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ANXIETY & STRESS MANAGEMENT
Anxiety & Stress Management
Stress is a part of day-to-day living. As university students, you may experience stress through meeting academic demands, adjusting to a new living environment, or developing friendships. The stress you experience is not necessarily harmful to your health. Mild forms of stress can act as motivators and energizers. However, if your stress level is too high, medical and social problems can result. Both positive and negative events in one's life can be stressful. However, major life changes are the greatest contributors of stress for most people. They place the greatest demand on resources for coping.
How Stress Affects Us
- We take less care of ourselves - eat or sleep more/less often, use substances, exercise less, and spend money.
- We are emotionally less stable - crying, mood swings, short temper, depressed.
- We struggle to concentrate - unable to make decisions, preoccupied with worries, distracted, and daydreaming.
- We become less socially connected - isolate ourselves, loss of interest in our favorite activities, more negative interactions.
- Our physical health suffers - getting sick, experiencing physical pains, fatigue.
- Our mind suffers - negative thoughts, hopeless thoughts, pessimistic.
Ways to Reduce Stress and Anxiety
- Take a purposeful break- Do something you find enjoyable at least a half hour every day.
- Do relaxation or meditation exercises- Click below to listen to a relaxation exercise.
- Pay attention to your sources of stress and monitor when your emotional reserve is getting low.
- Build a safe and happy environment.
- Call a friend.
- Go play a sport or game with friends.
- Challenge negative thoughts.
- Exercise regularly and eat healthy.
Resources
Inner Health Studio
www.innerhealthstudio.com/relaxation-links.html
Medline Plus
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/stress.html
Student Curriculum on Resiliency Education (SCoRE)
www.SCoRE4College.org
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