Counseling and Psychological Services held a program, led by Dr. Terri Jaeger, Psychological Counselor for the Counseling and Psychological Services Department (CPS), called Alternatives to Anxiety, in the Rebecca Stafford Student Center (RSSC) room 202-B.
“First held in the spring, 2014,” said Jaeger, “[Alternatives to Anxiety] was designed as a group program to help students develop strategies to cope with stress and to reduce their anxiety symptoms, which often present as two related issues in students.”
The event was held on Oct. 15 as well as Oct. 29 and was not only created to aid students just beginning to cope with anxiety, but also to help students who have been coping with anxiety for a long period of time, students shared different coping mechanisms and life stories.
According to Dr. Jaeger, about 60 percent of the students who seek services at CPS say anxiety is a reason for their counseling request.
“I wanted to see how other people coped and compare it to what I do,” said Mary Kate O’Rourke, a freshman Psychology major.
“Hearing other people talk about it [anxiety] and being able to talk about it yourself really helps you get it off your chest.”
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) claims that anxiety is something that is hardwired into the brain, as a part of the fight-or-flight response, and a normal reaction to situations of uncertainty, trouble, or unpreparedness. If left untreated, it could lead to academic problems, or even substance abuse, depression, and suicide.
“Anxiety releases adrenaline, like hormones in the body,” says Dr. Gary Handler, specialist professor for the Graduate Psychological Counseling Department. “Your perceived risk of a future event is what anxiety is because it just stays. And as long as it stays with you, those hormones are generated, and it’s basically our fight-or-flight response. It shuts down the immune system and digestion,” continued Handler.
“Because it’s not important when you’re trying to run or fight. So when people are highly anxious, they are more likely to get respiratory illnesses, gastrointestinal disorders, etc.”
Handler also explained that anxiety has always been an issue among college students, and that certain stressors can trigger anxiety, such as the competition of applying to colleges, leaving home and living on your own for the first time, social circle changes, school expenses/finances, performance, etc.
Jaeger said the fast pace of day-to-day life is another reason for anxiety among college students.
“One of the theories in Psychology about people’s reactions is that the more stressors you encounter, the higher the chances are of something being dislodged,” said Handler. “You get new stressors while you’re in school, but your level of stress is already high to start with. This means your anxiety, if you normally get a little nervous about tests but you’re able to cope with it, you could be a lot more nervous now.”
Fear could be one of the major triggers of anxiety and anxiety-related disorders. According to Handler, the definition of anxiety is “the fear of something that isn’t right in front of you,” he said.
He claims that when people are anxious, they tend to avoid what they fear. “One of the things you can do is not think of it [anxiety] as a mental illness,” explained Handler. “That has such a stigma that it sort of prevents people from getting help.”
For a number of reasons, many anxious students not only avoid what they fear, they also avoid seeking help. “Avoidance is probably one of the major causes of depression,” concluded Handler. “If someone fears their exam, or studying for their exam, for example, they’re actually going to delay studying. They call it procrastination, but really it’s this fear of saying, I have to take this and it’s something I want to avoid, so you put it off.”
Although anxiety is a fairly common disorder, it can be very treatable. The ADAA stated that every year, over 40 million people in the United States are diagnosed with anxiety disorders, and up to 90 percent of people who seek help from a health professional will recover and live a productive life. O’Rourke copes with anxiety through the use of medications, as well as talking to family and friends.
“I do take medicine, but it only helps you to an extent. It helps you not feel crazy, but it doesn’t actually help the problem,” she said.
There are numerous ways to cope with anxiety and anxiety-related issues. CPS holds several events to help students cope with anxiety, stress, and other mental illnesses. Jaeger suggested a few other programs and events held by CPS this term, similar to Alternatives to Anxiety, including Coming Up for Air, Yoga, and the De-Stress Fest.
“These programs have been successfully attended and positively received; and these outreach efforts often led students to schedule individual consultations with the counselors at CPS following the group programs,” added Jaeger.
“The hottest thing out there right now for some of this [anxiety] is mindfulness,” said Handler. “It’s been found extremely successful, and it’s relatively easy self-help that you can Google, find a particular practitioner, on YouTube, listen to it, and use it. It can work miracles.”
He also recommended, “I would maybe somehow include it [coping with anxiety] in Freshman Orientation. Every freshman is going through a huge number of changes, stressors, etc., so I would introduce the challenges of entering any college, and talk about it.”
O’Rourke only heard about Alternatives to Anxiety through a handout given on the first day of school to freshmen for the Shadow Program, which allows them to receive a free sweatshirt by attending certain events and programs, and signing in. “So it’s like an incentive, or motive, to go,” said O’Rourke.
She proposed hanging up posters and handing out fliers about the program and issue to raise awareness.
“Since I have anxiety, I figured I would go. I got that sheet on the first day of school, but people probably threw it out,” added O’Rourke.
The ADAA encourages people seeking help [coping with anxiety] to watch a the video titled ‘Glass People which is about anxiety among college-age people and the value of seeking professional help.
“It’s [anxiety] a normal reaction, not a disorder,” reassured Handler. “The earlier you deal with it, the less it’s going to impact your college career. “
The next program on anxiety will be held on Wednesday, Nov 5.
PHOTO COURTESY of Alyssa Gray
