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Stress is prevalent in academic settings
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The stress of academia is a powerful force, especially during
midterms.
Stress is a condition that develops when a person’s
resources or ability to cope are exceeded by overwhelming
situations.
“Academic work loads, taking care of families and working
contribute to students’ stress levels,” Georgia Girvin
said, who teaches stress management classes at Boise State.
Stress can be caused by physical or physiological sources such
as such as surgery, pain or overexertion.
When a person begins to experience stress, the autonomic nervous
system activates a fight-or-flight response. In a fight-or-flight
response, the sympathetic nervous system releases epinephrine
(adrenaline) from the adrenal medulla. The release of adrenalin
diverts blood away from the digestive tract and kidney’s to
muscle and heart tissue. The parasympathetic nervous system is
activated and releases norepinephrine (noradrenalin) and cortisol
from the adrenal cortex.
Cortisol, a type of steroid which enhances metabolism by
breaking down fats and proteins that work to increase the
concentration of glucose in the blood stream and supply the body
with energy. The two systems act together to release hormones into
the blood stream during a stress response to increase or decrease
organ and body function.
There are social and emotional stresses such as birth, death,
being fired from a job or tests that contribute to a person feeling
like their resources are taxed, or their life is out of control.
Prolonged stress may result in difficulty managing a busy school
schedule and concentrating on schoolwork. Anxiety, panic and
depression can occur.
Physical stress symptoms such as stomach problems, migraines,
high blood pressure, respiratory difficulty, muscle aches,
gastrointestinal problems and difficulty sleeping may occur.
A weakened immune system may manifest, and lead to a
susceptibility to contract illness and develop diseases.
“In a frantic society students try to do everything at
once, jobs, school, family; cut back on expectations, the number of
classes and work time, and set yourself up for success,”
Girvin said.
Stress doesn’t always come from negative forces.
“Positive things in life can also cause stress, so
learning to think about stress not in a negative way helps a person
assess how much stress they may be under. Stress can be positive,
too,” Karla West said, a counselor at Boise State Counseling
Services.
Openly communicating problems and anxieties helps reduce
stress.
“Stress management reverts back to a healthy life style
and balance socially, physically, intellectually, spiritually. The
environment around you, having a support system and talking through
your feelings, is an important thing also,” Girvin said.
Girvin said stress could be controlled with “relaxation,
exercise, time management, eating nutritiously, sleeping well, and
ask for help when you need it.”
Boise State has abundant services to help students deal with the
stress of academia.
“Students know where they can go to find resources and
people to talk to, to point them in the right direction,”
West said.
Boise State Counseling Services offers classes through the
paraprofessional program and counselors are always available.
Students can also access Boise State’s Health Center Web site
for more information about stress and stress relief.
West said there is hope for stressed-out students, who might
find that stress disappears once their life situation improves, or
once they learn how to modify their behavior and perception about
stressful situations.
Theresa Jenkins, The Arbiter
