Introduction Feelings Physiology

Stress is a part of day-to-day living. It is a common  Feeling anxious  Perspiration/sweaty hands

human phenomenon and part of life as a college  Feeling scared  Increased heart beat
student. As college students you may experience stress  Feeling irritable  Trembling
meeting academic demands, adjusting to a new living  Feeling moody  Nervous ticks
environment, or developing friendships. The stress you  Dryness of throat and mouth
experience is not necessarily harmful. Mild forms of Thoughts  Tiring easily
stress can act as a motivator and energiser. However, if  Low self-esteem  Urinating frequently
your stress level is too high, medical and social  Fear of failure  Sleeping problems
problems can result.  Inability to concentrate  Diarrhoea / indigestion / vomiting
 Easily embarrassed  Butterflies in stomach
What Causes Stress?  Worrying about the future  Headaches
Although we tend to think of stress as caused by  Pre-occupation with thoughts/tasks  Premenstrual tension
external events, it is the way in which we interpret and  Forgetfulness  Pain in the neck and/or lower back
react to events that makes them stressful. People differ  Loss of appetite or over-eating
dramatically in the type of events they interpret as Behaviour  Susceptibility to illness
stressful and the way in which they respond to such  Stuttering and other speech difficulties
stress. For example, speaking in public can be stressful  Crying for no apparent reason Tips to Help you Cope with Stress
for some people, and not for others.  Acting impulsively Remember our goal is not to eliminate stress but to
 Startling easily learn how to manage it and learn how to use it to help
Symptoms of Stress  Laughing in a high-pitch and nervous tone of us. Insufficient stress acts as a depressant and may
There are several signs and symptoms that you may voice leave us feeling bored or dejected. On the other hand,
notice when you are experiencing stress. These  Grinding your teeth excessive stress may leave us feeling tied up in knots.
symptoms fall into four categories: Feelings,  Increase in smoking What we need to do is to find the optimal level of stress
Thoughts, Behaviour, and Physiology. When you are  Increased use of alcohol and/or other drugs which will individually motivate but not overwhelm
under stress, you may experience one or more of the  Being accident prone each of us.
following:
 Losing your appetite or over-eating
Some tips to help you.
Where to find Help


Exercise regularly
Eat a well-balanced diet
Student Counselling Service Stress Management
Room 010. Left after the yellow stairs on the
 Do you best, as opposed to trying to be ground floor and left again.
perfect
Tel: ext 2635 (from outside 4042635)
 Talk to your friends or family members E-mail: aisling.obrien@ittdublin.ie
 Practice relaxation exercises, for
example, when you feel tense, slowly Student Health Centre:
Room 110. off first floor corridor of the main
breathe in and out for several minutes
college building. Extension 2613.
 Do not use alcohol or any other drugs E-mail: orlagh.fleming@ittdublin.ie
to alleviate your stress
 Recognise you negative thoughts (e.g.
“that was a stupid thing that I did”) and Some Reading
replace them with more positive There is a wealth of literature on anxiety in
thoughts (e.g. “it’s o.k. to make most large book shops. Below are some books
which are available in the Institute Library.
mistakes)
 Make time for fun activities
Manage your mind
 Get a hobby or two
- Gillian Butler
 Avoid unnecessary competition
 Recognise and accept your limitations Calm Down
- Paul Hauck
 Learn how to use your time wisely:
- monitor how you are using your time Feeling Good Handbook
- plan ahead and avoid procrastination - David Burns
- make a weekly schedule Complete Guide to Stress Management
- Chandra Patel
Student Counselling Service
Overcoming Stress
- Vernon Coleman Student Services
Institute of Technology, Tallaght