GUEST POST | Stress & Wellness from CAPS Outreach Intern Sarah Kim

So….stress. We all experience this emotion. For some of us, it might be every day, for other people who are lucky, they may only feel stressed every so often. But what actually is stress?

I want to start out by talking about wellness.

Wellness in western medicine is seen as the “absence of illness.”¹ This means if you don’t have any disease, then you are considered healthy.

However, true wellness, according to the National Wellness Institute, is holistic. It’s an active process you take to make choices that ensure your mind and your body are both healthy. It’s an empowering process that requires you to self-reflect and make positive choices that lead you in the right direction.

There are seven wedges in the wellness wheel. I like to think of it as a bicycle or car tire. If one wedge is bigger than the other, the wheel isn’t even and the ride will be bumpy. Sounds kind of corny but it can be applied to real life.

Of course, nobody is perfect. I will be first to admit that sometimes I focus on my social needs more than my intellectual needs and I’ll say yes to a night out when I should really be studying for an exam or catching up on assignments. The point is to try and make the conscious effort to dedicate your time equally to different aspects of your life.

Stress is an emotional, physical, and mental response our body makes to something that’s happening. It could be negative or positive, real or perceived. Everybody reacts differently and processes events differently. Stress can be short-lived and temporary or chronic and long-lasting.

What causes it? Well, that question can be answered so many different ways. Relationship problems with partners, family members or friends can take a toll on us. Difficulties balancing school and work, or managing finances are also some stressors. I’m sure as students, however, a lot of our stress is rooted in academics and trying to secure that job or internship we so desperately want.

I really want to stress (no pun intended) that stress is not always bad.

Small amounts of stress can give us that boost we need to finish that last assignment or to push us out of our comfort zone to achieve something great. As demonstrated in the stress graph, too little stress does not pique our interest whereas the right amount puts us at optimal performance. Too much stress, though, can negatively impact our performance and mental health and cause harmful symptoms.

What are these symptoms? It can be a wide range because it depends on the person. Minimal amounts of stress might cause your heart to pound and to breathe faster. Long term stress can manifest physically, potentially causing symptoms like headaches or nausea. This sounds incredibly weird, but I dry heave when I am stressed. Yes, I am that one student who gags during exams or before presentations. But this shows that people react to stress differently and it presents itself in different manners.

Now you know the basics of stress – what next? How can you manage it? There are 5 things I want to cover.

1. Manage your time efficiently. This is incredibly important. That feeling of putting your assignments all off and having to do them the night they’re due (or almost missing a deadline to an internship/application for graduate school) is one of the most anxiety-inducing feelings that I don’t wish upon my worst enemy. Setting a good schedule gives you the power to be in control. Then, you won’t panic when deadlines approach, because you have it all handled.
2. Pay attention to your physical health. I sound hypocritical when I say this, but sleep is so important. I go on the occasional TikTok binge that leaves me wide awake at 3AM after hours of scrolling, but I really try to get at least 8 hours of sleep. Eat healthy foods. Exercise if you can. Make sure your body is nourished enough to function properly.
3. Cultivate relationships. Humans are social beings. A lot of us rely heavily on our relationships with friends and family to get through difficult times. Sometimes some things are just so hard to go through alone that having a support system can be literally lifesaving. A solid social circle that you can rely on can really help lessen the burden of the issues you may be going through.
4. Find ways to relax. Make time for self-care and for relaxing. This sort of ties in with managing time efficiently. You don’t want to suffer from burnout. Whatever your hobbies are, even if that includes napping, make time for those. We all deserve a break and these times to be free of any responsibilities and help with stress.
5. Let it go. Sometimes things are out of our hands. We did our best and that’s it. We cannot obsess over things we cannot control and that’s just part of life. Being able to move on and accept defeat sometimes is healthy so you aren’t hung up over something you cannot change.

Stress can be good. But a lot of the times, it’s overwhelming. Finding healthy coping mechanisms can help you get through the worst.

The biggest takeaway I want you to know is that you are not alone. CAPS is here to help you through your worst. Students are eligible for 6 free sessions and every session after is $10.

We are currently conducting sessions through telehealth because of the ongoing pandemic but will slowly transition back to in-person sessions when it’s safe again.

Our clinicians are available 8-5 and we have offices at the Maverick Activities Center and Ransom Hall. And, of course, if you need it, there is a Mavs Talk 24-hour crisis line you can reach at 817-272-8255.

CAPS offers all sorts of wellness series that teach you how to manage stress, how to meditate, and so on. There is also group therapy offered for specific communities. Just know that no matter what you may need, the clinicians are here to help you. Our website is uta.edu/caps and our number is 817-272-3671.

Don’t forget to follow us on social media for information about outreach events, bi-weekly livestreams, and more! We also publish a student-led podcast that’s great for people who want to listen in on conversations about mental health in an informal setting.

¹ From the World Health Organization’s 1948 constitution: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”