Thursday, October 17, 2013

Coping With Stress

By Patricia E. Beeson


Stress affects us all at some points in our lives. It can come from many different areas, finance, relationships, work, studying and a variety of other forms. At certain times, pressure can build up and stress can be difficult to deal with.For young academics, the effects of stress can be felt from a tender age. Pressure to do well in exams, GCSE's and A Levels to gain a place at a good university can have a serious impact on the health of students. The fear of being a failure can override rational thoughts and lead to unhealthy behavior and bad coping mechanisms.Whilst studying in school and sixth form the main causes of stress are coping with work load, worry about university entry and anxieties branching from relationships with friends, family and girlfriends or boyfriends.
[How To Coping With Stress]


The survey found that four out of ten college students report they feel stressed often. One out of five say they feel stressed most of the time. One out of four students experienced daily stress and one in ten had thoughts of suicide (2008). That is why today I would like to inform you what I believe to be three of the main stressors that everyone goes through. This would include financial problems, workplace stress, and personal relationships. Then, I would also like to take you through five steps that I have found useful in coping with stress.

For students living in expensive cities like London, who don't receive financial help from their families, part-time work is the only option to keep their heads above water. The problems that arise from this burden can have a domino effect. Having to juggle the responsibility of a job, stay committed to a degree, have a healthy social life and find time to rest can add to the original source of stress.Everyone has different levels of stress tolerability. It is linked to your personality, diet, emotional maturity and up-bringing. We have different methods of dealing with stress too. Some one who is more prone to stress and anxiety may have more trouble dealing with it. It is common to try to avoid the source of the problem and use something else to mask it.

For example, a student who has being suffering financially may take on a part time job in a bar to help pay the rent. This brings a new realm into the student's life; they are meeting new people with different focuses and pastimes. Some of these will be beneficial to the student but there is also the chance that these new people will cause more of a distraction from the students main focus; the degree. Not only this, the job will take over time in the student's life that should be used for socializing, resting or studying.

Furthermore, there is the stress of personal relationships. We may receive attitudes from our relatives. Have arguments with our kids or spouses. There could be possible illness to deal with in the family, or a major change of location could have happened. These all bring on a great deal of stress in our lives. Without knowing how to cope with all these stressors they could really exhaust a person.Therefore, I would like to introduce an acronym I use to remember five steps in coping with stress. The acronym is R-E-L-A-X. It stands for Recognize, Exercise, Let-it-go, Attitude, and Xtra sleep. Let's go over each letter one by one.

The first letter is "R". "R" stands for Recognize. We must first recognize the stress before we can cope with stress. Once you recognize the stress try writing what you are stressed about down on paper. This is a way to vent and analyze a better way to go about your situation. Also, some people just simply find writing very relaxing and it helps calm their nerves.The second letter is the letter "E". "E" stands for Exercise. Incorporate exercise into your life. Make it a daily routine. Set aside time to exercise because it is simply good for you, and it will help keep your mind off your worries. If you can learn to make a routine out of it, then you can start building onto that routine and get more organized. In time, you will be less overwhelmed and enjoy having a healthy routine.

Young people dealing with the stresses of student life can also be prone to developing eating disorders as a form of coping. Anorexia, Bulimia and over-eating are all ways to exert control of life when everything else seems to be chaotic and out of hand. Again, this will only cause the student further difficulties. It is very hard to overcome eating disorders and the disease has a knock on affect on all areas of the person's life. Eating three meals a day and having a healthy diet is very important for a healthy mind and healthy body.A recent survey of student mental health showed a drastic increase in the amount of students suffering with emotional problems, anxiety and depression. More and more students are seeking counseling for their problems and 10% of those students are suicidal. It seems to be a very dark statistic but it is important to highlight the seriousness of the issue. For many people, student years are the times of their lives, but for those who find it difficult to cope, it can be very very hard.

To prevent some of the troubles that may be encountered at university, prospective and new students should do a little preparation and research. The most important thing to consider is the course itself. As soon as there is a timetable available, it should be studied and a realistic life timetable be made so it is known how much time is going to be available to study, work, rest and play. Keeping on top of workload is key to having an enjoyable time at university.Making the best out of home life is also very important. It is advisable to most students to take a place in student accommodation for the first year. It is important to make friends and to be eased into university life this way. Living in private accommodation can isolate people from other students. If it isn't possible to live in halls then it would be good to consider joining a sports team or club to integrate in that way.

Coping with stress at work is primarily a psychological function that requires some practice. Different individuals may react with varying degrees of stress given the same situation and stress factors. Some people are easily irritable while others are more resilient. Regardless of the individual differences, effectively managing stress can be divided into three general categories.Attitude - Coping with stress will largely depend on individual attitude. People who are generally optimistic in their outlook in life can adjust better to the various challenges in life. As the saying goes, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Positive attitude can be learned and practiced. It is mainly about hope and good prospects, focusing on finding solutions rather than being burdened by problems.

Stresses and problems aside, university life is over all very rewarding and very worthwhile. Skills learned and friends made at university shape lives and build careers. There are plenty of good times to be had despite the pressures.More advice on student lifestyle can be found on the Student Book website.Student Book is a website for prospective and current students. It offers a university comparison tool and a wealth of information on the ins and outs of applying to university. The site is also a guide to student life with advice on finance, welfare, study skills, accommodation and a lot more. These are helpful, relevant and entertaining articles aimed at students and future students.




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