Here's a quick test - place your hand on the back of your neck. If it feels cold against your skin, you're probably stressed out. Blood rushes to your muscles when you're under stress, leaving your hands cold. Other warning signs of stress include:

• Out-of-proportion anxiety

• Excessive moodiness

• Withdrawal from responsibility

• Constant insomnia

• Poor emotional control

• Marked change in appetite or sex drive

• Chronic fatigue

These short-term physical symptoms mainly occur as your body adapts to perceived physical threats, and are caused by the release of epinephrine (adrenaline) during the alarm stage of the GAS. Long-term physical symptoms occur when your body has been exposed to adrenaline over a long period. Adrenaline works by diverting resources from the areas of the body which carry out body maintenance (such as your liver, kidneys and other organs) to the muscles. An example of prolonged stress might be that for the entire semester you and your roommate have not gotten along and you experience feelings of anxiety whenever you go back to your room. This stress may cause your health to deteriorate and it is common to experience frequent colds and infections, sexual disorders, aches and pains, feelings of intense and long-term tiredness, or a change in appetite. 

There are many ways to reduce unwanted stress or manage it productively including:

Managing your physical and psychological well being

• Have a positive attitude! Reversing negative ideas and learning to focus on positive outcomes helps reduce tension and achieve goals. If you catch yourself thinking negative criticisms like -- "I'll never get this assignment done! I'm a failure!" -- change your inner dialogue. Tell yourself "I'm intelligent and fully capable of getting this assignment done. I will schedule more time tomorrow to work on the assignment and complete it."

• If you've had a serious illness or have had an emergency to respond to, remember that you can get an extension on a paper or other project. Don't be afraid to ask -- your professors and advisors are there to support you.

• Tap into your support network. It can be a relief to realize others have had similar experiences - it helps us feel understood, capable, and nurtured. Friends, family, adult mentors (supervisors or professors), and Brown support providers (first-year unit counselors, faculty advisors or favorite instructors, chaplains, deans from the Dean of the College or the Student Life Office, staff from Psychological Services) are all good sources of emotional support. Sometimes just expressing our feelings, or venting, helps lower our stress.

• If you can't discuss your feelings with your support network, express them some other way - write in a journal, write a poem, or compose a letter that is never mailed.

Monitoring your stress levels.

• A helpful way of monitoring your stress level and identifying sources of stress is to keep a daily stress log. Note activities that put a strain on energy and time, trigger anger or anxiety, or precipitate a negative physical response. Also note your reactions to these stressful events. Review the log and identify 2 or 3 stressful events or activities that you can modify or eliminate.

Avoiding extremely stressful situations

• Stress results when you feel overwhelmed by many things that need to be done at the same time. Plan around the things you find stressful to lessen the effects of stress. Managing your time effectively will even out your workload.

• When working, focus on one thing at a time. Switching from one task to another without fully completing the first task allows for variety, but usually wastes time and causes confusion. Make a list and prioritize the things you need to get done. Start a new homework assignment only after you've completed an earlier assignment.

• Don't be afraid to take a break when you are studying or writing a paper. Schedule it in! A 20-minute power nap can re-energize you for hours.

• Know and accept your limits. Don't over-commit - learn to say no. If you really don't want to go to a performance Friday night with your roommate don't be afraid to say you're not interested this time. It is better to disappoint a person up front than with a last minute cancellation because you find yourself short of time. 

Signals that you are experiencing an overload of stress can range from a general feeling of the "blahs" to serious physical pain. Although most stress can be managed, it is important to obtain professional help before the situation is completely out of control. If you experience the following situations or feelings, you should seek out one of the many professional support resources on campus.

Behavioral symptoms:

• Overreacting to minor problems

• Inappropriate anger or impatience

• Overeating or loss of appetite

• Increased use of alcohol, tobacco or other drugs

• Unable to relax

• Constantly feeling anxious

• Experiencing long periods of boredom

• Disrupted sleeping patterns

• Problems with sexual activity

• Decreased school or work performance

• Diminished ability to set priorities and make decisions

• Prone to make errors or be accident prone

Physical symptoms:

• Increased headaches

• Cold hands and feet

• Indigestion

• Aching neck or back

• Ulcers

• Nausea

• Diarrhea or constipation

• Shortness of breath

• Heart palpitations

• Teeth grinding

• Muscle spasms

• Skin conditions like acne and psoriasis

Stress can be a factor in a variety of physical and emotional illnesses, which should be professionally treated. You should consult your medical provider if you experience physical symptoms in the above list. Brown students can also consult a therapist from Counseling and Psychological Services for unmanageable acute stress, high levels of anxiety, or depression.