“Everybody has stress,” is a common phrase used among millions of people everyday, however when does just the stress of everyday life turn into something more damaging and dangerous not only to one’s physical health, but also to their psychological health?
College students are a prime example of people who are constantly stressed over every single thing in their lives. They stress about grades, friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, and maybe even family. College students are also pros at not sleeping, therefore weakening many aspects of the body, and the mind. These weaknesses open a door for stress related complications to walk right in and create severe damages to one’s psyche and physical health. When asked on a scale between one and ten, what is your stress level during exam week, Miriam Taylor, a sophomore at the University of Mississippi, describes her level of stress “around a six” because she tries her best not to stress herself out. However Taylor admits that she can tell a difference in her emotional state during times of stress because she has “a tendency to get a little bit snappy” and even goes on “caffeine crazes” where she consumes too much coffee and soda later causing her to have “headaches and stomach aches”. Taylor also continued to say that she tends to psych herself out because right before a final, she gets “really bad test anxiety” and it causes her to have to seclude herself in order to calm down and prepare for her examination. So how do we gain control of our stress, and regain control of our lives?
Dr. Jill RachBeisel, a psychiatrist at the University of Maryland Medical Center describes stress as, “a pressure or a strain that an individual feels that pushes them beyond their comfort level, and pushes them into an area of unfamiliarity.” Dr. RachBeisel continues to say that if one has continued stress, “your body experiences a chronic state of stress which can have long term effects,” some that many people personally know to be true. She also goes on to say that there are different kinds of stress, there is good stress and there is bad stress. Good stress is a kind of stress that helps us to achieve our best, and makes us step up to the plate and get the job done. Many could argue that stress caused by finals could be characterized as good stress because it could help one work harder and achieve a better grade on their final, however when does good stress turn into bad stress. Well Dr. RachBeisel describes bad stress as being at the point where you don’t feel in control of your situations anymore, which can later lead to anxiety. Dr. RachBeisel does give tips on coping and managing your stress, by exercising, developing plans for yourself, and taking action in your life, thus regaining control of your life and its situations. Many college students can relate to the reactions of stress which Dr. RachBeisel includes as constant worrying, restlessness, being on edge all the time, feeling tired and irritable a lot, difficulty concentrating, and also difficulty sleeping.
In order for one to control their stress, they must gain control of their life, or else their stress can build up and turn into anxiety, which can then escalate into depression if they don’t seize control at the right time. One of the most important things that a college student will learn is to manage their time, and with that, they must learn to manage and control their stress so that they do spiral down into a hole, which they are unable to get out of. Stress is a very serious matter that affects millions of college students everyday, however it is a matter that they must learn to live with because through out life, there will always be stress over something, but it is nice to know that there are things you can do to maintain control and keep yourself functioning. So take a break, go for a walk or chat with friends, but stay focused on what is important and don't let your stress get the best of you.
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