Stress In College Essay, Research Paper
STRESS IN COLLEGE
Everybody experiences stress in their lives. There are many stressors in college that start with college work. College is a big source of stress for variety of reasons, and poor planning often leads to crisis situations.The stress of every day life in college shows itself in different ways: the expectations of making an A in every course, the fear of doing poorly on tests, and worrying about failing.
However, as stress becomes more serious , we often begin to develop troublesome symptoms in which we worry about. We are under stress if we have one or several of the many symptoms caused by stress, including: backaches, stomachaches, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, depression, anger, anxiety, forgetfulness or the inability to make decisions. We often feel that we are under stress — and many times we are.
The most frequent cause of stress in college is the concern about academic performence and everything that goes with it, for example such as grades and exams. Some students strive for perfection in their academic performence. But, by working very hard late at night, and by skipping meals to study. The yield of this consists of constant headaches and backaches, and getting really depressed because the student could never reach their goals of perfection.
Dr. Hans Selye describes stress as a side effect produced by any situation to which you respond in any way. It is the nonspecific response of the body to any demand made upon it. The demand may be pleasant or unpleasant, or damaging. The damaging type of stress is called distress.
Within our body, when the arterial pressure falls, the pressure usually also falls in most of the blood storage areas such as veins, liver and the lungs. Consequently, a rise in arterial pressure is directly proportional to a rise in those same storage areas . This phenomen is called “Stress-Relaxation”. In other areas, such as in the smooth muscle, stress relaxations has the ability to change in length without marked changes in tension.
It is amazing that almost any type of stress, whether it be physical or neurogenic, will increase the ACTH secretion by the interior pitvitary gland and also with in minutes greatly increase secretions of cortisol. Some different types of stress that increase cortisol release are the following:
1. Trauma of almost any type
2. Infection
3. Intense or cold
4. Injection of norepinephrine and other sympathometic drugs
5. Surgical operations
6. Injection of necrotizing substances beneath the skin
The effect physiological stress on ACTH secretion in any type of ACTH and consequently of cortisol as well, oftenly can increase cortisol secretion up to 20 fold. It is believed that pain stimuli caused by the stress, are first transmitted upward through the brain stem to the perifornical area of the hypothalamus. In this sequence, eventually to the medial basal eminence where CRF is secreted into the hypophysical portal system. Within minutes the entire control sequence leads to large quantities of the glucocorticoids in the blood.
Mental stress can also cause an almost instantaneous increase in ACTH secretion. This is believed to result from increased activity in the limbic system, especially in the region of the amygdala and hypocampus, both of these then transmitting signals to the posterior medial hypothalamus.
Stress can also be defined as the way in which your mind and body react to any situation that is new, threatening, or exciting. Often, backaches, loss of appetite, constant fatigue, depression, and serious physical problems can result from prolonged stress. However, stress can also give you an extra burst of energy–more adrenaline enters the bloodstream, heart and breathing rates increase, blood flow quickens, and muscle strength improves. Learning to harness this energy can help you to meet physical challenges, solve problems and reach goals.
Our life cannot be totally stressfree, and we probably would not want it to be. However, because unmanaged stress can lead to serious physical and emotional problems, we do need to cope the with stress we have on hand, manage it, and reduce it. In order to cope with stress we should be aware of its symptoms and accept that we are under stress, then find the source of the stress. If we treat our body appropriately, we can reduce the effects of stress in our body. It is important to take good care of ourselves by eating right, getting enough sleep, and exercising. Also taking time to relax and to have fun are always good ideas to reduce stress.
Sometimes we think we can deal with stress in college in ways we really can’t, but sometimes these actions may actually increase stress. We may try to mask our stress with realization that it isn’t so bad or that we don’t need help; by denying that we are under stress, by acting out violent, aggressive behavior, or by turning to drugs, alcohol or tabbaco. These actions do not reduce our stress levels, but they increase it. Negative thinking, worrying about stressful situations, overgeneralizing, and jumping into conclusions are also actions that increase stress.
In adjusting to the stressful situations and the independent lifestyle of a college student, keep in mind three important concepts — consequences, change, and cooperation. Every decision you make will have certain consequences. Just remember that even though the decisions you make will be up to you, the results aren’t always as easily controlled. Whenever you find yourself facing a decision, think it through. Carefully consider the options and the consequences before you move forward, and your new independence should be manageable.
It is important to remember the key fact that things change. If you are unhappy at first with your life as a college student, don’t give up.With each passing day, some of the hard new edges of the unfamiliar collegiate life will begin to smooth out. Many changes are under your control and the ability to adapt to change provides a great opportunity to cope with factors causing too much stress.
Taking advantage of the cooperation and resources that can be found on campus is also another factor in controlling stress. Some of the most influencial people you will meet are those who have selected college teaching, counseling, or advising as their career. Although you may feel isolated sometimes, you do not have to feel alone. All around you are people whose assistance can help make your collegiate experience less stressful. There are several strategies that can help you cope with stressful situations:
- Learn to manage your time. Make and follow a daily do-list schedule that includes time for classes, reading and writing assignments, exam preparation, meals, exercise, and a job.
- Set priorities and make the most of your opportunities as a student.Write down the most important items and concentrate on those at the top of your list. Writing ideas down helps crystallize your thinking and reinforce important goals.Learn to say “no” to some of the demands that infringe upon your unprotected time. Protect your own own interests by refusing to allow yourself to become overstressed by taking on every request or opportunity that comes your way.
College is a big source of stress for a variety of reasons. Therefore, in a student’s sometimes hectic world, poor planning often leads to crisis situations.And crisis almost always leads to stress.