on stress-related topics at (817) 257-7863. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
