Stress Guide 101

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Stress Management Among Students In Universities

At what age do students have the greatest stress? Young parents might say preschoolers have the greatest stress. They are leaving their parents for the first time, and have many reasons to be afraid. Older parents say middle school students have the most stress, having just entered adolescence. Still others will cite secondary school as the time of greatest stress. Most agree, however, that the stresses of university life are very great.

Stress management among students in universities is a hit-or-miss matter. Some universities schedule optional stress management classes, but students often lack the time to attend. If they have the time, they lack interest.

Stress Management Keys

Specific keys will open the door to better stress management among students in universities. Some of those keys are being used, but others are lost or neglected. Without them, stress management is limited for the students. We will not attempt to list here every key, or to put them in any given order. Rather, we would like to suggest stress management keys that may be lost in the rubble of today's society.

1. Clear definitions: Effective stress management among students requires clear definitions of words such as "stressor," "stress," "eustress," and "distress."

Students who do not understand clearly what stress is cannot be expected to succeed at stress management. They may be trying to manage stressors, thinking they are managing stress. The outcome may very well be increased stress rather than stress management.

Stress management among students in universities can begin only after they understand that the extra demands made upon them are stressors, not stress. They then must understand that their response to those demands constitutes stress. Finally, if they are to get a grasp on practical stress management, they will need to know that there are two kinds of stress. One, eustress, is beneficial. The other, distress, is detrimental.

Students who understand these concepts, and embrace them, have unlocked the first door leading to stress management.

2. Action Plan: With a firm understanding of the definitions, students are ready to formulate a stress management action plan. They are ready for the proverbial locking of the barn door to prevent the horse's escape.

Armed with the knowledge that stress is the response to stressors, students can learn to control that response. They can determine to take specific, proactive steps to prepare for stressors. They can, in a sense, ambush the stressors as a step of stress management.

3. Stressor Identification: An important part of the stress management ambush is to learn to identify the enemy. A focused tertiary student will see stressors and know them for what they are. Every university student has stressors. All of us have unusual demands made on us. The key to stress management is to identify those demands as stressors.

In universities and colleges, stressors take the form of unaccustomed activities. Sharing a room with a stranger makes demands on a student. A new form of study is demanding. Financial resources and potentially new dating standards can be stressors.

Whether students are in Italy or Iowa, they are free of the constraints of home, and that freedom is a stressor. Freedom makes unusual demands on one who has not had it in fullness.

All of these and about 2000 more are stressors that a student must identify in order to engage in stress management.

4. Turning Distress into Eustress: Another key that helps unlock the doors to stress management is that of turning distress into eustress. Students often act as victims of their stressors. They believe they can do nothing but suffer. Stress management requires that they learn to turn a potentially negative response to stressors into a positive response.

Eustress, the beneficial stress, is what carries an excited, happy couple through the whirlwind of preparation for a large wedding. From the moment of the proposal, the couple may be surrounded by stressors. Extra demands, unusual demands are being made on them. Yet they are not depressed. The demands do not weigh heavily on them. They embrace them, and respond with smiles. They accept the challenge of getting everything done well and on time because they choose to accept it that way.

The same type of response can be enlisted on other occasions that call for stress management. Much of what students view as negative stress can be turned around, energizing them to excel.

Is this a false, rosy-tinted view of stress management? Not at all. Does this negate principles such as deep breathing, exercise, healthy diet, and regular sleep? No. As we said, this is not an attempt to provide every key to stress management. It is an effort to look at keys that are being neglected.

Stress management among students in universities can be stripped of many programs, drugs, and therapies if these keys are used well.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/self-help-articles/stress-management-among-students-in-universities-138371.html About the Author:

© 2007, Anna Hart. Anna Hart, a career educator and writer, has worked in U.S. schools and New Zealand colleges. From that perspective, she invites you to read more of her articles about student stress management at http://www.stressmanagementblog.com. Also on that site, Anna addresses issues of stress management among students of younger ages. If you would like more information on student stress management at various grade levels, you won't want to miss Anna's insights.

People are living a very fast-paced life and they no longer have the time to smell the roses. This may be a cliche but it is a sad fact that the busy lives people lead has taken a toll not only on relationships but also on physical and mental well-being.

Research shows that seven to nine out of ten people have been subjected to work stress. And while companies can be held financially liable for work-related stress, no person would want to be incapacitated forever or even dead because of stress.

The number of people dying due to diseases and suicides because of stress has been on the rise. This can be blamed for the different challenges man is facing in order to survive modern life.

