It’s been quite a time since I finished my academics. It was fun, but there were times when I was extremely anxious, and it could be because of anything. Don’t you agree that a student’s life is difficult?
According to a research paper, “Individuals experience different mental and physiological changes when encountering pressure, such as stress”(NIH: Family and Academic Stress and Their Impact on Students’ Depression Level and Academic Performance).
Today I’m creating this write-up as I want to address the issue of how stress affects academic functioning and what to do about it. It’s an important article for students, teachers, parents, or anyone else. So read carefully.
The Connection Between Stress and Learning
As a former student, I realized, that overload always clashes with your learning ability. Minimal stress can indeed increase your productivity, make you more focused, and keep you motivated.
However, if you are under extreme tension or more than you can handle, your body starts to release cortisol, which is a stress-related hormone in an excessive amount. Medical News Today mentioned that it can affect your body in different negative ways.
This includes weight gain, sleeping problems, high blood pressure, heart health complications, and more such things. I wasn’t able to concentrate if I was under a lot of pressure and nervousness. My memory was going weak, and my anxiety was touching the roof.
This slows down all your progress and even if you are putting in good hours that won’t be of any use as your brain wouldn’t be able to remember anything. Psychologically speaking, you’ll be grumpy and annoyed most of the time when you won’t be able to complete your goals.
Physical and Emotional Consequences of Stress.
You know, emotional conflicts are harder to deal with. Stress can cause poor self-esteem, agitation, depression, pessimism, increased impulsivity, and whatnot. These are some of the very common issues that are seen in students who are under academic pressure.
Physically it gets worse constipation, insomnia, muscle tension, IBS, high blood pressure, risk of stroke, slow wound healing, etc. Can you see this? Perhaps it’s not fatal, but it is still causing serious health concerns.
You’ll always feel tired, lose your appetite, and probably won’t want any social interaction. Many scholars end up completely isolating themselves, which further deteriorates their mental health.
Stress Triggers in Academic Life
Scholarly life is stressful, there is no denying that. If someone is keeping up with the lectures, classes, and projects, that doesn’t mean he or she isn’t in emotional turmoil. For example, heavy workloads and tough courses are just enough to mess you up.
But what’s the biggest psychological cause that just worries everyone? You know the answer very well, it’s the exams. Even though you’ve prepared well, and given everything you have, there will be a voice in the back of your head that will say it’s not enough.
Perfectionism is also a major cause, as college pupils who are under family pressure or high expectations from others often end up in a bad place. Certain people have management challenges they really enjoy the best life doing things like partying, bunking lectures, and participating in other activities but during exams, they break down first.
Particular individuals struggle with relationship issues that mess up their academic accomplishments and result in exhaustion. There are hundreds of reasons in your educational journey that can be a cause of mental strain. I only told you specifically the most common ones or those I experienced.
Many learners get suicidal, and some attempt it. To support my statement, I’m adding a graph below.
Opioid Use Among Students
There is a route that most of the students end up taking, they turn to drugs to cope with their problems. According to a ScienceDirect study proves that about 15% of undergraduates across 38 US states are taking nonmedical prescription opioid use (NIMPOU).
Opioid relaxes your brain and makes you feel happy, but their side effects are unbelievable. It can cause HIV, viral hepatitis, purpura, skin infections, and poisoning it can also trigger self-harm tendencies. Not to mention, it is addictive, it’s a drug after all.
Those who started to suffer because of it began taking Suboxone, which is prescribed medication to deal with opioid addiction. However, it also has ramifications. Burning mouth sensations, nausea, body aches, rapid heart rate, and dental issues are just a fraction of the examples.
There was a Suboxone tooth decay lawsuit as many users started suffering from tooth decay, some needed surgery, even those who never faced any dental problem in their whole lives.
PRO TIP
Reach out to your close friends or family at difficult times, as talking can solve most of your problems and give you clear insights on what you can or can’t do. Bottling up is never a good option!
Practical Steps to Manage Stress
There are several practical steps that students can take to manage their workloads and trust me, they aren’t that hard to follow. Firstly, enrollees need to realize and think about the consequences of their actions and take steps accordingly.
Task management is key for everything regardless if you are falling behind instead of worrying over it brainstorm and think about how you can overcome it and do things on a schedule. You might have to cut out on a few things such as quality time, going out, or sleeping, but It’s still better than getting addicted to drugs.
Do deep breath exercises as they cool your mind and calm your nervous system. Start doing yoga or other exercise, as physical activities are great stress relievers. Maintain a healthy lifestyle and try not to be involved in others’ matters for your mental peace.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ans: Overusing social media can cause students to become distracted from their academics, which can result in reduced productivity and procrastination. Comparing oneself to others can also make kids feel inadequate, raising stress levels even further. Establishing limits on social media use might help you stay focused and feel less depressed.
Ans: Yes, procrastination frequently results in last-minute tasks, which heightens stress and creates a sense of urgency. In addition to lowering job quality, this also causes sleep disturbances and deadline anxiety. One way to lessen this stress is to improve your time management skills.
Ans: By creating a welcoming and supportive atmosphere, giving precise directions, and establishing reasonable expectations, teachers may help pupils. Additionally, they can encourage stress-reduction tactics including efficient study methods and taking regular breaks while studying.
Stress is an inevitable part of academic life, but it doesn’t have to dictate outcomes. Students can take proactive measures to control it by being aware of its impacts on their bodies and minds. Implementing healthy routines, developing emotional resilience, and creating a nurturing atmosphere can turn stress from a hindrance into a component of the learning process.
Although each student’s path is different, stress management is a common skill that may improve both academic achievement and general well-being. It is possible to succeed under pressure and accomplish both academic and personal objectives with the correct strategy.
