Counseling Center gives tips on end-of-term stress

As the end of the term approaches, stress levels are rising as students try to study for finals. While cramming for tests and writing reports, students tend to forget that as they are working hard to earn good grades, they may also be sacrificing their health.

Fortunately, Tech's Counseling Office is here to help those in need, giving advice on how to cope with stress and its attendant health problems.

Stress is one of the biggest concerns for students at this time. Not only is stress harmful to the body, causing insomnia and exhaustion, it also leads to mental issues such as breakdown and depression.

"Stress really is a health issue. It affects [people] emotionally [and] physically; [it affects] relationships. People don't necessarily have to feel uptight to be stressed; it can be expressed in many ways such as the inability to focus, or even depression," said Ruperto Perez, the director of the Counseling Center.

"Depression is a sign from your body that something is wrong. Maybe it's chemical imbalance, too much demand and pressure; something there needs to be resolved," said Stacey Davis, a postdoctoral fellow at the Counseling Center.

At the end of the term, students often add to their stress levels by not getting enough sleep.

"Not being able to sleep, or insomnia, is caused by a high level of stress. It puts the body at risk for depression. If the body is not getting the rest it needs, then it won't have enough energy to deal with stress," Davis said.

Although stress is oftentimes forced on students, there are numerous ways to relieve that stress and not become worn out during the final weeks of school.

"Students need to learn to manage their time wisely. Students should look at their schedule ahead of time to realize how many tests they've got and prioritize," Davis said.

"Prioritizing doesn't just mean making a list of things to do. It means judging what the most pressing issue is at the moment and tackling that first. Students need to realize which one is more important, trying to have everything or being healthy," Davis explained.

Perez offered additional advice on combating stress.

"To deal with the stress that students are encountering right now, they need to start thinking about what a person needs to stay healthy; namely, to eat well and sleep well. Resting is medicine to treating stress," Perez said.

"[Students] also should exercise adequately. That doesn't even mean working out, [they should] just get some level of physical activity for the body to stay alive and focused. The CRC is a great place to go," Perez said.

Davis emphasized the value of a good support system to students trying to deal with stress.

"It is important to develop a circle of supportive friends. During a stressful time, it is pressing to have someone to lean on and talk to. Do something relaxing for a while [with friends], rather than just pulling an all-nighter," Davis said.

The Counseling Center offers many programs on how to cope with stress, insomnia and depression at no cost to Tech students.

Students can seek individual counseling or attend workshops and big group counseling. This semester, the Counseling Center has also started group programs to deal with relationship issues and social issues.

"We started a group called the Stress Busters to teach students how to manage stress. Students are welcome to come any time and sign up," Davis said.

While many students feel they should be getting help with stress, many are not simply because of the negative stigma of seeing a therapist.

"Tech has a number of resources here available to help [students] succeed. Students should look at going to the Counseling Center not [as getting therapy], but [as getting] help to succeed. In that way students are more likely to come out and seek help," Perez said.

This past spring, the Counseling Center started an outreach program for the student body through its Stress Management Series, which is held in the Wilby Room on the ground floor of the library.

"Students do not have to sign up to participate in any of the programs. They can just walk in," Davis said.

On the other hand, students have come up with their own approaches toward stress management.

"I realize [stress] is an inevitable thing to come across. I believe getting stressed out won't solve anything [and] will only make matters worse. That isn't saying that I won't get stressed out. I know I will. I just try to do the best I can; the rest is beyond my reach," said Rohan Trivedi, a first-year Biomedical Engineering major.

"Whenever I feel stressed out, I like to clean. Mindless work takes my attention off of the things I'm stressed about," said Jesse Cort, a second-year Biomedical Engineering major.

For more information on the Counseling Center, check out www.counseling.gatech.edu.