Stress has been blamed for a lot of things including the rise of heart attack, depression; sleep deprivation and a lot of serious illnesses. Take for example the case of call center workers who are subjected to a lot of work-related stress and who succumbed to heart ailments and high blood pressure.

Some people say that no matter how they want to get rid of stressful situations they just could not seem to avoid them because they have to work to feed their families. Some stressful situations that may not be work related are still difficult to avoid because they are caused by circumstances beyond your control.

Stress is blamed for feeding many diseases and the top of the list is heart attack. The fact that a stressed person can experience palpitations and restlessness is a portent of a serious heart problem.

Aside from palpitations among the symptoms of stress are excessive sweating, headaches, sleeplessness, irritability, stomach upsets, lack of appetite and even skin breakouts. The negative effect of stress usually begins by affecting the psychological make up of a person. This ultimately translates into some form of a physical illness, some of which are untreatable by known medications.

These are some of the diseases that are greatly affected or even caused by stress:

Depression
Ulcers
Asthma
Headache
Hypertension
Bowel problems
Insomnia
Ischemic Heart Disease
Sexual Dysfunction
Skin Diseases
Increase Breathing
Excessive Sweating

Some people experience skin breakouts that they attribute to other causes aside from stress. Little do they know that most allergies are caused by changes in hormonal activities due to stress. Some people who experience chronic stress and severe depression even develop low immunity that leads to cancer or even Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome.

Never underestimate the power of stress to affect the brain and even the metabolism of a person. Stress can affect the skin, the digestive system and important organs of the body.

Researchers who were exposed to the negative effects of stress on the psychological and physical condition of a person were quick to conclude that stress is the number one silent killer today.

Take the case of a person who is constantly exposed to stress. This person can look for ways to de-stress through drinking alcoholic beverages or smoking both of which can cause even greater damage to his body. The more he is stressed out, the more reason he has to smoke and to drink and the more his body deteriorates.

A little stress can be exciting for some people encouraging them to work harder. But when this becomes too much and is experienced regularly then the blood pressure shoots up, the heart palpitates and other symptoms appear that can affect the workings of the heart.

A person who is under a lot of stress most of the time should list the causes of stress for him and then avoid them. If these causes are unavoidable, then he has to find ways to manage his stress.

Stress is a normal part of life and anyone who leads a normal life can be subjected to emotional problems that can lead to stress. However a person has to find ways to control and manage stress. It may be difficult but is possible and better than the alternative.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/how-stress-affects-disease-154998.html

About the Author:

Gaetane Ross is a Certified Natural Health Consultant who has spent 4 years focusing on Nutrition and Health. She also specializes in Alternative Medicine. Gaetane's mission is to positively transform the lives of everyone she meets by providing advice on Healthy Living. http://Live-O-Natural.com

Exploring the Impact of Stress

Each of us has experienced stress in one form or another. This phrase is used to describe the psychological and physiological reactions that our body experiences when we are subjected to various types of change within the environment. Many people often refer to stress in a negative light, but there is stress that can be good. Here, we will explore the impact of stress in our lives.

When a person experiences stress, it can result in many positive things. The first positive aspect of stress is the fact that it can help us in the area of personal growth and development. By experiencing certain types of stress, we can gain new perspective in regards to the world around us. We can even gain new perspective regarding ourselves. In addition to this, we can also make well-informed decisions by experiencing certain types of positive stress.

Normally, stress is referred to as that which is negative. There are many logical reasons for this. Stress has been known to result in many serious health conditions. These conditions include certain diseases of the heart, difficulties with high blood pressure, gastrointestinal problems, such as ulcers, stroke, and even emotional complications. Many individuals that experience high levels of stress experience complications in sleep, uncomfortable headaches, and even severe mood swings.

Many individuals seek to completely eliminate the stress that they experience in life. However, many mental health specialists agree that we should not look to remove the stress that we experience completely. Without some stress, we would not strive to meet deadlines, develop our problem solving skills, and learn how to manage our anger, develop close and enriching relationships with others, or learn to cope effectively after a loss. Some stress is the determining factor in our motivations and ability to do certain things. It is not that we need to find ways to eliminate stress from our lives; the issue is finding a way to deal with the stress that we experience in a positive way.

All individuals are created very differently. While one individual may literally crumble under the smallest amount of stress, another individual can take one heap of stress after another. We all respond to things that occur in our lives in a different way. There are no two individuals in the world that are exactly alike. There are many factors that determine how we each cope with stress. Some of these factors include our age, general health, circumstances, and other similar items.

