coping with stress in school (everyone has a breaking point)

" Know your limit. If sufficient stress is applied EVERYONE CAN BREAKDOWN... "

Dr. B.O. Osalusi, consultant Neurologist; OOUTH, Sagamu, Ogun state, Nigeria.

Introduction:

A lot of people will testify to the fact that " EXCESSIVE STRESS IS A THREAT TO PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH ". All through our lives, we experience stress due to different reasons. From Paying medical bills, planning events, working two Jobs, to paying school fees.

Definition:

We can simply define stress as " ANYTHING THAT LEADS TO ALTERATIONS IN AN ORGANISMS NATURAL BALANCE AND COORDINATION ". In other words, we have a natural balance. A sense of coordination. Stress is anything that makes us forget stuff, loose concentration, alters sleep pattern and a whole lot more. Stress generally, is characterised by " MOMENTS OF TENSION " or crisis periods, arising from a demand to make decisions. usually, stress triggers can be internal triggers ( demands or expectations placed on one's self. ) or external triggers (external / environmental causes of stress, outside the distressed individual. )

FIGHT OR FLIGHT MECHANISM

Biologically every organism has an inbuilt mechanism of reacting to external stimuli (IRRITABILITY) and can tolerate them within certain Tolerance-ranges. We earlier mentioned, that stress alters the natural balance of an Individual. As a natural response to these abnormalities in our natural balance, the body releases hormones into the body to help with these situations. This is what we call the " fight or flight " mechanism. It prepares us to deal with external factors of a stressful nature. When needed, Adrenaline from the adrenal glands enter the blood and causes a temporary "boost" so to say, that makes us faster, stronger, we see clearer (pupils dilated), heart beats faster, so we can deal with the situation, before reverting back to normal but when these stress factors persist, they become a threat to our overall health and wellbeing.

STRESSFUL LIFE OF UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATES

The university environment is stressful. Students are always under pressure to cover wide syllabi in short time spans. Lecture conditions may not be conducive enough. Studies show that first year students are usually under a lot of stress as a result of adapting to the new systems. Generally the following factors seem to cause a lot of stress for undergraduates:

1.) Gender (females get easily stressed than males);

2.) pre and post admission processes (40% get in by merit. 60% get in by batches, based on the school's discretion). Course registrations, fitness tests, and other post admission processes are of a stressful nature);

3.) Accommodation issues ( students not housed by the universities, tend to. E distressed due to accommodation issues. );

4.) Discussion of results;

5.) Transportation (most students have to walk long distances on campus. Off campus transportation may not always be readily available);

6.) Academic discipline (The course of study being undertaken by a student, has a level of demands attached to it. Different courses have different stress levels. )

Others include: personal and family issues, student-lecturer relations, age, etc.