Stress: Symptoms and Balance

It's that time of year again, finals are steadily rolling in, thanksgiving is just around the corner, and right after that is Christmas. Each of these has one key factor in common: stress, though, don't take stress lightly as it can afflict a person not just mentally but both physically and emotionally as well. Some are able to overlook it without a second glance, while others are suddenly bombarded all at once. Symptoms of one being under high amounts of stress are tensed muscles, sickness, high blood pressure, fatigue, irritability, a looming sense of being overwhelmed, mood swings, forgetfulness, repetitive thoughts, and having difficulty concentrating. For most it is the latter of the two. Stress alone can be beneficial in small doses, or it can be destructive if it grows out of control with poor stress management.

Stress can grow to be overwhelming without a correct balance of activities. Creating a balance of activities such as overall well being, eating habits, sleeping habits, and exercise can drastically help obtain the ability to cope with an overwhelming stress factor, as stated by James Archer and Christina Carroll “You can use the following guidelines to help manage your stress: understanding your role in stress reactions, developing a balanced life-style and effective personal organization, learning specific relaxation techniques, gaining perspective on problems by discussing them, and clarifying your values along with developing a sense of spirituality.” Having a steady balance of time spent indoors or outdoors can greatly improve the level of balance with stress and daily life.

Discussing problems one may be facing is another great way to deal with stress. Most of the time when the walls are closing in talking i...

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...help to not end up in a hospital trip or a visit to a psychiatrist. “Although it may seem impossible to reinforce the good things in your life when you feel like tearing your hair out, constructive thinking can help you see the proverbial glass as half-full.” (Emily Driscoll 2011)

Works Cited

Archer, James, Ph. D, and Christina Carroll, Ph. D. "Stress and College Students." Stress and College Students. University of Florida Counseling Center, 2003. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. .

Driscoll, Emily. "Stress in College: What Causes It and How to Combat It." Fox Business. Fox Business, Mar.-Apr. 2011. Web. 18 Nov. 2013.

Rogge, Timothy, MD, and David Zieve, MD. "Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia." NCBI. U.S. National Library of Medicine, Feb.-Mar. 2012. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. .