The Issue of Stress Management According to Richard Lazarus

According to Richard Lazarus (2002) stress and anxiety mainly occur when we believe we cannot cope with the situation we perceive as stressful.

Stress is unavoidable and it is not possible to eliminate it from our lives entirely. Life is full of challenges, and a life without some turmoil is not only impossible but is also undesirable. The hassles, deadlines, frustrations, and demands of modern life have made stress so commonplace that it has become a way of life for many people.

In small doses, stress can help us perform under pressure and motivate us to do our best. But it is not desirable to constantly be in an emergency mode as the mind and body would have to ultimately pay the price.

Since I have started the University College of the Caribbean initially it was Eustress which is the positive side of stress, excitement, delight, and enthusiasm. I was so elated to finally starting my degree and was reading for the world ahead of me.

After the first week of starting, assignments started flowing in from left and right, I tried to maintain on top of them, got close to persons for information, located the library etc. before I knew it was mid-term and so many areas to cover for exams. Another way I tried to be on target was preparing timetable and sticking to it, I must admit this happens only 5 out of ten times.

These physical changes I must say increased my strength and stamina, speed my reaction time, and enhance my focus, thus preparing me to either fight or flee from the danger at hand. This reaction to a real or imagined danger is called the stress response.

I have however tried a few ways in helping me to deal with the stress I was experiencing. I tried some moderate exercise, running a half mile on the weekends and a little stretching. Change my eating pattern to include more healthy food stress to keep my immune system strong as well as limiting the amount of caffeine that is consumed daily. Caffeine speeds up the heart and metabolic rate which can add stress.

Individuals like myself that are under stress should not turn to harmful stress relievers such as smoking, drinking or unhealthy eating. These unhelpful stress management strategies may seem like they are relieving stress, but instead they are hurting the body, which leads to more stress. Problems with work, relationships, school, and life in general should be dealt with accordingly. By using healthy strategies in moderation or seeking counselling a person can determine what works best for them in dealing with stress. By identifying stress, its causes and side effects managing stress will eventually become easier.

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