Various life events, even positive ones such as Christmas or vacation, have an impact on a person’s stress levels and well-being. The Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) can be used to determine the level of psychological stress and susceptibility to illness and accidents (p. 424). Due to the test, I learned that my stress level is minimal, and I am not experiencing a life crisis. Among the stresses or hassles that I identify in my life are vacation, change in social activities, change in eating and personal habits, Christmas, and change in schools. Thus, in my life over the past year, there have been no significant stressful events that could negatively affect my condition.
However, I also noted a change in personal and eating habits, as well as social activities, which are indicators of increased stress. To minimize stressors and optimize my well-being, I can not consider these changes as significant, which would be a reappraisal of the stress situations. (Jamieson et al., 2018). This approach will allow me to consider the stress response as normal in the context of my life and not evaluate it negatively.
Pascoe, Hetrick & Parker (2020) note that students experience increased normative stress in the form of academic demands, “which can be defined as normal day-to-day hassles” (p. 104). Thus, academic activity adds to the number of daily stressors for me and increases the chances of illness, and reduces well-being. Concentration on changes in habits and activity is redundant and can be eliminated. Reappraisal of these changes as normal in the context of my current life will increase my productivity as a student. I will focus less on such stressors and respond more effectively to more significant ones, including academic ones. Thus, I will be able to use my emotional resources more efficiently and effectively cope with life events.
Mind, body, and soul connection is an important aspect of recognizing and dealing with stress and anxiety. Recognizing stressors that manifest in behavior or physical condition is important for effective coping with them and minimizing negative effects (“Th importance of mind-body-spirit,” 2020). I notice this connection, for example, in the occurrence of a headache at the end of the day when I am exhausted or in the same changes in eating habits when I am upset or tired. The concept of mind, body, and soul connection can help me effectively deal with physical manifestations of stress or use them to recognize and manage it.
References
Coon, D., Mitterer. J. O., & Martini, T. (2019). Introduction to psychology: Gateways to mind and behavior (15th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Jamieson, J. P., Crum, A. J., Goyer, J. P., Marotta, M. E., & Akinola, M. (2018). Optimizing stress responses with reappraisal and mindset interventions: an integrated model. Anxiety, Stress & Coping, 31(3), 245-261. Web.
Pascoe, M. C., Hetrick, S. E., & Parker, A. G. (2020). The impact of stress on students in secondary school and higher education. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 25(1), 104-112. Web.
The importance of the mind-body-spirit connection during times of stress and anxiety. (2020). HealthConnection. Web.