There’s one thing almost every ETSU student has in common at this time of the year … stress.
Whether you’re pulling an all-nighter on the research paper you should have been working on all semester or are freaked out because you have three tests coming up on Tuesday, college life can be stressful.
Not everyone reacts to stress in the same way.
In fact, research indicates that men and women have different biochemical reactions to stress. Females tend to secrete more of certain chemicals when under stress which make them more vulnerable than men to depression and anxiety.
Some find that stress gives them an extra burst of energy to get things done. Others find it almost incapacitating, making it difficult to think clearly under pressure, and playing havoc with their test-taking ability.
Answer the questions in the chart at left to determine how you handle stress.
The answers in the right-hand column are healthier ways of dealing with stress. For every answer you completed in the left-hand column, take a look at the alternatives and try to apply more of these approaches to your life.
Is stress causing you problems? The ETSU Counseling Center offers free, confidential counseling for students. Call 439-4841, or visit the office during walk-in hours Monday thru Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon or 2-4 p.m.
Do you have a question for The Doc Is In? The Doc Is In has a home on the ETSU Counseling Center web site.
Visit http://www.etsu.edu/students/counsel/thedocisin.htm to post an anonymous question, which will be addressed either on the web site or in the East Tennessean. Question topics include family issues, depression, assault/violence, relationships, drugs and alcohol, sexual orientation, stress/anxiety, eating disorders and helping others.

Author