Stress and college tend to go together; a non-stop balancing act of school, work, relationships, and finances. Stress impacts our lives (and affects our health) in ways that medical research is only now discovering. However, not all stress is bad. Like animals, our instinctive stress response can  be a life-saving defense mechanism. The nerve chemicals and hormones released during stressful times prepare us to face a threat or flee the scene. When we face a dangerous situation, our pulse quickens, we breathe faster, our muscles tense, and brain activity increases; all functions aimed at survival. Once the threat has passed, other body systems attempt to restore normal functioning.

However, with chronic unmanaged stress (either real or perceived), these same nerve chemicals and hormones that are life-saving in the short term can suppress vital functions that aren't needed for immediate survival. The impact can be devastating to nearly every system of the body. 

With that said, keep in mind the words of Dr. Kenneth Cooper, of the Cooper Institute, "it’s not stress that kills, it’s the way you handle it."  It is virtually impossible to eliminate (or avoid) all forms of stress that the world hands us. Learning to manage life's ups and downs is the key that will lock away the negative effects of stress.  Why a stressor impacts some people more than others is often viewed as a mystery.  However, our perception (how we view or perceive) a thing or event (stressor) often determines the impact that it has on our lives.

America's top stressors of today include economics or financial, health issues, and unemployment (or underemployment).

1. Stress Defined:
   • Stress can be defined as the brain's response to any demand, threat or change.
     • Many things can trigger this response, these triggers are known as stressors:
       • Changes can be positive (eustress) or negative (distress)
       • Changes also be can be real or perceived. and may be recurring, short-term, or long-term
       • Changes can be mild and relatively harmless, such as winning a race, watching a scary movie, or riding a rollercoaster, or major, such as marriage, divorce, serious illness, or a car accident.
       • Other changes are extreme, such as exposure to violence, and can lead to traumatic stress reactions.
2. Your Body; The Stress Response:
   • Fight or Flight
     • A basic survival instinct of both animals and humans; the brain initiates the stress response by triggering a series of chemical chain-reactions that prepare the body to defend itself or flee.
       • This chain-reaction is triggered by the hypothalamus, a collection of tissues in the brain, which stimulates the pituitary gland in the brain, which then stimulates the adrenal gland on top of each kidney to release its stress hormones.
     • These hormones trigger the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) to increase heart-rate, breathing, blood pressure, and blood flow to muscles in the Fight or Flight process.
     • The autonomic nervous system is divided into 2 divisions:
       • The Sympathetic Nervous System which initiates the stress response.
       • The Parasympathetic Nervous System which induces the relaxation response.
   • General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS):
     • Homeostasis, Greek terms, homeo meaning 'same', and stasis meaning 'stable'; to maintain balance or return systems to functioning within a normal range.
       • A body in homeostasis operates smoothly and maintains equilibrium.
     • Known as "the father of stress research", Scientist Hans Selye developed the theory linking chronic stress with disease, defining the body’s struggle to maintain balance (or homeostasis) in the face of stress.
     • Selye termed this process, the General Adaptation Syndrome. 
     • GAS is an adaptive response by the body in an attempt to restore homeostasis following a stressor or trigger.
     • Three Phases (or Stages) of the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS):
       1. Alarm Phase:
          • When exposed to a stressor (real or perceived), the fight-or-flight response immediately triggers the autonomic, sympathetic, and parasympathetic nervous systems.
          • During this phase, primary stress hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline (epinephrine) , and noradrenaline (norepinephrine), is released to provide instant energy.
          • The duration of the Alarm Stage or Phase is second(s) or less.
       2. Resistance Phase:
          • When stressor persists, the body attempts to restore homeostasis and return to a normal biological state by restoring spent energy and repairing damage.
          • Arousal levels remain high and Alarm Phase organs and systems are active, but at a less intense level.
          • Continued use of the body's defense mechanism in this phase eventually leads to emotional reactions (irritability, anger), fatigue, and possibly disease,
       3. Exhaustion Phase:
          • This stage is characterized by issues such as burnout and exhaustion.
            • Burnout is referred to as a stress-induced state of physical and mental exhaustion or fatigue.
          • Continued exposure to a prolonged response leads to Allostatic load
            • Allostasis, refers to "maintaining stability (or homeostasis) through change",
            • Allostatic Load refers to the exhaustive wear-and-tear (physiological damage) on the body due to repeated cycles of allostasis, and the inability to stop or shut down these responses.
              • Systemic fatigue results when the physical and emotional energy used to fight a stressor has been depleted.
              • The body loses its resistance to fight stress, and the body’s immune system is weakened, increasing the risk of both infectious disease and mental health issues.
   • Traits, Types and Stress:
     • Self-Esteem refers to a sense of positive self-regard, or how you feel about yourself.
     • Self-Efficacy is an important factor in the ability to cope with challenges; refers to belief or confidence in personal skills and performance abilities.
     • Personality Types can have a big influence on our ability to manage the stress in our lives:
       • Type A personalities are defined as hard-driving, competitive, time-driven perfectionists.
       • Type B personalities are described as relaxed, noncompetitive, and more tolerant of others. 
       • Type C personality is described as responding to stress with hopelessness and helplessness.
       • Type D personality is characterized by a tendency toward excessive negative worry, irritability, gloom, and social inhibition.
3. Stress, Health, and Disease:
   • Stress and Immunity:
     • During periods of stress the hormone cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands; which, in small amounts is helpful in the process of "Fight-or-Flight".
     • Continued, ongoing stress raises cortisol levels.
       • Elevated cortisol levels slow the production of “good” prostaglandins.
         • Good prostaglandins support immune function, dilate blood vessels, inhibit blood clotting, and are anti-inflammatory.
         • Slowed production allows inflammation and immune suppression.
     • Studies show that levels of natural killer cells (NKC) are lower during periods of chronic stress, causing decreased immune function.
   • Stress and Heart Disease:
     •  Studies show that Stress:
       • Constricts (narrows) arteries which restricts blood flow to the heart itself (and causes an increase in heart rate).
       • Alters normal heart rhythms, presenting a risk for serious arrhythmias (rhythm abnormalities) in people with existing heart rhythm disorders.
       • Causes blood to become stickier, more prone to clotting (Fight-or-Flight, preparation for potential injury).
       • Causes an increased presence of hormones that promote the formation of fat in the viscera (upper abdominal fat), accelerating atherosclerosis. 
       • Increases the inflammatory response of the immune system, possibly causing blood vessel walls to become inflamed.
       • Increases blood pressure,
   • Stress and Cancer:
   • With the decrease in levels of natural killer cells (above) cancer defense is lowered; natural killer cells are capable of detecting and killing cancer cells.
   • Stress hormones increase the production of free radicals which can damage DNA.
   • Stress hormones reduce the ability of abnormal cells to undergo a process called apoptosis, or cell death, as well as DNA repair; both important self-regulating anticancer functions.
   • Stress hormones can also promote tumor cell growth.
   • Chronic stress is often associated with high cancer-risk behaviors such as smoking, alcohol use, non-exercise, poor diet, obesity, and sleep deprivation.
   • Stress and Diabetes:
     • Stress hormones elevate blood sugar levels. (also associated with obesity)
     • Unmanaged chronic stress can lead to an increase in visceral fat (upper belly fat) impacting liver and pancreas function.
     • Studies show a link between chronic, unmanaged stress, and an increase in insulin resistant cells.
   • Stress and Obesity:
     • Studies have shown that during periods of extreme stress such as war, serious trauma, or grief, victims tend to decrease their food intake, often resulting in weight loss. However, recent studies suggest that everyday hassles or social stress, such as driving a car, taking school exams, public speaking, problems with work or relationships, may have the opposite effect, resulting in overeating and increased fat deposits.
     • Recent studies show a link between chronic stress and obesity; eating larger meals, eating less frequently, and a significant gain in visceral (belly) fat.
   • Stress and Other Health Issues:
     •  In addition to decreasing immunity and increasing the risk for obesity and chronic disease, long-term stress exposure can:
• Contribute to infertility,
• Accelerate the aging process.
• Rewire the brain, leaving a person more vulnerable to anxiety and depression.
• Decrease in testosterone levels in males and irregular menstrual cycles in females.
• Increase (tension) headaches, and stomach or digestive problems.

