TIME heals stress factors derived from life
South Campus counselor advises on coping with pressure
by Andy Rondon, Reporter

"There is a struggle between what you have been taught versus what you are being told." Sandra Johnson,South Campus Counselor

   Students who learn how to deal with stress will have a better chance at success, a South Campus counselor said last week.
   Sandra Johnson led Stress-Coping with Pressures of School, Work and Family, a discussion group designed to help students leave with stress not being such a burden.
   In order to effectively deal with stress, it is important to understand where the stress is coming from, Johnson said. Stress, defined as one's physical and emotional reaction to change, has an effect on several aspects of one's life.
   Stressors are the acts in people's lives that make them stressed. School, work and managing time for family seemed to be the common response in the audience comprised of more than 30 students.
   "What you do when the action takes place is the deciding factor in how negative or positive your reaction is," she said.
   Johnson told students to examine their reactions to life events. She suggested they question whether they falter when a stressor appears in life or do they rise to the occasion and enjoy the challenges that face them.
   "If you falter you may be in more trouble than you think," she said.
   Johnson said the penalty for a stress-filled life could manifest in physical ailments. Stress, also known as the green-eyed monster, can cause small reactions to the body such as headaches and fatigue to more serious problems like high blood pressure and cancer.
   Sometimes medication can be used to control the onset of a stressor, but Johnson said her experience in the field shows another problem.
   "Medication does not deal with the actual root of the stress problem," she said. "If you can't think, then you don't have to respond."
   Johnson used one exercise, known as the TIME module, to help the students better understand stress.
   The T, or thermostat, is a representation of the physical examination of oneself. "The life is in the bloodline," she said. People should ask themselves if stress runs in their family, Johnson said.
   "If you are aware of the problem, you can unlock the genetic deficiency," she said.
   In other words, students should get to know themselves, Johnson said.
   The I in the time module represents the psychological aspects in life that affect day-to-day well being.
   "Who are you imaging yourself after?" she asked.
   Parents, family members and friends impact one's life, and it is important to acknowledge that, Johnson said. She also advised seminar participants to take a look at their peers to determine if they are positive or negative. Imaging someone else can be stressful because it is important to know oneself.
   "You have to be you," she said.
   The letter M means mythos, essentially one's spiritual well being.
   "There is a struggle between what you have been taught versus what you are being told," she said.
   Often people will tell someone what is acceptable in their eyes. In relation to the college student, parents may be the major influence in their life forcing them to attend class.
   School should be something the individual wants to do to better himself and make himself happy, Johnson said.
   Because of this pressure, Johnson said, a student may habitually drop classes or attend school with an attitude of pessimism rather than optimism.
   "You are what you believe, and what you believe is how you live," she said.
   Environment is the last aspect in the time module. Environment includes everything from a job to the places where someone hangs out.
   Johnson said they are the choices people make regarding association. Johnson pointed out that leaving problems at work can be difficult, but it is essential to health. People should find something to do after work to help them relax. A visit to the massage therapist or a good book and some warm tea could help people get the sleep and rest they deserve after a long day at the office or at school.
   "The choices we make can help us, hinder us or kill us. You have to learn to control this aspect of your life," she said.
   Johnson, a Texas Christian University graduate, is available to students who need help deciding on a major, a known stressor for many students. Located on the South Campus, she is available Monday-Friday.