SAY “NO” TO STRESS


Screen Shot 2013-04-01 at 12.34.08 PMThe Center for Disease Control and Prevention warns prolonged or severe stress can affect one’s health and ability to cope with everyday life.

Linda Qualia, associate dean of counseling and career services at Collin College, suggests students experiencing unhealthy stress try some of the following stress-fighting techniques:

  •  Get organized

Poor organization is a primary cause of stress for most people

  • Pay attention to how you breathe

Breathing is the only automatic function of our bodies we can also control by attending to it.  Changing our breathing by deepening and slowing it will calm us and allow us to focus on a present moment.

  • Laugh, a lot

Humor has been shown to relieve stress, pump endorphins and relax tension.

  • Gain some distance from the stressor to get perspective

Stepping away from a situation by breathing, taking a time-out or talking to someone allows us to see a problem a different way.

  • Have someone you can vent to

Talking about your feelings and thoughts gets them out of your head, so you can stop fretting.

  • Become more assertive

Being assertive demonstrates self-respect and helps you say “no.”

  • Talk to a professional

When stress becomes overwhelming, talking to a professional can help. A professional’s non-judgmental acceptance will help you get refocused and recharged.

To speak to someone with Collin College Counseling Services, call 972.881.5127 or email personalcounseling@collin.edu.