Stress Relief

Overview

For college students it is not surprising that stress is an integral part of life; it is part of everyone's life actually.

There is an anonymous saying, "Stress is like the tension on a violin string. You need enough tension to be able to make beautiful music, but not so much that the string snaps." There is a term, eustress, or good stress. This is the stress that works for you, the stress of determination to push on to get an assignment done, the motivation of the excitement of a project that keeps you up a bit later to complete it, or the physical work you do in the gym for a stronger body. Then there is distress. That is when it feels as if your internal string is about to or has snapped. You feel overwhelmed by all you have to do, perhaps feeling out of control and unable to organize or get things done. Physical symptoms show up as: fatigue, muscle tension, insomnia, and being unable to remember things. This does not feel good, especially when you are trying to get through school! The good news is that you can manage distress, you can turn it around, and you can lessen the negative impact it has on you, and most of the things you can do are pretty simple and free. You may want to take a look at the Food and Mood, Natural Remedies and Anxiety modules to help as well.

In this module we hope to increase your toolkit on positive ways to tame your experience of stress when it is not helping you. You can do many things on your own, and when trying to work it out on your own is not enough, it is time to consider calling a professional to get some help - that is what they are there for! Located on this page in the Where is the Closest Help to Me section, there is contact information for professionals in your area organized by college and county. There is probably someone right on your campus waiting to help you. Take a look!

Stress is manageable! When you keep stress balanced:

• Your decision making is thoughtful and measured

• You are less likely to make mistakes

• You remember what you learn

• You are more in tune with your body and emotions

• Your relationships are more satisfying

• You are more productive and perform better in the classroom

Self-care and social support, along with stress and time management techniques, can reduce the impact of stress on the mind and body and improve functioning and productivity. Read on, there is something here to help you!

Students talking to students on Stress - take a look!

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The information in these modules is not intended to replace the services and advice from a medical or mental health professional.