Contemporary Health Issues - School Stress - 7th Lecture PDF

Contemporary Health Issues SCHOOL STRESS Have You Ever Felt Like This?  What is Stress? Stress is a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that “demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize.” Stress is part of...

Contemporary Health Issues SCHOOL STRESS Have You Ever Felt Like This?  What is Stress? Stress is a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that “demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize.” Stress is part of everyday living It is not necessarily events that cause stress, but how we react to the events Symptoms can include mental, social and physical issues-exhaustion, changes in appetite, headaches, crying, changes in sleep patterns, using drugs or alcohol.  Stressors Facing Younger College Students Lifestyle change Achieving emotional independence from family Choosing and preparing for a career Preparing for emotional commitment and family life Developing an ethical system Grades Many students are more concerned about grades rather than about what they are learning Course overload Taking on too many classes can lead to illness, hostile emotions, not enough time for friends, learning less, and ultimately poor grades Stressors Facing Younger College Students (cont.) Finances Sex –Tuition and books, Date/acquaintance living expenses, rape credit cards Shyness Changing friendships Jealousy New intimate relationships (love) Breakups – Erotic love – Ludic love – Storgic love – Manic love  Is stress always bad? Stress can be positive or negative –Positive stress: Motivates us Is short term Is exciting Improves our performance –Negative Stress Does not go away-it builds Can lead to problems such as lack of concentration, headaches, anxiety, fatigue  Things that build stress Perfectionism – Are you a high achiever? – Do you criticize yourself when your work is not perfect? – Do you always feel you could have tried harder? Control – Do you have to be in control at all times? – Do you feel lack of control is sign of failure – Do you have difficulty delegating to others  People Pleaser – Do your feelings about yourself depend on other’s opinion about you – Do you avoid things because you are concerned about disappointing others – Do you take better care of others than you do of yourself Confidence – Do you feel you will never be as good as others – Do you feel you lack common sense – Do you struggle to believe people that tell you have done a good job Things college students do to add stress: Stay up all night to study Loading up on caffeine Having “study parties” with your friends Waiting until the last minute-cramming Worrying about what is at stake Trying to work and go to school Full Time  Common symptoms of stress Feelings – Anxious, fear, angry Thoughts – Low self-esteem – Fear of failure – Worrying about the future – Preoccupation Behavior – Crying – Acting impulsively – High pitch laughing or nervous tone of voice – Increasing drug or alcohol use  Physiology –Sweaty hands –Increased heart rate –Trembling –Tiring easily –Butterflies in the stomach –Changes in eating patterns  Effects of Stress in College Nervousness Having difficulty reading and understanding the questions on the exam paper. Having difficulty organizing your thoughts. Having difficulty retrieving key words and concepts when answering essay questions. Doing poorly on an exam even though you know the material. Mental Blocking: Going blank on questions. Remembering the correct answers as soon as the exam is over.  What is stress management? It is the ability to maintain control when situations (people, events, etc) cause us to feel stress symptoms.  Change the situation if you can Remove yourself from the situation Avoid extreme reactions Get enough sleep What can I do Learn how you relax best to manage Set realistic goals stress? Don’t overwhelm yourself Change the way you see things Do something for others Get some physical exercise Avoid self medication  Eat healthy Learn to Say “no” Take time to relax What can I do Be kind to yourself to manage Manage your time well stress? Talk it over with someone Making the Most of Your Study Time  STUDY BEFORE THE TEST Plan two to three hours of study time for every hour you spend in class. There are exceptions, but this is a good general rule. It’s also one that few students follow. Student making the transition from high school to university are often unaware of the increased workload expected of them. The benefits of following this rule will be apparent at exam time.  STUDYING TIPS (Cont.) Study difficult (or boring) subjects first. If your chemistry problems put you to sleep, get to them first while you are fresh. Most of us tend to do what we like first, yet the courses we find most difficult often require the most creative energy. Save the subjects you enjoy for later.  STUDYING TIPS (Cont.) Study difficult (or boring) subjects first. If you find yourself avoiding a particular subject, try getting up an hour earlier to study it before breakfast. With that chore out of the way, the rest of the day will be a breeze.  STUDYING TIPS (Cont.) Avoid scheduling marathon study sessions. When possible, study in shorter sessions. Three separate three-hour sessions are far more productive for most people than one nine-hour session. When you do study in long sessions, take a planned break every hour. Be aware of your best time of the day. Many people learn best in daylight hours. Observe yourself, and if this is true of you, schedule study time for your most difficult subjects when the sun is up. The key point is to determine your best learning time.  STUDY TIPS (cont.) ◼ Be prepared! Learn your material thoroughly ◼ A program of exercise is said to sharpen the mind ◼ Get a good night's sleep the night before the exam  Make a To Do List By putting the most important things first, you are sure to get the most important things done on time. Phone Sticky notes on computer screen/ stick notes Journal or jotter  Prioritize Your List 005588ag – A - Highest priority. Getting these items done tomorrow is very important. – B - Medium priority. You would really like to finish / accomplish these things, but they can wait if you run out of time. – C – Lowest priority. Getting these items done tomorrow is not very important.  Double Your Time Estimates Most people tend to underestimate how much time a particular activity / assignment will take. A good rule of thumb is to estimate how much time you realistically think something will take and then double it. More often than not, this doubled estimate is accurate.  Write Down A To Do List This includes class readings, work on papers or problem sets, chores, errands, phone-calls, exercising, etc Break the studying down into “review chapters 2- 5,” “review chapters 6-10,” “do six practice problems,” etc… and the research paper into “spend 1 hour collecting articles at the library,” “write an outline,” “write introduction,” etc… These items are much smaller, easier to start, and more likely to get done.  HELP !! When I know I am under STRESS, what can I do to manage it? Select three of the following options to implement this week!  Seek Support Ask for help from your teacher or a tutor Get Academic Tutoring Form a study group with classmates  What Can Help Stress? S = Study Skills T = Time Management R = Reducing Stress E = Examination Preparation S = Self Talk S = Seek Support Success is not measured by what you accomplish, but by the opposition you have encountered, and the courage with which you have maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds. – Orison Swett Marden End of lecture Thank you