2/15/2023 Discussion Board
Thanks to all those who replied to me. I appreciate.
Article “It’s Not the Stress, It’s How You Deal With It”, written by Clyde Haberman.
I am sure you have experienced stress and anxiety in the past or at present. Due to the rapid development of modern society, people have had to enter into a fast-paced lifestyle as various technologies have scrambled to emerge endlessly. That has led to a dramatic increase in stress. As a result, anxiety has become very common. The article states, “One-third of Americans are very stressed. About half say the situation has worsened in the past five years.”
Whichever way you look at it, being under these pressures for long periods can do more harm than good. Therefore, how to address stress is our primary concern. That’s why I’d like to recommend this article and hopefully have a discussion with you about how to handle your stress and anxiety.
I chose the article “It’s Not the Stress, It’s How You Deal With It,” which was written by Clyde Haberman and published in the New York Times on October 26, 2007.
It’s a survey of Americans’ stress, which demystifies the most significant source of anxiety for people, and you can get a hint of resonance from it. The best part is that the article has examples of clever ways to deal with stress, which may not apply to everyone, but I’m sure you can still find a glimmer of inspiration.
After you have read the article, I have three questions that I would like to discuss with you.
1. In what specific situations do you experience stress and anxiety?
2. How do you react when you are under a lot of stress? For example, stomachache, headache, cold sweat, overeating, or no appetite?
3. What do you do to release stress when you feel stressed? What are your ways of dealing with stress?
29 replies on “Discussion Board”
I usually feel stressed and anxious when exams are approaching, going to a party (not with familiar people), unfamiliar situations, and expectations from my mother. I usually have no appetite when I am under a lot of pressure, and I also feel a little dizzy, and I will sweat cold when I am extremely nervous. When I feel stressed, I usually listen to music and watch hilarious videos or anime and novels to relieve my stress. It’s really easy to transfer your stress by doing what you like. Whether it’s watching videos or listening to music, although it can help us relieve stress to a certain extent, sometimes I think it’s also a good way to talk to someone you trust. When I was under a lot of pressure, I used to call my friends to talk about it, and the method was very effective.
Hi Shi Ya Wang, you are right that doing our own thing can go a long way in helping us relieve our stress. And as you said we can feel stressed when we encounter many unfamiliar things, such as trying or doing something new or unfamiliar that requires a lot of courage. I like the way you watch videos and communicate with people to relieve stress because these are also very effective methods I think, I also recommend you to use housework or bathing to relieve your stress because when you do these things you will feel very calm.
Totally agree with your method of eliminating stress, in fact I do the same. When faced with stress, I will also listen to music to eliminate stress, and I will also talk to my good friends, so that I will feel comfortable and relaxed.
I completely agree with you that doing the things you like is the best way to deal with stress. When I play games and watch videos, I feel like I get some rest from all the college work and I get some free time to do thing I like. Sometimes, the easy anime can make my feeling better, it makes me laugh. I think the best way to actually not get anxious about school is to just study more and do all the work on time; If you study enough, I don’t think there is any reason to be anxious about an exam coming up. However, when I feel I’m so stressed that I can’t take it Amy,ore, friends is always my first choice to talk it out. It is better than being alone thinking and be anxious about things.
I am also the kind of person who feels uneasy in unfamiliar surroundings or in crowds. But for me, being in that situation while doing something I like does not relax me because I think it would be weird to do something alone there. On the other hand, I agree with you that it is a good idea to have someone you know talk to you. Having a companion can make me feel less out of place.
I believe this is true for everyone, when we are able to divert our attention somewhat through recreational programs or by spending time with friends. Even if we eventually have to deal with it, talking with others may help somewhat.
Hi RuoYan I’m very interested in the topic you chose, about how we personally express stress is something we should learn and understand, only by finding the right way to express our stress can we continue to move forward under the various pressures in our lives. It’s Not the Stress, It’s How You Deal With It”, Clyde Haberman mentions that “the degree of stress is different for each person living in different cities, for example, people living on the left and right coasts of the United States are more likely to feel a great deal of stress. “. It is true that we feel the competition, the fast pace of life and the pressure to learn and adapt because we live in a city with a lot of talent in the world. As a student, I do feel out of breath at critical times due to the stress of school work. When I experience these stresses, my body does feel out of place, such as an upset stomach due to stress, or a weakened immune system, easily distracted, no appetite, etc. When I experience these stresses, I organize my time and provide an hour to play games or take breaks, and the rest of the time is given to study, and small things like taking a shower or taking out the trash help me relieve stress.
Hi Jeff! The fast pace of life really makes me breathless, maybe I am suitable for a healthy life for the elderly. lol It may be contradictory, but when I was a child, I yearned for that kind of good life and worked hard for it. It’s really too heavy for me now, because I need to deal with my studies and life’s chores first. I know the stress isn’t going away so I can only hope it affects us less.
