We all need a little more mental health
Photo Illustration: Megan Slattery/Iowa State Daily
Students are paying thousands of dollars to attend classes at Iowa State but may skip class anyway.
February 6, 2017
We’re all feeling a little stressed.
College is, for many, a high-pressure time. There’s pressure just to be in college, from society, maybe from your family, hopefully from yourself. There’s pressure to have the “college experience.” Older relatives, graduates, even your dentist warn you to have fun now, while you can, before the “real responsibilities” of adulthood set in.
These “real responsibilities” seem extra heavy, scary and stressful because we’ve been told they are heavier, scarier and more stressful than the responsibilities we have now. Responsibilities like rent, scholarship applications, GPAs, exam scores, interviews, internships, career fairs and midnight deadlines.
All of these are demands on our time and leave us feeling stressed. We feel pressured to get the right amount of sleep, eat the right foods, post the right selfie, respond to each email and text and tweet quickly in a constant feed of response. Even our corn is stressed.
The effects of social media on stress are just beginning to be documented. What used to be a place to relax now includes stress hoop-jumping. Instead of a break from school, it can be a social obligation — and a reminder that your behavior and success is being watched by future employers.
OK. So we’re really stressed.
And that stress does things to your body.
Put simply, when you are stressed, your body responds as though you are in danger. It makes hormones that speed up your heart, make you breathe faster and give you a burst of energy, according to the Mary Greeley Online Health Library. This is called the fight-or-flight stress response.
Prolonging this fight-or-flight response is where stress becomes dangerous. It can be linked to headaches, an upset stomach, back pain and trouble sleeping, according to Mary Greeley. It can weaken your immune system, and if you already have a health problem, stress may make it worse.
Emotionally, stress can make you moody, tense or depressed. Your relationships and your performance at school can actually suffer — which may make you stress more.
A perceived lack of control in life, increased responsibilities, satisfaction in your work and a lack of support can all increase stress. Know when to say no to new responsibilities — one club instead of two, a member instead of a leadership position. Being in a major you like is a major part of student success.
So what can we do?
A lot of recommendations have been made for alleviating stress. On Mary Greeley’s online health library, there are three pages of articles related to stress, including advice on specific stress management.
Most recommendations are some form of relaxation, like a bath, a walk, listening to calming music, a warm drink or a massage.
Focusing on releasing tension in your body is a common theme. Stress can cause our muscles to tighten — all part of that fight-or-flight response. Using progressive muscle relaxation — tightening each muscle, then releasing quickly while breathing deeply — can help ease the physical responses of stress. Tighten and release your fist. Shrug your shoulders. Smile, then purse your lips. Flex and point your toes.
Some of the things we assume help calm us down — like coffee, alcohol or smoking — can actually add to our bodies’ stress chemicals. It’s important to limit caffeine and alcohol during periods of high stress, like studying or before a test. Try a cup of warm cocoa instead.
Use these recipes to add flavor to your cocoa.
Be positive. Low self-esteem can trigger brain chemicals that make it harder for your body to deal with stress. Take the time to honestly compliment yourself and list three good things that day, or something that you are proud you did.
Humor therapy is a real thing. Attend a comedy show — or perform. Campus has Grandma Mojo’s and the Iowa State Comedy club.
Read more about the Stand-Up Comedy Club at Iowa State here.
How about aromatherapy? Essential oils package scents separately and in a blend labeled for its purpose. An easy glance and sniff can identify the best scents for you.
Get a gym membership, or use the one you already have. Students pay for a pass to the gyms on campus in their tuition. Just have your student ID ready.
Do some meditation, with a group or alone, and adapt mindfulness. Mindfulness is all about evaluating how your body feels, the state of your mind and the environment around you.
Visit cyclonehealth.com or http://www.counseling.iastate.edu/ for the mental health resources provided to students through the university, including the Biofeedback Center, which helps students understand their body’s reactions to stress.
Read more about the Biofeedback Center here.
