Stress
is any change that you must adapt to, ranging from the negative
extreme of actual physical danger to the exhilaration of falling
in love or achieving some long-desired success. Not all stress
is bad. In fact, stress is not only desirable but also essential
to life.” (Davis, Eshelman, and McKay, The Relaxation &
Stress Reduction Workbook)
The
human body has a built in system to deal with stress, the autonomic
nervous system (think “automatic"). The initial use
for this system was in response to threats to bodily harm/danger.
The series of events that occur in response to a stressor are
called the “fight or flight” response.
Initially
(meaning in the beginning of human existence) stresses faced by
humans were physical, such as being chased down by a wild animal,
or other life or limb-threatening situation. Today, there are
not only physical but emotional stresses as well. The stress response
prepares the body to either run for protection and stay to fight.
Certain
hormones are released as a result of both real and perceived harm,
including adrenaline. That is the “adrenaline rush”
that most people can relate to, and have experienced in the past.
This gives the individual the strength necessary to deal with
the current situation at hand.
However,
what happens when there is a chronic, low-lying level of stress?
There are many signs and symptoms, and these may be what are noticed,
and not the actual stressor itself. Chronic stress can cause symptoms
such as: trouble sleeping, depressed mood, fatigue, decreased
appetite. It is often necessary to deal with not only the symptoms,
but also the underlying cause of the symptoms as well.
There
are many techniques that can be learned on your own, and these
include meditation, progressive relaxation, and breathing exercises.
However, there are times when stress is overwhelming, and interfering
with your activities of daily living. If you find that this is
the case, you can contact any of the following places on campus
for help:
STRESS
MANAGEMENT