Case Study

Stress Management

Davina Marie Narayanan

#0301C44412

Period 2

BOH4M

Mr. Boodram

17 November, 2003

Stress is an integral part of our daily life, whether we choose to acknowledge its presence or not. Defined as “worry and pressure caused by having too much to deal with” (Oxford Wordpower Dictionary), stress is not necessarily bad all the time. Managed properly, stress can positively impact our lives and produce outstanding results in our favor. On the other hand, negatively handled, stress can manifest itself physically, and emotionally, leading to mental breakdown and health problems in the long run. The former is known as ‘Eu-stress’, and the latter, ‘distress’. Effects of Eu-stress are enriched lifestyles, self-awareness/capabilities, and a motivating factor in everyday experiences. Distress on the hand, can trigger depression, rejection, anger, insomnia, or heart disease. The key to use stress to our own advantage is to find the right balance; the ‘optimal level of stress’ that each individual needs to keep motivated but not to the extent of causing ‘distress’.

The causes of stress are known as ‘stressors’. Each individual has their own set of stressors as different things affect different people in different ways. Most commonly, death, divorce and job loss are frequently cited as major stressors to adults. To the college student however, academic demands, career decisions, adjusting to new environments and relationships, financial and social issues, are the main causes of stress. Many students view these stressors negatively, and as such react accordingly. Perception thus plays an important part in the way students manage, or mismanage stress.  Maintaining a positive outlook should be a part of a student’s routine. This helps keep distress at bay as keeping a positive outlook will prompt inevitable daily challenges to be a motivator rather than a burden or a task.

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Generally, managing stress is very much like managing a business. You have to identify the stressors, analyze its effects and impacts, modify (make changes) suitably, maintain the positive outcomes, and reassess the negative ones. Then start all over again.

Specifically relating to a students life, the recommended way to effectively manage stress is to practice good time management, ensure enough rest to recharge the body, practice good nutrition, exercise regularly, control thoughts from negative views, and seeking professional help should stress get too hard to handle.

        Analyzing stress management in a life of a CPU student, it is ...

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