One Thing We All Have in Common...

Webster defines stress as “a state in which a strong demand is made on the nervous system.” Stress can also be thought of as your individual reaction to life's challenges and events. Experiencing stress as a college student is a given. College life is challenging and strong demands will be made on the nervous system. Therefore, learning to manage your emotional well-being during the college years may be just as important as learning the basics of your future profession. Stress is not harmful as a general rule, and a life without any stress would be incredibly dull. But when stress becomes chronic or excessive, it can interfere with a student's life and health in significant ways. It is important to recognize the symptoms of excessive stress and seek help for yourself or a friend when needed.

There are multiple sources for this “strong demand on the nervous system” during the college years:

• Social stressors include class and academic responsibilities, new and changing relationships, living away from home, paying for tuition and living expenses, finding a vocation and adjusting to new cultures and roommates.
• Environmental stressors can be noisy, crowded living arrangements, and a lack of privacy. The cold weather combined with minimal natural daylight can be stressful to students unfamiliar with the Michigan environment.
• Personal thoughts can also be stressors. A student who expects perfection from herself at all times will probably not live up to this self imposed demand. Blaming herself for an imperfect academic, social, or athletic performance will increase the level of stress in her life. Students may increase their own stress level by constantly putting themselves down. This is often referred to as “negative self-talk.” An example of this negative talk would be, “I must be stupid because I did not ace that test.” Overgeneralization can increase personal stress levels. This pattern of thought is illustrated by a student who assumes that since their last date was rather dull, they will probably never marry.
• Physiological stressors include illness, injuries, inadequate sleep, poor nutrition, and hormonal fluctuations.

There are physical changes caused by exposure to stress. The stress response is often referred to as the “fight-or-flight” reaction. The human body developed this response as an adaptive mechanism to deal with the threat of predators and to prepare for hunting. The hypothalamus in the brain sets off an alarm system in the body. This alarm prompts the adrenal glands to release a surge of hormones, particularly cortisol and adrenaline. Adrenaline increases heart rate, elevates blood pressure, and boosts the supply of glucose or sugar. All of these changes contribute to an increased capacity for physical exertion. Cortisol increases blood glucose levels, enhances the brain's use of this glucose, and increases the availability of substances that repair tissues. Cortisol also generally enhances arousal while curbing bodily functions that would not be helpful in a fight-or-flight situation. The immune response is dampened and the reproductive and growth processes are altered. The digestive system is stimulated to release gastric enzymes and acids which aid in digesting a large meal, while the remaining digestive processes are suppressed. This complex alarm system also affects mood, motivation and fear through cranial function. Ancient man was well adapted to an environment which required rapid energetic responses to either hunt a meal or to escape being hunted by a predator.

Modern man has less need of the fight-or-flight reaction. Many modern stressors are psychological, such as the previously listed college stressors. Also, modern stressors tend to be prolonged. The stress response system is self-regulating, and the hormone levels should return to normal once the “crisis” has passed. But prolonged psychological stress sets off the same alarm system. The prolonged alarm response is no longer adaptive. Rather it disrupts almost all of the body's processes, increasing the risk of obesity, insomnia, digestive problems, depression, memory impairment and physical illnesses.

For a more detailed discussion of the effects of stress on human systems see: www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress/SR00001

Symptoms of Stress
Each person will react to prolonged stress in his or her own way based on their genetic make-up and their life experiences. Some may react minimally to stress while others may be profoundly affected. Most students will fall somewhere between these extremes.

Physical symptoms of stress include:

• Compulsive eating, drinking, or smoking
• Upset stomach
• Headaches
• Insomnia
• Muscle tension, especially in the neck, shoulders and lower back
• Accelerated heart rate
• Fatigue
• Ulcers

Emotional symptoms of stress include:

• Irritability and impatience with self and others
• Depression and mood swings
• Anger
• Anxiety and feeling overwhelmed

Cognitive symptoms include:

• Difficulty concentrating
• Forgetfulness
• Unwanted repetitive thoughts

Stress Management
Since stressful events are a fact of college life, learning to manage stress is important to lesson the impact these events will have. Recognizing the stressors in your life is an important first step. Deciding which stressors can be controlled, which are out of your control and then choosing how to respond are important tactics. When exposed to prolonged stress, the following strategies may help:

• Daily exercise
• Prayer
• Relaxation techniques
• Healthy nutritional choices
• Adequate sleep
• Effective time management (procrastination is a significant cause of stress in the life of many college student)
• Shorten your exposure to stress, take a break
• Reduce the intensity of your reaction to stress. Ask yourself if you are overreacting. Are you expecting to please everyone? Are you demanding perfection from yourself? Connect with friends, family, clergy and counselors to gain support.

For an excellent discussion of stress management techniques, see:
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm

Recognize when to seek help
At some time or other, students might need help managing stress. At Calvin, help is available through the Broene Counseling Center, the College Health Center, and the Chaplain's office. A counselor, chaplain or a nurse practitioner should be contacted if a student recognizes the following symptoms in their own reactions or in those of a friend:

• Social withdrawal
• Psychological numbing
• Feelings of helplessness or hopelessness
• Persistent feelings of being overwhelmed
• Physical illness
• Alcohol abuse
• Persistent lapses of memory or concentration