THE STUDENT HEALTH CENTER NEWSLETTER
SYMPTOMS
THAT MAY
INDICATE
EXCESSIVE
STRESS
Overeating/under eating
Resentment/anger
Sleep difficulties
Excessive forgetfulness
Depression
Confusion
Irritability
Talking too fast
Talking too much
Unable to talk
Nausea
Weakened immunity
Feeling "faint"
Chain smoking
Skin problems
Indigestion
Ready tears
Excessive gigQilng
Sweaty hands
Clinched hands
Weariness/fatigue
inability to be alone
Nightmares
Hypochondria
Butterflies in stomoch
Stomach knots
Lump'' in throat
Const! pa tion/diarrhea
Headoche
Neck ache
Backache
Heart palpitations
Proneness to errors
Drstractitxlity
Ulcers
Lack of sexual interest
Nervous cough
Mouth noises
Menstrual irregularities
Desire to run away
Muscle tightness/spasms
Decreased productivity
Drug abuse
Tic in eye or etsewhere
Fingernail biting
Raying with hair
STRESS
THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND
MY PERCEPTION
by Mokmlo Stood
UGH! There's something stalking me.
like my shadow, but I can feel this It
feels like something sticky on the out
side of me, and when I try to run away
from it, I realize it's stuck to me Inside
of me, it feels like a big metal ball
stuck in the pit of my stomach and
when I ask it's name, it hisses back to
me strESSSSSS
Souhd familiar? Stress is a mental,
physical, emotional and often a be
havioral reaction to a wide variety of
demands Much of our stress today is
different from that of our hunter and
gatherer days In the days of
Neanderthals, if the hunter was faced
with a bear he/she either fought or
fled This response is called Cannon's
"fight or flight" response
The bear of the 90s is not nearly so
physical This bear plays on the emo
tions. like deadliness, traffic, competi
tion, academic demands, social
stressors and financial worries Howev
er. our bodies still respond to these
"perceived" threats as if we were still
fighting oft that bear The body does
this by releasing sugars and fats into
the blood steam for quick energy The
heart pumps faster to provide more
blood to the muscles Oxygen is in
creased in the blood by breathing
faster, muscles tense, digestion
ceases, perspiration increases, and
senses become more acute, all in
preparation for action Now-a-days.
we potentially have much longer pen
ods of the "fight or flight response
When we allow ourselves to be
come all revved up and don't let our
stress dissipate health problems may
result In fact, two-thirds and up to 80%
(depending on the study) of visits to
the doctor are stress related Chrome,
prolonged stress weakens the immune
system and increases a person s risks
to colds, flu. infections and even can
cer
Even though stress is thought of as
unpleasant, stress may also be a
source of great pleasure, such as play
mg a game of racketball or even a
passionate kiss There are actually
three varieties of stress eustress. the fa
cilitative, good kind of stress, distress,
chronic m nature and debiiitative. and
normal stress, the body adapting to
meet the demands of ordinary life In
terestingly. stress can bo a defense
against other stressors This seems to
be a contradiction, but some kinds of
stressors can damage the body, while
others stimulate the body and expand
its overall adaptive capacity An ex
ample would be the jogger who
through self induced stress produces
effects that are beneficial to the
body, eustress
Our perception of stress is a fascinat
ing subject From time to time ac
counts of patients who believed them
selves to be victims of sorcery or who
broke an absolute taboo and feared
Turn to S ’ A E SS Page 2
INSIDE
SURVIVING
THE HOLIDAYS
YOGA
MENTAL
HEALTH
TIDBITS
Arom the hip
WANTING TO BE
A HEALTH NUT?
Drop by the Health
Education Center to
see out selection of
health books You'll
find everything from
eating nature's way
to meditation Mon
day through Friday
Call 346-4456 for
more information
LOVE YOL'R
HEART IN THE
1990'S!
The Student Health
Center can assist you
in checking your
blood pressure and
total cholesterol for
EPEE Stop by the
Health Education
Center on Tuesday
mornings from 9 00 to
11 30. Space is limited
to the first 25 ecu h
I week
(GRAPPLING WITH
YOL’R MENTAL
HEALTH?
Support groups are a
part of ttio Cournot
trig Cop tor s pro
gramming to assist
students who aro
struggling with mental
health issues Groups
are currentty mooting
for eating disorders,
adult children of al
cohoiics. women's is
sues. people of color,
and many more For
more information c ail
346-3227
NEED SOME
PRACTICAL
EXPERIENCE FOR
THE“REAL"
WORLD???
Peer Health Advising.
HEP 410 A 510 offers
practical experience
in public sf^eaking. fcj
cilitafiny groups, or
ganizing health pro
motion projects and
writing for the Weil
Now You must apply,
so dr- p by Herilth Ed
ucation in the Stu
dent Health Center
For more information.
Cd'i 346 4456.