Doctor Carver Nebbe, the psychiatrist and family practitioner at the Thielen Student Health Center on Iowa State University’s campus talks about how to relieve stress so as not to become anxious and depressed during finals. 

“I try to avoid using medication for answers, I chose a more lifestyle focus,” said Dr. Nebbe. 

During finals week students start to feel more overwhelmed and could become anxious and depressed over their anticipated work load. 

“Students start to feel overly stressed and they stop doing the things that make them healthy, they need to continue to focus on themselves,” Dr. Nebbe said. 

“Sometimes, people get really freaked out, that they are so overwhelmed they think they can’t do everything they need to do,” Dr. Nebbe said. 

Dr. Nebbe does not believe in medicating students who are going through an adjustment disorder. 

“This [adjustment disorder] is produced by external problems, such as; a break up, acute stress from finals, or a death in the family,” Dr. Nebbe said. 

Rather than diagnosing a student and sending them off with a bunch of anti-depressant or anti-anxiety pills, Dr. Nebbe choses a more lifestyle change. 

“My mortar or pillars of mental and physical health are; sleep regularly (seven-nine hours every night,) eat regularly (three meals a day,) and lastly exercise (at least five times a week,)” Dr. Nebbe said. 

As well as students being able to come to Dr. Nebbe for help if the are starting to feel overwhelmed, he works closely with the student services as well. 

There is a student counseling services on campus called, the Quck Start Group Series. There are phamplets at the Thielen Student Health Center and their number is, 515-294-5056. 

During finals time especially Dr. Nebbe has noticed a common occurrence with students that are feeling anxious or depressed. 

“I have noticed that students are convinced that marijuana helps,” Dr. Nebbe said. “There have been tests stating that marijuana results in misperceptions and not being able to objectively evaluate your own condition or the people around you.” 

“Marijuana also results in greater anxiety and is a really negative influence on the young people,” Dr. Nebbe said. “Do not result to drugs for a long term ora short term to help with any anxiety or depression issues.” 

Natalee Andrews, a freshman and dietetics major at Iowa State Univeristy speaks about her first experience with finals. 

“I was a bit anxious for just one of my finals, math,” said Andrews. 

Not wanting to feel anxious about her finals, Andrews did the right thing that Dr. Nebbe would suggest to any of his patients with the feeling of anxiety or depressing from finals. 

“I went to the gym to relieve my stress, then I went to bed to refresh myself and wake up feeling as best as I could,” Andrews said. 

Andrews noticed that she was not the only student on campus feeling as she did during finals. 

“There are a lot of people who just will not keep up with their appearances and also the way people will act during finals is a clue that they are feeing just as stressed as me,” Andrews said. “I think it is just expected during finals.”

Dr. Nebbe urges students to change their lifestyle if they are feeling anxious and depressed. Also, to talk to other people, human interaction is very important.

“I cannot stress enough how important and beneficial sleep, exercise, and the right diet can be for someone feeling anxious or depressed,” Dr. Nebbe said.  

“We have two very good work out facilities on campus and I strongly encourage students to use these, it will make a world a difference,” Dr. Nebbe concluded.