Areas of Care
Stress & Anxiety
In a recent study, more than 90% of college students said stress affected their mental health. Of the top coping mechanisms, 34% of students said alcohol was their preferred stress reliever, and only 14% chose going to therapy. We’re here to break that cycle and end the stigma. The SF Counseling Center is free and confidential and ready to help.
Some people use the terms “stress” and “anxiety” interchangeably, but they aren’t synonyms. Typically, stress refers to the emotional response to an external trigger (AKA “stressor”). These can be short-term, like an exam, an oral presentation for class, financial burdens, or a breakup with a romantic partner. Stressors can also be long term, like being unemployed or having a chronic illness.
Stress is usually caused by an external trigger, but anxiety is defined by excessive worries that persist even when there is no identifiable stressor.
Examples
Both mild stress and mild anxiety respond well to similar healthy coping mechanisms. However, if symptoms don’t resolve or are interfering with your ability to function in school or in life, it might be more than a mild or temporary episode. It’s best to see a professional for accurate diagnosis and advice.
Stress from Stressful Situations: As a college student, you’re dealing with academics, choosing a major, finances, finding a job, plus the everyday necessities of food, shelter, clothing, and transportation. Some students are also working and/or raising families. Any one of these items can cause stress—but everything, everywhere, all at once? Of course you’re stressed. The good news is, this type of stress ebbs and flows according to the issue at hand, and when the situation is resolved, so is the stress.
Prolonged Stress: Studies estimate that roughly 40% of college students have some level of test anxiety that may interfere with their ability to perform to their capability. If stress levels do not resolve, or the amount of stress you’re facing starts to interfere with your health or ability to carry out daily functions, it’s time to see a doctor and ask for help.
General Anxiety Disorder (GAD): With GAD, daily life feels like a constant state of worry, fear, and dread. Excessive anxiety, fear, terror, or panic—in the absence of cause for such feelings—is part of GAD and negatively affects the quality of life. Good news: it’s treatable!
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Ever since Monica on Friends, people say “OCD” to refer to all kinds of behavior that isn’t actually OCD. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Obsessive-compulsive disorder features a pattern of unwanted thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead to repetitive behaviors (compulsions). These obsessions and compulsions interfere with daily activities and cause significant distress.”
Signs or Symptoms
Emotional responses to both stress and anxiety can have physical symptoms or signs. In mild cases, both can be managed with learned coping mechanisms (and with prescription medication in doctor-diagnosed cases).
People who are stressed experience mental and physical symptoms like irritability, anger, fatigue, digestive troubles, and difficulty sleeping. Anxiety has very similar symptoms, such as insomnia, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, muscle tension, and irritability.
Chronic stress can damage both mental and physical health. Being chronically stressed may leave you feeling fatigued, sap your ability to concentrate, and cause headaches or digestive difficulties. Chronic stress can also affect cardiac health and wear down the immune system.
Some signs of GAD include excessive worry about everyday things; trouble controlling worries or nervousness; constantly restless with trouble relaxing; difficulty concentrating; easily startled; trouble falling asleep or staying asleep; easily fatigued or tired all the time; headaches, muscle aches, stomachaches, or unexplained pains; a tremble or twitch; often irritable or “on edge;” frequently sweating, lightheaded, or out of breath; and frequently needing to go to the bathroom.
Trichotillomania (TTM) is an impulse control disorder that can be triggered by anxiety or stress. Often seen in young adults as a way to deal with emotions, it’s characterized by the pulling out one’s hair—usually on the head or eyebrows or eyelashes. This can lead to other issues, like low body image or social withdrawal. However, TTM can also be a sign of OCD, which requires a medical diagnosis.
Self-Care Toolbox
Most people use distraction as a means to control their levels of stress or anxiety. This could be scrolling on social media, going to a party, drinking, having sex, or some other action-filled behavior that takes their mind of things. But these choices (and their consequences) can add to stress rather than resolve it. Try some of these healthier tools instead:
Mind: Meditation, verbal affirmations, breathing techniques, and dog therapy (fun!) can all help soothe and calm the self. The “3,2,1 Exercise” can help distract your brain from the current stress and refocus it on something else, which can help ground you in the present so you’re less worried about the future. Here’s how it works: Stop moving and inhale deeply through your nose, hold your breath for 3 seconds then exhale slowly through your nose. Now name 3 things you see, 2 things you hear, and 1 thing you smell.
Body: Make sure you’re getting enough sleep and in consistent, regular intervals that support the body’s natural circadian rhythms; eat a nutritious and varied diet; drink lots of water; get some fresh air and natural vitamin D from walking; try yoga or gardening; limit or avoid alcohol; and avoid caffeine and other stimulants that can make the body feel more jittery or anxious.
Life: Visit Student Services and take advantage of their free supports like academic tutoring and time management planning; talk with Financial Aid; utilize campus outreach for support with transportation, food, clothing, and other necessities.
When to see a doctor: Stress can be hard to manage by yourself. Unresolved stress can also lead to other health issues such as anxiety and depression. If you have any of the signs or symptoms listed—or you find that your feelings, thoughts, or behaviors are distressing, affect your health, or make it difficult to function in your daily life, please seek professional help.
Self-care may only get you so far.
If you need support or more tools for your toolbox,
don’t hesitate to ask for help. That’s why we’re here.
Ways to Contact
Santa Fe College Counseling Center
Don’t wait until you are overwhelmed by stress or anxiety.
If you have any of these signs or symptoms, reach out to the Counseling Center.
Call Us
352-395-5508
Stop By
3000 NW 83 St
Building R, Room 227
Gainesville, FL 32606
Common questions college students ask about stress & anxiety
A: It’s normal to feel stressed during stressful situations. In fact, it’s part of the body’s biological defense mechanism to release cortisol as a warning so we know to act. Commonly called the “flight or fight” response, the feelings of stress are useful if we channel the adrenaline into a healthy behavior that works to remove the stressor from our life. But too much stress at one time, or prolonged stress that doesn’t dissipate when the stressor is gone, can become a problem. If you’ve been feeling stressed out, visit the Counseling Center.
A: Only a doctor can tell you for sure, but the body can feel symptoms of panic without it being a panic attack. Some people would call this “nerves,” albeit an extreme case. More Americans are afraid of public speaking than they are of snakes, so sweaty palms, upset stomach, flushed skin, stammering, dizziness, shaking…these are commonly felt before a big speech, test, or game. In contrast, panic attacks happen without warning, when there is no apparent cause. While uncomfortable, they are not inherently dangerous. If they disrupt your quality of life, visit our Counseling Center.
A: There are various ways to treat anxiety, depending on the type of anxiety and the root cause. Self-care such as breathing exercises, meditation, and healthy lifestyle choices are helpful, but anxiety disorders may also require medication. If anxiety is holding you back from life’s daily functions, then it’s definitely time to seek professional advice and find the best solution for you.