With the current state of the world, it is inevitable that anyone, especially a college student, will encounter stress. While stress may be positive in some situations, building motivation and enabling goal-setting tendencies, it may also cloud our minds and invite anxious or depressive behaviors.
A positive state of mental health can help build a healthier mindset and an overall healthier lifestyle. Medical News Today describes stress as our body’s natural defense that evades or confronts any challenge. This causes our bodies to have a physical response of increased blood pressure, heightened muscle preparedness, sweating, and alertness. These reactions are meant to improve one’s ability to respond to a challenging situation.
These aren’t the only effects stress leaves on the body, as it can change bodily functions such as a rise of blood pressure and pulse, breathing speeds up, digestive system slows down, immune activity decreases, and lack of sleep due to alertness of your challenging situation. This is how stress can affect you physically, but how can it affect you mentally?
Janelle Cox, a freelance writer with 15 years of professional instructional experience, explains how stress can inflate feelings of anxiety and depression if it becomes chronic stress.This type of stress can cause overwhelming emotions and a feeling of being burnt out. Chronic stress is responsible for changes to parts of the brain such as the prefrontal cortex and limbic system. When these parts of the brain are affected by stress, it can cause emotional and behavioral issues.
How Do Others Manage Stress?
In an interview with Sierra College student Lilyana Delap on Sept. 29, she described some practices she implements to help her deal with stress, including “going to the gym, planning for the week, writing in a journal and social interactions.”
As a student in a stress management class, she offered advice for others when managing stress. “There are different breathing techniques that you can do,” Delap said.
“You could use a journal to write what you’re feeling down on paper. You could use imagery as a way to control your stress.”
The methods brought up by Delap may be effective in managing health, while also developing solutions to overcoming stress. Once again, it is important to note how stress is not always bad, just as Delap mentioned.
Both chronic and temporary stress alike can lead to serious ramifications surrounding mental health. Stress is a common life factor that can induce a depressive episode. When talking about stresses that can cause these episodes, it can be a vulnerable moment and a difficult subject to talk about as some may not want to be seen differently based on their mental health. Because of this, the following interviewees requested anonymity.
Mental Health Stigma
Within one anonymous interview held on campus on Oct. 1, the student mentioned how “some of the reasons for my anxiety could be from overstimulation. For this, I have a playlist to listen to and make some tea to relax with the music.”
The student also suggests advice for managing stress, including playing with a pet, “or if you are able to, take them out and go for a walk.” Other suggestions include “trying to do simple stretching and yoga.” Outside of exercise, the student mentioned breathing exercises. “Adults and teens don’t know how to breathe properly because we now have a lot of stress. Stress makes us breathe faster and shallow from our chest, like when you finish a workout. What we want to do instead is to take deep breaths from our stomach, but unconsciously we start to breathe more with our chest because of constant minor stress.”
Another Sierra College student, who requested anonymity during an interview on Oct. 3, handles stress by “writing my thoughts down when I can. It just helps me process on my own time.” To others handling stress, the student suggested:
“Take a step back when you’re feeling stressed and then confront the source of the problem as soon as possible. If you just leave it, then the stress will build up and cause you to spiral.”
Writing down your thoughts is a good method of self-reflection. It helps you see what’s on your mind and can help develop a solution on how to improve your mental health. One common trend in addressing mental health is an approach focused on one’s physical well-being. Whether it is going to the gym, or just going out for a walk, physical health is important for dealing with stress.
Physical Health
Mayo Clinic staff describe how “exercise in almost any form can act as a stress reliever.” Exercise can improve your mood and build self-confidence, can build relaxation, lowers symptoms of anxiety or depression and improves your sleep. This happens because physical activity increases your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, which are also known as endorphins. Endorphins release hormones to block the perception of pain and increase positive feelings, which often occurs when in pain or feeling stressed.
HelpGuide, a non-profit mental health website, explains “exercise is a natural and effective anti-anxiety treatment. It relieves tension and stress, boosts physical and mental energy, and enhances well-being.” With this in mind, it is important to take notice of the impact physical health can have on your overall well-being.
Those who exercise also “feel more energetic throughout the day, sleep better at night, have sharper memories, and feel more positive and relaxed with their lives.” We already know how this works, what can be looked at now is how to start this process of exercising if exercise isn’t a practice you use often.
Stress is something we can’t avoid, and is something we all go through. It can easily affect our mental health if we allow it to. Because of this, it’s important to try practicing healthy coping methods, like the ones mentioned previously, in our daily lives. Practice some exercises that can help you remain healthy and make stress easier to manage.
Sierra College has resources to either support you for the semester or assist you on balancing school and life. Sierra College’s Health Center is a place you can
schedule an appointment for therapy if needed. Therapy sessions are also available through TimelyCare, a resource provided by Sierra College for students. This campus is a safe place and is highly considerate of your well-being.
There’s no wrong way to manage or deal with stress. Do what makes you calm and feel relaxed. You are not alone. Just keep putting in the hard work and taking the time to avoid stress, and build good mental health for yourself.
Reported and Written by Parker McCrary
