April is Stress Awareness Month. An annual event held to bring awareness to the impact stress has on our lives and resources to help us cope. Coping skills couldn’t be more relevant as we have collectively faced one of the most stressful events in our lives: a global pandemic.
What does this have to do with collegiate recovery? You might ask.
Stress awareness is more important than ever. Students face unprecedented levels of stress trying to maintain a level of normalcy while adjusting to the restrictions of the pandemic, all-the-while maintaining their recovery.
That is why we are taking the opportunity to focus on providing students with stress awareness information and resources throughout April.
What is Stress Awareness Month?
Stress Awareness Month has been held each April since 1992. Originally formed in the U.K., the campaign was held to increase public awareness about the causes and cures of the modern stress epidemic. Not so surprisingly a staggering 74 percent of adults have felt so stressed at some points in their lives that they felt overwhelmed and unable to cope.
While stress impacts us all differently, there are some commonalities. According to a 2017 study from the American Psychological Association, the most common sources of stress among Americans were the future of our nation, money, work, political climate, and crime/violence.
The 2020 survey led the APA to raise an alarm that we are facing a national mental health crisis that could yield serious health and social consequences in years to come.
How does stress impact collegiate recovery students?
Just like other adults, students face stress too. But collegiate recovery students may indeed face more stress trying to manage recovery and studying during a global pandemic. Some of the specific ways stress and the pandemic has impacted us include:
- Increases in anxiety and depression
- Feelings of disconnection and isolation
- A sense of uncertainty and loss of control
- Increased risk of heart disease
- lowered immunity
- Insomnia
- Digestive problems
Of course this is not an exhaustive list, but it gives you a picture that stress can take a significant toll on one’s mental and physical well-being.
Added to these risks are of course the impact of the pandemic. According to the APA, the potential long-term consequences caused by the stress and trauma of the pandemic are particularly serious for young adults. Highlighting the importance of acting now to reduce stress levels and increase coping strategies.
Stress tools & resources
Throughout this month we’ll be sharing content from mental health experts in the field of collegiate recovery. You’ll be able to find out more information about the impact of stress on students, resources that you may not know are available, and tools to support you to reduce the stress load.
In the meantime, if you want to find out how stress is impacting you, why not take a stress test on the Stress Management Society’s website?
You can also view a Stress Guide and Tips to Reduce Your Stress in 7 days. Or take note of some of the tips issued by the CDC to cope with stress.
Tips to cope with stress
- Take care of yourself: eating regularly, exercising frequently, get 7-9 hours sleep per night, and taking regular breaks
- Share your problems: either with a CRC coordinator or friend or your support group
- Recognize when you need more help and may need to talk to a social worker or counsellor.
Stay tuned for our interview with collegiate recovery mental health experts.