• 91 percent of female college students reported feeling overwhelmed by all they had to do during school - 14 percent higher than college men. (American College Health Association)
• A recent poll showed that as many as 85% of college students said they feel stressed in their daily lives and are concerned with school performance, work performance, money issues and relationship issues.
• Suicide is the leading cause of death in college students, second only to accidents. (WebMD)
  • Half of all college students have had suicidal thoughts (USA Today)
• Sleep difficulties and anxiety are the biggest life issues that American college students say affects their studies. (American College Health Association)
• According to statistics from an mtvU AP 2009 Economy, College Stress and Mental Health Poll of more than 2,200 college students across 40 colleges and universities:
  • 85 percent of students reported feeling stressed on a daily basis.
  • Academic concerns like school work and grades, with 77 percent and 74 percent respectively, maintain their positions as the top drivers of student stress, even over financial woes in today’s economy.
  • Six out of 10 students report having felt so stressed they couldn’t get their work done on one or more occasions.
  • Since starting college, over 70 percent of students have not considered talking to a counselor to help them deal with stress or other emotional issues.
• A 2010 study of more than 200,000 incoming full-time students at four-year colleges, the percentage of students rating themselves as “below average” in emotional health rose; the percentage of students who said their emotional health was above average fell from 64 percent in 1985 to 52 percent. (American Freshman National Norms, Fall 2010)
• Research suggests that 40 percent of all deaths, and 70 percent of disease in the United States are related in whole or in part to stress.
• Ohio State University researchers found that stress from engaging in a memory task activated the immune system, whereas the stress from passively watching a violent video weakened immunity.