Managing Stress

In college there are many things that can cause you to get stressed out whether it be financial situations, relationships, homework, grades, ect. Once stress is reached, the way you react to it is your stress response. Your stress response is usually based on how you have reacted to stress in the past. The way you react to stress is either physical or emotional. Someone who reacts to stress in a immediate physical way usually takes the fight or flight response. The fight or flight response is when you either run away from your stress or fight it straight on. I've noticed that I'm typically a flighter. Whenever I'm encountered with stress I tend to get away from it whatever way possible. A person who reacts to stress in a emotional way on the other hand, effects the way you feel and think. How you think and what you feel is different with each person depending on the stress. If stress is severe enough, it can cause people to slowly shut down and at that point they need medical attention. If stress is avoided but still there for a prolonged period of time, you could be putting your health and quality of life at risk. Stress then can effect your body physically such as by pain, weaker immune system, change in your sleep schedule, and a change in appetite and emotionally that amount of stress could lead to suicidal thoughts. On the positive side stress can be a good motivator. Usually when I'm stressing out about something like a big test, it forces me to study. Or if I'm stressing out about money, it motivates me to get a job. etc. In conclusion stress can be a good thing if managed correctly but if you handle it the wrong way, it could have devastating effects.