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Stress and the College Student

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S t r e s s & T h e C o l l e g e S t u de n t
Many people experience stress as they combine busy lives and the demands of study and or work while trying to also save time for friends and family. For some people, stress becomes almost a way of life. We all experience episodic stress – getting ready for a major exam, completing an important paper, perhaps getting ready for an important interview. However, a continuous “state” of stress should not become a way of life. We know that stress – over a prolonged period of time – can have increase certain health risks, to say nothing of the wear and tear that happens to relationships and general wellbeing. This simple guide uses materials adapted from several college campuses with active stress reduction programs. It explores the origins of stress and provides some basic ways to assess the level of stress you may be feeling and then suggests some easy-to-incorporate ways to decrease the level of stress.

WHAT IS STRESS?
Stress is simply the body's non-specific response to any demand made on it. Stress is not by definition synonymous with nervous tension or anxiety. Stress provides the means to express talents and energies and pursue happiness; it can also cause exhaustion and illness, either physical or psychological; heart attacks and accidents. The important Thing to remember about stress is that certain forms are normal and Recognizing Stress The following are indicators that you may be experiencing stress. ^ General irritability ^ Elevated heart rate ^ Increased blood pressure ^ Increased accident proneness ^ Floating anxiety-anxious feeling for no specific reason ^ Trembling ^ Insomnia ^ Headaches ^ Indigestion ^ Pain in neck and/or lower back ^ Changes in appetite or sleep pattern essential. As

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