SAS 20 TAKING CHARGE OF ONE'S HEALTH

Humphrey, Yow, and Bowen (2000)

• define stress as any factor that makes it hard for a person to adapt and maintain balance with their environment

• stress involves both physical and mental reactions to cope with challenging situations

stressors

• the events or conditions that cause this strain

stress

• is the body’s response to changing stimuli or stressors

Academic Pressure 

• high expectations, heavy workloads, exams, and deadlines 

Financial Concerns

• Tuition fees, student loans, and living expenses 

Social Challenges 

• making new friends, maintaining relationships, and peer pressure 

Time management

Valancing studies, part-time jobs, and extracurricular activities

Future Uncertainty

• worrying about career prospects and job opportunities after graduation.

Personal issues 

• Family problems, health concerns, and personal development challenges 

Living situations

• Adjusting to living away from home, dealing with roommates, and finding suitable housing 

Technology and Information Overload 

• managing digital distractions and coping with the constant influx of information 

Coping

• is defined as the thoughts and behaviors mobilized to manage internal and external stressful situations

• it is a term used distinctively for conscious and voluntary mobilization of acts, different from defense mechanisms’ that are subconscious or unconscious adaptive responses, both of which aim to reduce or tolerate stress 

• It is learning about different ways to handle stress 

Problem focused

• which addresses the problem causing the distress

• example: active coping, planning, restraint coping, and suppression of competing activities

Emotion focused

• which aims to reduce the negative emotions associated with the problem

• examples: positive reframing, acceptance, turning to religion, and humor

Meaning focused

• in which an individual uses cognitive strategies to derive and manage the meaning of the situation

social coping or support seeking 

• in which an individual reduces stress by seeking emotional or instrumental support from their community