As the school year is coming to an end, that does not mean the school work is getting any easier. In fact, it means the opposite.
April brings awareness to numerous mental health areas, but the one that sticks out is Stress Awareness Month.
So many people, especially students, undergo so much stress throughout a school year.
The month of May is one that students dread most. May includes AP testing, Keystones, for younger students PSSAs, SATs if students choose to take them, and last but not least, finals.
A lot of students in the upper class grades tend to load their schedules up with AP and honors classes. These classes put so much work and pressure onto students that they should not have to worry about.
Yes, stress is an everyday thing, and unfortunately no one can escape stress, but stress is overlooked and downplayed.
If stress is not taken seriously and treated properly, it can branch off into more severe mental health struggles, such as a depression, anxiety, or a panic disorder.
Stress can heavily impact a person in many ways. For example, stress can affect your body, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Some symptoms that indicate an overload of stress can range from:
- Headaches or trouble sleeping
- Upset stomach or changes in appetite
- Feeling worried, sad, or angry
- Tight muscles or body aches
- Racing thoughts or trouble focusing
- Feeling tired all the time
So it is evident that stress reveals itself in outward, physical ways, but it is also important to realize that a heavy burden of stress impacts your body internally.
Stress can:
- Raise blood pressure
- Weaken the immune system
- Make it harder to manage chronic conditions such as diabetes or asthma
- Cause weight gain or loss
- Increase risk of heart disease
This column is focused on the students’ levels of stress, but it is important to recognize that everyone has stressors in their lives.
No one’s stress is not important or not serious enough to get help! Stress is a part of life, but no one should have to battle their stress alone.
If someone close to you approaches you and explains what is causing them stress, and the results in their feelings from this burden, don’t turn them away.
This person trusts you, and although you may not have the tools to help them, all they may need is a friend to sit and listen to them.
Having a community is so important in handling stress. The benefits of having a community is all you may need is someone to listen, and there is someone that will listen and let you vent.
Not only will they have listening ears, they will walk alongside of you in your stress and take on the burden with you so that it is not so heavy, and that alone is a step in the right direction of healing!
Stress has a way of isolating people and making them feel alone, but there are so many options out there for help.
If someone who is struggling with stress notices feelings of sadness, anxiousness, or anger most days, is they cannot sleep or eat normally, if they have panic attacks or overwhelming feelings, if they don’t enjoy things that they used too, or if they turn to substances to help them cope, then that is when they should turn for professional help.
There are therapists and doctors out there who want to help, but people need to be able to recognize and have the confidence to seek that help.
Some ways to help cope with stress other than this professional help include, exercise, breathing exercises, and self care such as breaks and rests. https://www.southtabor.com/stress-awareness-month-what-you-need-to-know/.
What we as a community need to improve on, is realizing that there is so much under the surface to a person.
We never know what someone is going through, so treat everyone with kindness and respect, and if someone comes to you looking for help or comfort don’t turn them away.
Instead, let them in with open arms! For those whose stress seems like it’s overwhelming and isolating, please know that you are not alone, and please do not hesitate to reach out to those close to you, or seek assistance from a counselor.
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