Do you need....
...an accepting, confidential environment where you can share your thoughts and feelings?
...a place to explore issues of concern, gain awareness and insight?
...an initiative to become increasingly active in taking charge of your life?
We are here to help!
Picture compliments of Steve Zumbro, Zumbro Photography
 Mrs. Marty Barlow, M.S., L.P.C., (mbarlow@bridgewater.edu)
Mrs. Jill Langridge, M.A., Ed.S., (jlangrid@bridgewater.edu)
TAKE THE STRESS TEST
- ____Give yourself 10 points if you exercise for a minimum of twenty minutes three days a week.
- ____Give yourself 10 points if you get at least 7 hours of sleep 5 days a week.
- ____Give yourself 5 points if you have a quiet place in which you can relax on a regular basis.
- ____Give yourself 5 points if you take quiet time for yourself during the day.
- ____Subtract 5 points for every time during the week that you use alcohol to relieve stress.
- ____Give yourself 10 points if you have an income adequate to meet basic needs.
- ____Subtract 10 points if you feel you lack a sense of purpose, connectedness, or meaning.
- ____Give yourself 10 points if you are reasonably comfortable with your body weight.
- ____Subtract 5 points for every time during the week that you smoke cigarettes to relieve stress.
- ____Give yourself 10 points if you have friends with whom you can talk about personal matters.
- ____Give yourself 10 points if you eat at least one balanced meal a day.
- ____Give yourself 10 points if you give and receive affection regularly.
- ____Subtract 5 points if you have pulled at least one “all-nighter” in the past week.
- ____Give yourself 10 points if you feel that you are in good health.
- ____Give yourself 10 points if you feel supported by your social network.
- ____ Give yourself 10 points if you have done something for at least one person in the past week.
- ____Give yourself 10 points if you usually communicate effectively in your interpersonal relationships.
- ____Give yourself 10 points if you do something fun at least once a week.
- ____Give yourself 10 points if you drink fewer than three caffeine drinks (coffee, tea, or cola) a day.
SCORE
<60 points
Your test score shows that not only are you living under a lot of stress, but you may also be compromising your health by the ways in which you deal with this stress. But don’t panic; there are many healthy ways in which you can handle your stress. See below for tips for learning practical skills to help you be more effective in your stress management. If you would like to talk to someone about how to best manage your stress level, please contact the Counseling Center at 828.5692.
60 - 100 points
It appears that you currently do some good things to relieve your stress. If you are satisfied with how you manage the stress in your life, great. Keep taking care of yourself. If you feel that you need more practice with stress management, please see the suggested tips below on dealing with the negative effects of stress.
>100 points
While you may sometimes feel the effects of too much stress, it appears that you are doing a good job of handling the stress in your life. This is a healthy way to live! If you want to learn even more stress management skills, please see the suggestions below.
If you feel that you spend too much time at an uncomfortable level of stress, please call the Counseling Center at 828.5692 for information on campus counseling options.
Tips on Dealing with Stress
- Stop worrying. You cannot control some things, like the weather.
- Set realistic goals for yourself. Rank them with the highest priority on tasks you must do. Be sure to also give priority to things you like to do.
- Assess. Why do some things upset you so easily?
- Communicate. Share your concerns with close friends and family. Try to solve conflicts with other people before they escalate.
- Ask for help. Friends, family, professionals, and/or clergy can help.
- Surround yourself with encouraging people.
- Remove yourself from the source of stress. Get away from stress through leisure activities, such as hobbies, sports, reading, and social events.
- Pace yourself. Do not overbook your life or let others overbook it for you.
- Make it known that you are overwhelmed. Learn how to say "No" if you are overloaded in other areas.
- Exercise. Release pent up energy and get in shape at the same time.
- Create a soothing atmosphere in places where you can find yourself stressing, like your desk.
- Play soft music when you feel stressed. It can have a calming effect.
- Take a warm shower at the end of the day. Focus only on the pleasure of the warm water rather than the events of the day.
Adapted from UNC-Chapel Hill Campus Health Services
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| The JED Foundation is the leading organization focusing exclusively on college student mental health and suicide prevention |
ULifeline is an online resource center for college student mental health and emotional well-being. |
The Student Counseling Virtual Pamphlet Collection is a source of information for students, faculty, and staff. |
For more information or to make an appointment please contact:
Ursula Dinkel
Secretary for Counseling Services
Moomaw 205
Voice: 540.828.5692
FAX: 540.828.5693
Email:udinkel@bridgewater.edu
Office Hours 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, M-F
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