In order to determine how to effectively deal with the stress in our lives, we must learn how to first control the responses that we experience. The following lists some effective means of doing this:

+ Identify Stressors - It is important to be able to identify those things that cause you negative stress, or distress. It is important to take note of the reactions that you experience. You should note the physical and the psychological reactions that you experience.

+ Change - There truly are some things that we are unable to change. Then, there are those things that we do have some control over. This will help you to effectively manage some of the stress that you experience in life.

+ Emotional Evaluation - When you react to stress, you will experience and display a number of emotions. It is absolutely necessary to determine if and how you can change some of the emotions that you experience and display. This may help you to manage some of the stress that you experience.

+ Physical Evaluation - We experience a number of physical reactions when we experience stress. It is important to learn to identify common physical reactions that you experience when you are suffering from distress. This will help you learn to manage the level of stress that you experience. There are many ways that you can learn to control the physical responses that you endure. Breathing techniques and meditation techniques may help you to control physical reactions to stress.

+ Healthy Lifestyle - It has been discovered that individuals who fail to maintain a healthy lifestyle will suffer from stress on a more disturbing level than those who do have a healthy lifestyle. It is important to eat right, get plenty of rest, and get a lot of exercise.

As you can see, stress is not always bad. Your response to stress does not always have to be bad either! By using the advice listed here, you can ensure that the stress that you experience has a positive impact on your life.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/stress-management-articles/exploring-the-impact-of-stress-233582.html

About the Author:

Kevin Sinclair is the publisher and editor of My-Personal-Growth.com, a site that provides information and articles for self improvement and personal growth and development.

We all are quite aware of stress. It has become an integral part of our life and lifestyle. However, a little amount of stress keeps us motivated to our task, but if we are getting overstressed, it means we are in ruining our lives. When under stress, we catch all the adverse conditions of our life, both in psychological and physiological terms. Till date, relaxation and meditation are found to be the most effective ways for managing stress.

Stress - Are you feeling it?

Stress is not at all pre-defined. Typically, we get stressed when we are not too concerned about reality and realistic goals, and we do not know how to manage our time, so we are unable managing stress as well. These two factors contribute to most of the stressful situations. However, there are a few inevitable situations (such as divorce, loss of job, relationship crisis, etc.) which throw us into the stress tunnel. We simply cannot avoid these stressful situations. Even an emotionally strong individual needs time to restore his healthy balance after facing these types of stressors in life.

Stress can affect anyone!

Any one can get affected by stress. Whether you are an adolescent or a young adult, or an aged individual; you are not at all free from stress. However, the pattern may be different from each other. But the impact is more or less same for every one.

Why do we need to manage stress?

It is simply because we cannot eliminate stressors from our life. All we can do is to adopt different measures for managing stress in our life. If we do not take proper action for managing stress, it means that we will end up at distress. In a distress condition, we will find ourselves simply broken both psychologically and physiologically. When we are overstressed, it affects us in three ways - psychologically, physiologically and emotionally.

The common stress symptoms are headaches, nervousness, rashes, stomachaches, fast heartbeat, perspiration, increased urination, lack of concentration, forgetfulness, drop in task performance, unable to concentrate, carelessness, boredom, anger outbursts, nightmares, depression, scared, withdrawn, irritation and others. We can easily say that none of these we can really welcome to our life. So, quite obviously we need to adopt proper measure for managing stress.

How do we manage stress?

There are possibly hundreds and thousands of concepts for managing stress, however, relaxation and meditation are found to be best measures for managing stress so far.

You can experience a great variety of these two techniques and mostly all these variations offer excellent solution to stress management program. In relaxation process you can simply relax to sooth your mind and body. Either you can do it by yourself or you can perform relaxation under an expert practitioner. You may begin with simple relaxation and they gradually uplift yourself to experience progressive muscle relaxation in which we need to tighten your muscle initially and then relax them accordingly step by step. An exquisite form of relaxation is called visualization or guided imagery in which you are asked to imagine the places or events where you want to see yourself. It offers a peace of mind, hence lowers the effect of stress quite significantly. If you can practice it one regular basis, you can be benefited in terms of reducing fast heartbeat, lowering high blood pressure, reducing the need for bodily oxygen, reducing muscle tension, enhancing blood circulation and many more.

