The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch

The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch

The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch

Mind-body-action: The guide for coping with stress

Mind-body-action%3A+The+guide+for+coping+with+stress

Stress is the eternal curse of all high school students. Students would be lying if they said they were immune to all the stresses school presents. The high school experience is filled with last-minute test cramming, late-night essay writing and furious scribbling of homework in those precious minutes before the bell rings for class. On top of academic stress, there is the added social and emotional stress that comes with high school. What many people don’t realize, is that the main goal is to not run away from stress, but to find coping methods.

Although stress is impossible to avoid, there are ways to help deal with all the issues going through a person’s mind.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, when it comes to dealing with stress, there are three components that factor into strategies a person could employ to deal with stress and anxiety.

Mind

Ever heard of the saying, “It’s all in your head.” Well, that same mind set can relate to stress and why people have difficulty combating it. Whether it’s maintaining a positive attitude and outlook on life, realizing that not everything in the world can be controlled by one person or even learning what triggers a person’s anxiety and avoiding it all together, these place a role in combating stress.

Another thing to keep in mind when dealing with stress is for people to understand that they are not alone. So many people fall into the trap of having the outlook that no one understands what they are going through, and as a result, they end up facing these situations alone. Once people move past that mindset, they begin to understand how the people around them have such a huge impact on their mental state.

“Deep breathing exercises because it gets oxygen flowing and that fact that you have control over your emotions, so it allows you to have the mind body connection,” senior Ismini Tsianta said.

Body

A lot of people do not assume there is a correlation between physical health and stress. Turns out, how a person treats their body has a huge impact on reducing stress and anxiety in their lives.

One of the biggest ways to reduce anxiety, which is a roadblock for most teens, is getting enough sleep. Most teens stay up late trying to finish homework or cramming for a test the next day. The thought of sleep is usually the last thing to cross their mind, so a lack of sleep translates into increased stress.

The final key to reducing stress is a mixture of two things: exercise and well-balanced meals. These two factors go hand in hand in assuring a good mental state. This ultimately creates a lower stress environment. Work out daily to reduce stress because along with maintaining a person’s health, physical activity releases more serotonin in the body which mixed with endorphins can produce a happy feeling. Along with that, increased serotonin levels equals more energy and clearer thinking. A well-balanced diet means not skipping any meals along with keeping in mind that the meals a person eats are healthy and energy-boosting.

“Yoga gives you a chance to relax the mind and body. Besides yoga, you can do any physical activity including walking, running, or biking. Basically anything that gets their bodies moving,” yoga and physical education teacher Shelli Hill commented.

Action

Once a person is in a stressful situation, there are different things they can do in those moments to reduce their stress. Sometimes, it can be as easy as deep breaths and counting slowly to 10. Other times it’s more complex like taking a time out and removing themselves from the situation mentally.

Sometimes the best way to get out of a stressful situation is to talk to someone. This help can come from either talking directly to a person or looking up mental services online, as another outlet to find coping methods for stress.

Unconventional

On top of the tips listed above, there are many unique ways for people to deal with stress. One of the biggest activities people use is coloring. Adult coloring books, whether on paper or electronic have become very popular for stress relieving. Something about the intricate patterns and taking the time to sit down and color can really help to alleviate stress. If coloring is not a person’s thing, then they might consider doing a puzzle as another way to handle stress.

Another method that works for some people is singing and dancing. This is something that people enjoy either doing alone or with others, but either way it has an amazing way to let loose and forget all that is happening in their life. Whether it’s in the car, shower, room or at a party, there is no bad time to let loose. This could also translate into learning how to play an instrument or taking a dance class, there are many ways to go about this and it is dependent on the person.

There are ways to cope with stress, and each person is unique in their methods they choose. All-in-all, there are ways to combat stress and not allow a person’s body to shut down.

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