It’s true that fierce competition can make our lives more stressful, and as you say, people living on the west coast and east coast feel a lot of pressure. But great pressure may affect our physical health, so it is even more important to relieve stress. Everyone should find a way to relieve stress that belongs to them.
1. In what specific situations do you experience stress and anxiety?
In most of the case, my anxiety came from peer pressure, whenever I saw someone who are more outstanding than me but still working hard.
2. How do you react when you are under a lot of stress? For example, stomachache, headache, cold sweat, overeating, or no appetite?
3. What do you do to release stress when you feel stressed? What are your ways of dealing with stress?
In most of the case, my anxiety came from my peers, or even someone on the internet. Seeing people who are more outstanding and are still working hard will make me overthinking and doubting my ability and myself, causing me to feel like I am an ordinary, insignificant person, no matter how hard I try, I cannot chase with them. Negative anxiety usually affects my sleep schedule, resulting in me not having enough energy to go to work or school the next day. As a result of self-depletion, I found that meditation is the most effective way to deal with my anxiety. I find that it is very helpful when I am feeling stressed since it clears out all my unhappiness and refreshes my mind. Staying calm and making a new plan to improve myself is also a way I deal with stress, because feeling stressed and not taking action will actually make it worse.
Hi Xiaolin! I’m in a very similar situation to yours, I can’t control my overthinking even though I know it’s not doing me any good or even affecting my mood and health. This is really too bad. Thanks for the ideas, I will try to meditate when I have time. I agree with your last sentence. Stress will not disappear by itself. If you leave it alone, it may lead to worse.
Hello XiaoLin, I believe that human beings are creatures that like to compare, we are always comparing ourselves with others, we can’t control this because it is our nature, and I am no exception. It is normal to feel inferior and sad after the comparison, we will feel stress and frustration because of it. I think what you said before we release the pressure we should know how to empty their minds, not think about these worries, and then figure out how to eliminate them.
Hi Ruoyan! I like the topic and the fact that one-third of Americans are very stressed which means that if there are three people, there must be one person who feels very stressed. It really surprised me but also made me feel real. When I feel like I am the only one who can’t do anything or lack of skills I feel stress and anxiety, for example, when I can’t understand the textbook, when professor call me I can’t answer the question, and when I am talking to someone I don’t know with the language that I don’t familiar. When I am under a lot of stress I will lie in my bed and watch videos. I think I am a person that is good at relieving stress and processing my emotions because I have a strong habit to support my mental health, and my “strong habit” is I am a starstruck. Now I am a big big fan of some Korean pro gamers. I will spend my free time watching their streams and their games, even if I have a difficulty which is we are in a different time zone. Whenever I see them working so hard after failures, I just say to myself I have no reason not to work hard. This really helps me release stress when I feel stressed.
Hi Ruoyan! This topic is common in my life. I often feel sudden pressure on myself, and after constant thinking about it, it becomes my anxiety. As I saw on the Internet, some people of similar age are excellent in learning and self-disciplined. I can’t control my thoughts and compare them with them. At first I feel that this is a kind of inspiration. Then I saw more and more of this later, and it turned into anxiety. It feels like everyone in the world is such an excellent person except myself. There are also situations where I sit with people I don’t know but have to communicate (yes it’s like a group activity) because I have absolutely no idea what I should say. Compared with my own grades, maybe I am more worried about affecting other people’s grades because of my reasons. To be honest, I will feel my heart beat a little faster, tense, and even cold sweat when it is severe, and my brain will go blank. I usually try to divert my attention to relaxing entertainment, to watch my favorite manga (if it has new chapters!), to listen to music and to watch some filmed by someone I like to watch video, which is useful in most cases. Warm reminder: It is normal to feel stress in today’s society, but we need to release it in time, otherwise it will really easily affect our daily life! ! 😀
Hi, Xiaoyao! We are in the same boat! I like how you said you “divert your attention to relaxing entertainment” when you feel stress, it’s a good way too! listening to music also makes me relax. But It’s important to remember that everyone’s bright spot is different, and we shouldn’t let the media control our emotions! Don’t let anxiety affect our lives or lower our motivation. We should turn anxiety into motivation！Most importantly, be confident!
Anxiety is something that everyone has because it is an internal emotion. My anxiety stems from life, such as studies, careers, and various trivial things that can make me worry and feel stressed. I’m the kind of person who is more socially afraid. Speaking in an unfamiliar environment and in front of people I don’t know well can be stressful. All sorts of speeches or presentations at school can suffocate me, and when I get nervous, my heart beats crazily, and my palms sweat. I think it’s my body’s reaction to fighting my anxiety. The only way to resolve the situation is the moment after the speech. It was a moment of immense joy and relaxation. Sometimes I listen to soothing, relaxing songs to relieve my stress, but this doesn’t solve the fundamental problem.