Additionally, if you practice meditation, it will help you to focus your mind on a specific focal point. Meditation can be practiced in different ways depending on your lifestyle and requirement. When we are stressed out, we may lose our ability to decision making or problem solving. A regular practice of relaxation in combination with meditation can ensure you to take a great care of all of your anxieties, enhance your ability to take decision or solve problems and help you to promote a healthy balance in your life.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/self-improvement-articles/managing-stress-easy-tips-to-manage-stress-250144.html

About the Author:

Dr John Anne is an herbal specialist with years of experience and extensive research on herbs and alternative health. If you are looking for more information, read about Managing Stress at http://www.ayurvediccure.com/depression/stress.htm. AyurvedicCure.com is the World's Largest Alternative Health Portal. You can also Participate in Health Questions & Answers, Discussion Forums and Blogs. If you are worried about your Pet's Health then visit Cats Aggression

How to Measuring the Intensity of Stress

Stress is a regarded as a medical condition and it can have a serious repercussions. It is thus, very crucial to cope up with it and to accurately pin point the cause of stress. The intensity of stress greatly depends upon the cause of stress. For example, stress could be a combination of stressors related to the work place and an individualâ€TMs inability to cope. A different stress situation could arise due to added pressures at home. In each of these cases, the level of stress felt will be different and an effective measurement of its intensity allows us to classify stress.
Distress
Distress is negative stress, which is commonly felt when the mind and body have to constantly change their responses to the external environment. You see the human mind tends to orient in ' comfort zones,' and a prolonged absence from such a zone can make a person feel uncomfortable, resulting in stress.
Acute stress is a type of distress that accompanies a change of routine. It is an intense type of stress, but it is usually short-lived. Acute stress is the way by which the body ensures that a person takes notice of the changes around him or her, and tries to adjust himself or herself so as to be comfortable in face of such changes. Chronic stress is a long-term effect and is generally observed when there is a constant change of routine on a periodic basis. Chronic stress affects the body for a long time and it is also a level of stress, which is difficult to deal with. It needs more attention and efforts to do away with the symptoms of such a stress.
Eustress
Eustress is a type of positive stress and in most cases is known as a ' necessary factor' to motivate a person to work towards goal realization. It is, thus, a helpful type of stress that is experienced right before one needs to exert physical force. Eustress is the body's way of preparing the muscles, the mind and heart to face what may occur. Thus, it is essential in any creative endeavor to ensure that appropriate levels of energy are channelized to perform better at particular task at hand.
A common example of this type of stress are the ' adrenaline rush' that football players s may feel before a game is to begin. This feeling will help them play better and possibly win the game.
Hyperstress and Hypostress
Hyperstress is a negative stress that is an observed when a person is forced to undertake more than what he or she can endure. A stressful job may overwork the individual and may affect him on serious lines. Hyperstress is a serious form of stress and can affect a person on an emotional level if not dealt with. Hypostress is opposite to hyperstress and is a situation where a person can do much more than what he is expected to. The results of hypostress are boredom and frustration leading to a sense of mental lethargy.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/men's-health-articles/how-to-measuring-the-intensity-of-stress-596972.html
About the Author:

Find the best way dealing with stress by visiting http://www.freestressmanagementguide.com/ a popular website that specializes in managing stress to include information on where to get a free stress management guide.

Stress was created to help the human body get through life's turbulence. When danger is sensed, the body's natural "fight or flight" response kicks in, as a way to prepare itself for battle. The adrenal glands kick into action, flooding the bloodstream with high doses of adrenaline to give the body energy.

Heart rate quickens and blood flow increases, giving the body's major organs and muscles more oxygen. Endorphins are released to work as natural painkillers. Breathing increases and digestion slows, all in attempt to help you better face what imminent struggle lays ahead. Nature's way of handling something bad coming our way, stress can be good when it helps you focus and deal with an emergency.

Problems arise when stress levels continue to escalate, causing this natural fight or flight response to stay with you throughout the day. An ongoing struggle with a spouse, an illness, or an unruly coworker can all cause this fight or flight response to linger unnaturally. The nervous system senses prolonged tension and danger, and may continue to pump hormones and chemicals throughout the body that can deplete a person's natural reserves, leaving them feeling tired and sick all of the time.

A little stress can be a good thing - but too much is bad for anyone. While good stress empowers us to get a job done, or handle a tough situation on our own, bad stress can strip us of confidence, and the wherewithal to tackle everyday issues.

