Stress can affect physical, emotional health

Stress can have severe effects on one’s health. If people notice and treat stress before it gets out of hand, the physical effects will be less severe. Stress, after being built up, can lead to extensive effects on mental and physical health. This kind of stress can also affect one’s daily flow. This can be treated and cared for before it gets out of hand.

Students have a lot of different resources that can help them combat stress. One of these resources is counselors. Counselors are there to listen and help anyone access what the source of a student’s stress is. 

“That’s what counselors do is to try to listen to the student or staff and just access where the stress is coming from. Access what the stress is about,” counselor Alec Shern said.

It is important to have the skill of being able to combat stress in anyone’s skill set. When someone would ask a counselor for advice, the first thing they would recommend is to find the source.

“A couple of different avenues seem to be very helpful for people. One would be kind of analyzing your stress and where it’s coming from and do less of what is making you stress if possible,” Shern said.

One thing that is recommended by health teachers and counselors is some moderate exercise. Exercise is generally good for everyone’s physical health but it also takes people’s minds off of the thing that is being stressed about.

“Exercise in general like going for a jog or playing basketball with my friends before school helps me and my mental health,” health teacher Ryan Bartosiewski said.

Another really good way and another good first step to combat stress are to talk to someone. As long as people stay ahead of the stress that they are experiencing and just talk or vent their stress out. It is a healthy outlet and may prevent the effects that stress can have.

“Talk to someone. Even if it isn’t a counselor. It could be a friend or a parent. Counselors will help but venting will help get those feelings out,” Bartosiewski added.

Everyone experiences stress differently. In turn, the effects of stress can be different for everyone. Most may experience anxious, heart racing, symptoms but there are worse ways the body reacts

“It really depends where you are and what kind of stresses you. Some people get colds when they’re stressed, some get hot, and some people’s heart rate spikes,” sophmore Peer Helper Ella Begnaud said.