Living with stress

by Harshini PERERA

Every parent would cherish to see their children higher up on the ladder of success. But life doesn't turn out as expected. In one's journey through life, one comes up with ups and downs, frustrations accompanied by stress. Stress is a usual product of a complex process that burdens the mind making the expectations or the dreams come true. The situation reaches its climax when the period of examination arrives. President of Sri Lanka Institute of Professional Counsellors, Prof. D.S. Ranawaka had a discussion with the Sunday Observer, over the situation students face with stress.

His first words were that, stress is a natural phenomenon which is indispensable for a human being. " Things around us would not have innovated or developed without our ancestors endeavour or strive, to which stress would definitely have helped them.

Therefore, stress is an energiser which bear fruit in new creations. Stress, should therefore be crucial to every human to be a success. Thus, it is a natural spur on a student which would have opened door for his or her golden life ahead.

If a student shows no stress, it is doubtful whether he would succeed in his exams or not. Prof. Ranawaka explained in idiomatic Sinhala that everyday stress is like spikes in a petiole which irritate skin after a bath in a tank.

But people in the dry zone have aptly adapted to it, that they ignore it as usual. Thus, stress is essential to some extent in career development. One who had been under stress for a long period with no efficient stress management techniques, stress which is essential in day-to-day life becomes severe making hazardous diseases.

Stages of stress Eustress - The type of stress is what we encounter in our day-to-day life which is regarded as essential by psychologists.

Moderate stress - Unpleasant working conditions, continuous domestic violence can lead to a State of moderate stress.

Severe stress - Working under stressful conditions or family environment for ten to fifteen years or more, moderate stress escalates into a state of severe stress. Such persons will develop severe physical diseases including Asthma, unless properly diagnosed chronic pain disorders or high level of cholesterol and sugar in blood, sexual retardation or heart diseases can also be developed.

Chronic stress level - Permanent, incurable physical diseases will result in, at this stage. Modern medication and treatment will temporarily address the plight of stress up to a certain degree. But to get fully recovered one has to go through psychological and psycho-therapeutic intervention.

Stress management and education - Stress management is a psycho-therapeutic term used to address the stressful condition to control stress creating factors. Professor D. S. Ranawaka, as a former educationist in the Department of Education. Psychology, University of Colombo regards present day education process as a rat race. Children have to toil hard to reach their intended position in the society or what their parents expect. They are burdened to learn foreign languages, new skills, to be literate in the computer, engage in extracurricular activities and other social involvements.

Otherwise, the dreams of parents and children will be shattered. Parents are always ready to spend any amount of money for their children's requirements in education.

Students too tend to work hard because parents and children alike think that extra tuition is necessary. But those who get expected favourable grades in school do not require extra tuition. The situation gets worse when parents compare their child with the one next door. Education is a factor considered, even in a marriage.

Though the children have excelled in their education, entered university or continued education abroad, all have had to face stressful condition at least once in their lifetime. Precisely, any change in life is a stressful challenge.

Stress is not only psychological?

When students are unable to manage their priorities, they become more stressful. This will blunt the child's intellectual ability to perform.

If somebody is under stress, it is not only a psychological phenomenon but also a physical one as well. Such a child will develop uneasiness, poor motor-coordination (lethargy), poor attention, sleepiness(not comfortable sleep), disturbed sleep, palpitation. Stress changes our usual bodily function by producing chemicals in which condition one might have poor appetite, fatigue, no interest to face challenges etc.

When a person is under stress, the adrenal gland produces the bio-chemical adrenaline which will move to the blood stream and it will in turn increase the level of sugar in the blood. Thus, it will weaken the heart valves causing heart related diseases. Adrenaline chemical emitted to blood also promotes high level of fat.

Researches on stress has revealed that stress leads to physical ailing. A good example of that is 25 years ago, diabeties was common with the affluent, older people whereas it has now become common among schoolchildren. One's dietary patterns can be a reason but most of the time psychological factors cause adverse impact on health.

If someone is under, a stressful condition, processed food(meat, sausages), sugar products (especially white sugar) will jointly work with psychological factors and make him/her suffer severe diseases like heart related diseases, condition of obesity and even diabetes.

Managing stress

1. Limit the additional classes attended.

The best method students can be away from stress is limiting themselves in attending extra tuition classes and try to gain knowledge by what is being taught at school.

If a child really needs extra help in their studies, he/she can get private attention at home under personal supervision. Limitation of extra curricular activities is also another which can be practised by a child sitting for an exam. Extra work will only blunt a student's knowledge.

2. Prepare shortnotes - Preparing shortnote is also another technique a student can practise because it condenses what is in a long note.

Therefore, it makes children to restore a large amount of data easily. Students who read notes alone and memorise will go blank at the exam as a result of over-loaded information on their memory. It is an unhealthy exercise which energises further stress.

3. Economy of time - A student should spend a considerable time six to seven hours to sleep. If the body doesn't get a proper sleep, the brain spontaneously rejects what it has memorized.

Therefore, economy of time is an essential practice for a student. Unless a student plans his time from the beginning of the year, he would not reach his/her desired targets. Nevertheless, if one is to save time for studies, he has to limit movements, sit in a proper place and study while analysing.

4. Leisure - Leisure is also an energiser which can be used in memorising. Mind should relax while it is being used immensely.

Leisure varies from watching TV to reading a newspaper or gardening depending upon one's interest. Physical exercise should also adds to this.

5. Consult a professional for guidance - If a student feels that he/she is stressed, he/she should consult a professional psychologist or counsellor, so that he might give him/her a relaxation exercise to calm down body and mind.

Daily religious rituals, prayers, simple breathing exercises will contribute positively to stress situations. Stress management techniques as such, will get a student to his/her expectation without any doubt.