Lexi Letterman
Lantern Staff
Stress is something we all have experienced, but how many people really understand stress?
Stress is defined by Merriam-Websters’ online dictionary as “a physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation”, it follows then, that minimizing stress is important to physical and mental health.
This seems especially important considering the stressful situation of an upper education that all college students find themselves in. The key to minimizing stress is to be able to understand it.
There are three different types of stress: acute, episodic acute and chronic.
Acute stress is usually momentary stress caused by an argument or thoughts of the future.
This can lead to elevated blood pressure, insomnia and chest pain. Episodic acute stress is symptomatic of a person who lives with frequent triggers of stress.
Emotional symptoms are very similar to that of regular acute stress. However because the exposure to stress is prolonged, physical symptoms increase. Cognitive function is impaired, relationships tend to be affected, muscular tension increases and the prolonged high blood pressure can lead to heart disease.
Acute stress does not typically need treatment but can be used for episodic acute stress.
The recommended treatment is professional help for several months.
The third, and longest lasting type of stress, is chronic stress. This stress occurs when someone feels hopeless, which causes a neurobiological change in the brain.
The damage done by this stress can cause irreversible damage to your physical and/or mental health. The effects of this stress are very similar to episodic acute stress.
However being that this is more prolonged, the consequences can be more serious. These consequences include suicide, homicide and violence. Treatment for this is very profound professional treatment as the person requires a complete rewiring of their brain.
The key to minimizing stress is to see these warning signs and know your treatment options. College is a stressful time, and the most important thing we can do is take care of ourselves. This issue tends to become most prevalent around finals week. Studying and doing well is very important, but not at the cost of your mental and physical health.
Know your triggers and signs of stress. If you notice these signs are approaching, take a break and do something you find therapeutic. Learning to have a balance is a key factor into getting out of the stress cycle.