Too Much Stress Is Bad.
Too much bad stress, (or a stress overload), can cause severe problems with the body's immune system, making its victim more prone to simple illnesses like colds and flu, or more serious conditions such as infections, diabetes, high blood pressure and gastrointestinal problems. Stress has also been linked to a higher rate of cancer, heart attack and stroke in some patients. In others, too much stress can lead to depression, which can cause serious mental and behavior problems as well.

What Causes Bad Stress?
Everyone reacts to stress differently; what bothers one person may easily be shrugged off by another. But, some of the most common stress-inducers are:

-Divorce
-Death
-Illness
-Moving
-New job
-Pregnancy
-Legal issues
-Retirement
-Financial problems
-Marriage

Recognizing The Symptoms Of Too Much Bad Stress.
The first step t overcoming bad stress is first, recognizing that you are experiencing it, than finding new ways to cope. Symptoms of a stress overload may include:

-Emotional Changes. Mood swings, anxiety, insomnia, trouble concentrating, anger and even feelings of agitation and tenseness may all be signs that your stress levels are hitting dangerous proportions.

-Feeling Unwell. Physical symptoms of stress can often be very subtle (an upset tummy, or trouble eating), or they can be more severe with extreme fatigue, throbbing headaches, chest pains, recurring diarrhea, or even angina and/or heart palpitations.

-Behavioral Changes are another sign that stress points are rising to an unhealthy state. Overreacting, anger, acting on impulse, withdraws and even a sudden need to quit or change jobs may be the result of stress overload.

Stress can be good or it can be bad. The best way to get control of bad stress is to recognize its symptoms, and learn how it affects your specific body so that you can better monitor and handle it. Learn to recognize how your body reacts to stress, and you'll be better prepared to stop it in its tracks.

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Stress is thought to be a major factor behind many lost hours of productivity in many societies. If left unchecked stress can lead to a number of ailments and illnesses. These can range from being overly susceptible to the common flu and colds to more serious things like high blood pressure and heart disease. But what exactly is stress ? And are there different types of stress ? This article will answer these questions and help you to identify the type of stress you may be experiencing.

The feeling of anxiety or pressure that we experience from time to time or all the time for some people tends to be termed stress however this is too broad a definition. This can often lead to confusion as some stress is good for the person and some is not. When it is all called the same term then it is difficult to understand how stressful situations can be constructive at times. Stress is actually broken down into four distinct types. These are known as eustress, distress, hyperstress and hypostress.

Eustress

Eustress is defined as a healthy type of stress. To this extent it is an experience or event that motivates us. It is seen as healthy not for the physiological changes that it causes in the body (which will be the same as all forms of stress) but for the energy it gives a person to strive for better things. A perfect example of this is often a stage actor being asked if they stop getting nervous about going on stage. Most actors will claim that they are always nervous and if they stopped being nervous they would give up acting. The nervousness or stress (Eustress) is actually heightening their senses and giving them an energy that they use to give a good performance. Without it they wouldn't be able to perform. Eustress is fine, and is generally defined by the finite nature of the stressful event and the person experiencing the stress having a way to address the stress.

Distress

Distress can be termed the bad stress and can lead to many illnesses and diseases. It is caused by a change in one’s routine, like loosing a job, a sudden bill that needs to be paid, or a big move to a new town. Whilst it is acceptable in acute instances where the stress eventually recedes it becomes a problem when it is chronic and there is no end in sight for it. Chronic stress is most debilitating because it change change the homeostasis of the body which leads to parts of the body malfunctioning and breaking down. Chronic stress is also defined as something that the person can't deal with. This means ending the source of the stress or having an outlet to relieve the stress created.

Hyperstress

Hyperstress ocurs when a person is pushed beyond their limit. This can happen in a stressful job where one is working long hours or even something as simple as having a baby with colic. This type of stress can cause mood swings, crying jags, and burnout.

Hypostress

Hypostress is a type of stress that rarely gets a mention This stress happens when someone is bored or unchallenged, like a worker on an assembly line. The symptoms of hypostress are restlessness, loss in creativity, and possibly depression.

Chronic stress is the worst type of stress you can face. This is because it is unremitting and will eventually cause the body to break down. The key to reducing chronic stress is to deal with the source of the stress or to have an outlet that allows you to relax or calm down. These two strategies are easy to implement provided the person acknowledges that they are under stress. This is often the hardest part of the problem.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/how-to-identify-different-types-of-stress-295712.html About the Author:

If you would like to learn 5 ways to reduce stress then visit http://www.stressmanagementreview.com . Adrian writes on issues related to stress including work related stress and herbal remedies for stress and anxiety.