My situation is actually very similar to yours, if not exactly the same. I also absolutely hate speaking or giving presentations in front of the whole class. This made me feel particularly uneasy and even afraid, although I do not know where this fear came from. I often take deep breaths and self-soothe to ease these feelings. But it is only when I am finally finished speaking that I can fully relax.
Hi, Qi Chen. After seeing your explanation, I realized that I would also be nervous when giving presentations, especially when speaking in fields that I am not good at. What I am most afraid of is when I give a speech, I can’t speak clearly and forget words, leading to poor performance.
Hi Daniel, I am similar to you about being socially afraid, but instead of feeling stressful enacting in an unfamiliar environment and people I felt more stressful in trying to keep a connection for the long term. Moreover, I also have the pressure that suffocates me when I need presentations resulting in me forgetting to bring about some information I want to share.
Whenever I get close to exam, I feel stress and anxiety. Before the exam, I was always inexplicably nervous, because I was worried that if I failed the exam ,it would affect my grades.Also ,the stress came from people around my age. When I see that people around me are better than me,I will doubt my ability, so the pressure will come to me. Normally, when I am stressed ,I don’t have any appetite, and I don’t even eat anything for a whole day.Listening to music is a good way to release stress, and a piece of light-hearted music can make me feel more relaxed.
Hi XIAONIU CHEN, I have had a similar experience with you when it comes to exams and grades, especially the part where you mention stress and pressure from the people around us doing a better performance and doubting yourself. But as time passed I started to accept the realities that I was limited and just needed to try my best and effort with the performance I would have. Since then I don’t really have the stress from the people around me, but just the anxiety for myself on the exam.
I usually feel stress when my assignments are near due date because I’m kind of a last min person. I like to save everything till the last day and when i try to do it but it’s hard, I get anxiety for maybe passing the due date. I also feel stress when the test grades are out because even though I am curious about my test grades, I am scared that my grade is low since I rarely study. When I feel stress, nothing happens to me because even though though I am scared, I know it is too late to change anything at this time so I just accept the reality every time. I will get my work done no matter how long and accept whatever grade I get. Some ways I deal with stress is to get my attention away by playing games or watch anime. Sometimes, I will hangout with my bestie and tell her some of the stress that I have and she will comfort me. And when she told me about her school, I feel like my stress are not stress cause the amount of work she have is a lot more than me. Then I would think that I should just work harder and complain less.
I often feel stressed and anxious when I have to take multiple exams in a day, give presentations, or be in crowded places. The overall reason I get negative emotions in these situations is because I have social phobia. I have discovered this since I took a speech class during my freshman year in high school. However, when I later went through these situations multiple times, I gradually became less socially phobic. When I am under a lot of stress, I react with a cold sweat, a racing heart, and often discover my hands shaking. In order to lessen stress and anxiety, I like to take deep breaths and self-soothe. While these two methods do not completely drive away my stress, they make me less tense. Then when I overcome the situations listed above, my whole body relaxes and I am able to get rid of these negative emotions.
I’m the same way. When I had to give a speech in front of the class in high school, I was shaking with cold hands. But when I was ready to start my speech, I held my breath and then swallowed some of this nervousness. Then I finished my speech with a flourish, and surprisingly, it turned out to be quite good.
Usually, the most stress and anxiety I have experienced have to relate to the different tests and reviews I need to spend colossal effort on. Whenever there’s a test I need to take, I have stress about the review I need to prepare for, and anxiety when actually starting testing. The pressure makes me too nervous from time to time depending on the subject and the conflict I have with it, and it might result in me being unable to really remember the things that I already study. Even after finishing testing I still worry about my grades for the test. But after those experiences with testing from elementary school up till now college I start not feeling that much anxiety after testing since I know I tried my best and the result can’t be changed, so I need to accept the realities.
I am a person who often feels anxious mostly probably because I am a procrastinator. I feel especially anxious when I encounter something I think is complicated and I have never done before, I lose my appetite, I get stomachaches, etc. Especially when something has to be done within a certain period of time, but I always manage to get it done before the last day, but the process is really painful. When I feel stressed I usually play games and stay with friends to distract me so I don’t remember what I have to accomplish. But I find that this method doesn’t work very well because after I’ve entertained myself, I get more anxious remembering what I haven’t finished. So I think the best way to relieve anxiety is to perform it.
I get stressed out when I have a lot of work given to me but I don’t have enough time to finish it. Not only with school assignments but also when I am working, I feel stressed because I always think that I have to finish work quickly. When I get stressed, I relieve my stress by eating sweet snacks or trying to forget stress by sleeping.
I almost feel stressed because of a lot of things, my study pressure, There is Homework almost due, or there is a test that is coming, otherwise, it is pressure come from the job that I have right now, something like I have to work with people who don’t like it or I did something wrong. When I feel there is too much pressure coming at the same time and I cannot handle it, I will choose to sleep, let go of my brain, and let it rest for a while. When I wake up, I will feel like restarting and have more energy to face the pressure.