What Causes Stress?
- Present a list of common stressors, such as exams, grades, peer pressure, social media, family expectations, extracurricular activities and even societal issues.
- Discuss how each of these stressors can affect you (give examples).
Effects of Stress
- Discuss the physical, emotional and behavioural effects of stress. Mention symptoms like headaches, anxiety, sleep problems and irritability. What else?
- Research and share statistics or studies that show the impact of stress on academic and personal performance.
Identify Your Stressors
- Create a list of your own stressors and rank them in terms of severity.
- Consider sharing your lists with a partner, promoting open discussion and empathy. If it’s too personal, or you don’t feel comfortable sharing, that’s okay!
Why it’s important to deal with your stress
- Physical health: Chronic stress can lead to a number of physical health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease and digestive issues.
- Mental health: Stress can have a negative impact on mental health, contributing to anxiety, depression and other mental health issues.
- Productivity: Stress can impair cognitive function, leading to decreased productivity and poor decision-making.
- Relationships: Stress can negatively impact relationships, leading to conflict and breakdowns in communication.
- Quality of life: Uncontrolled stress can lead to a decreased quality of life, making it difficult to enjoy activities and engage with the world around you.
