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Signs
and Symptoms:
- Physical
symptoms
of stress
include
increased
heart rate
and blood
pressure,
rapid breathing,
tense muscles,
sleeping
poorly,
and changes
in appetite.
- Emotional
reactions
include
irritability,
anger,
losing
your temper,
and lack
of concentration.
[Go
to Self-Care
Prevention]
Still
not sure? Ask
yourself with
these questions.
1.
Are you distressed
that you have
recurrent thoughts
of suicide
or death and/or
do you have
impulses or
plans to commit
violence?
If yes to
one of these
symptoms
described
above, please
get immediate
care.
If no,
continue
on to the
next question.
2.
Are you abusing
alcohol and/or
drugs (illegal
or prescription)
to deal with
stress?
If yes to
one of these
symptoms
described
above, please
see your
doctor.
If no,
continue
on to the
next question.
3.
Do you have
any of these
problems often?
- Anxiety
- Nervousness
- Crying
spells
- Confusion
about how
to handle
your problems
If yes to
one of these
symptoms
described
above, please
see your
doctor.
If no,
continue
on to the
next question.
4.
Do you withdraw
from friends,
relatives,
and coworkers
and/or blow
up at them
at the slightest
annoyance?
If yes to
one of these
symptoms
described
above, please
see your
doctor.
If no,
continue
on to the
next question.
5.
Do you suffer
from a medical
illness that
you are unable
to cope with
or leads you
to neglect
proper treatment?
If yes to
one of these
symptoms
described
above, please
see your
doctor.
If no,
continue
on to the
next question.
6.
Have you been
a part of a
traumatic event
in the past
(e.g. rape
or assault)
and now experience
any of the
following?
- Flashbacks
(relieving
the stressful
event), painful
memories,
nightmares
- Feeling
easily startled
and/or irritable
- Feeling "emotionally
numb" and
detached
from others
and the outside
world
- Having
a hard time
falling asleep
and/or staying
asleep
- Anxiety
and/or depression
If yes to
one of these
symptoms
described
above, please
see your
doctor.
If no to
all questions,
use self-care
prevention.
Self-Care
Prevention
- Talk
about
your
troubles
with
family,
friends,
or
a
member
of
the
clergy.
- Listen
to
music
that
you
find
soothing
while
at
a
quiet,
calm
place.
Meditate.
- Get
regular
exercise.
- Get
as
much
sleep
and
rest
as
you
can.
- Drink
8
to
10
glasses
of
water
each
day.
- Reduce
noise
in
your
environment.
- Eat
healthy
foods.
Avoid
foods
high
in
fat
and
sugar.
Eat
at
regular
times.
Don't
skip
meals.
- Take
a
vitamin/mineral
supplement
that
gives
100%
of "daily
values" for
nutrients.
Don't
take
ones
marked "Stress
Formula" on
the
label.
High
doses
of
some
nutrients
in
these,
such
as
vitamin
B6,
can
be
harmful.
- Limit
caffeine.
It
causes
anxiety
and
increases
the
stress
response.
Avoid
nicotine
and
other
stimulants,
such
as
No-Doz
and
diet
pills.
- Balance
work
and
play.
Plan
social
and
extracurricular
activities
in
the
time
you
have
left
after
class,
work,
and
sleep.
Don't
take
on
more
activities
than
you
can
reasonably
do
in
a
given
day
or
week.
Set
priorities.
- Take
charge.
Although
you
can't
control
other
people's
actions,
you
can
control
your
response.
- Don't
try
to
please
everyone.
You
can't.
- Set
up
and
maintain
good
study
habits.
Get
prepared
for
tests
and
papers
throughout
the
course
of
the
class
so
you
don't
need
to
cram
for
them
the
night
before
they
are
due.
- Reward
yourself
with
little
things
that
make
you
feel
good.
- Help
others.
- Don't
suppress
having
a
good
cry.
Tears
can
help
cleanse
the
body
of
substances
that
form
under
stress.
Tears
also
release
a
natural
pain-relieving
substance
from
the
brain.
- Do
relaxation
exercises
daily.
Good
ones
include
visualization
(imagining
a
soothing,
restful
scene),
deep
muscle
relaxation
(tensing
and
relaxing
muscle
fibers),
meditation,
and
deep
breathing.
- Count
to
10
when
you're
so
upset
you
want
to
scream.
This
gives
you
time
to
reflect
on
what's
bothering
you
and
helps
to
calm
you
down.
- Modify
your
environment
to
get
rid
of
or
manage
your
response
to
stress.
- Rehearse
the
stressful
events.
Imagine
yourself
feeling
calm
and
confident
in
an
anticipated
stressful
situation.
- View
changes
as
positive
challenges.
Don't
get
down
on
yourself
if
you
don't
do
well
on
a
test.
Plan
to
be
better
prepared
next
time.
Ask
your
academic
advisor
or
others
for
help.
- When
a
difficult
problem
is
out
of
control,
accept
it
until
changes
can
be
made.
- Escape
for
a
little
while.
Watch
a
movie,
etc.
- Laugh
a
lot.
Keep
a
sense
of
humor.
- Take
a
warm
shower
or
bath.
- Don't
drink
alcohol
or
take
drugs
to
deal
with
stress.
Have
a
warm
cup
of
herbal
tea.
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