Stress Management

What do USC students say is the #1 impediment to their academic success?

You guessed it, STRESS!

Stress is a normal part of daily living and is not always something to be scared of – but, unmanaged stress can be unhealthy and increase your risk for poor physical and mental health. Stress that is not managed can lead to:

Feelings of anxiety, depression and sadness
Forgetfulness, feeling frantic and out of control
Body tension and tightness, injury
Burn out, fatigue and lethargy
Increased risk for cold, flu and other illness
Increased risk for unhealthy weight gain or loss
Unhealthy behaviors – alcohol, tobacco and other distracting & addicting behaviors

Stress is very personal and manifests differently in different people. Some individuals feel a sense of overwhelm and cannot “get grounded” while others will feel the sense of overwhelm and cannot “get going”.

Determining your personal stressors and creating a prevention action plan that is for YOU is crucial to successfully managing the stresses that an oftentimes chaotic world can present. The goal of Campus Wellness stress management services is to help students maintain comfortable and productive levels of daily stress.

Campus Wellness offers a variety of opportunities for students to explore stress management strategies and relaxation techniques:

Massage Therapy

Whether you suffer from chronic paid or would just like to “de-stress” and unwind, massage therapy can help. Campus Wellness offers seated chair massages that require no undressing and use no oils.

Appointments: Call 803-777-3175 to make your appointment – appointments are available Monday – Thursday.
Location: Massage Therapy services are located at the Thomson Student Health Center. When you arrive for your appointment, please check-in at the front desk of the health center.
Cost: A 25-minute massage is $20 for students (a $15 fee is charged to clients who do not cancel or reschedule an appointment at least 24 hours ahead of time).

Learn more about the benefits of massage
and how it can help you manage stress or pain.

Programs and Presentations

Campus Wellness offers a variety of programs, workshops and presentations that can help you or your group or organization learn more about stress and healthy ways to manage stress. Popular programs and outreach include Mindfulness-based Stress Management (an 8-week program offered once per semester) and Managing Stress for Health and Wellness presentation. Descriptions and an online request form are available for all Campus Wellness presentations at: http://www.sa.sc.edu/shs/cw/students/nutrition/#presentations If one of our existing programs does not meet your needs, we are happy to tailor a program for your group.

Educational Materials

A wide variety educational handouts addressing stress management and wellness are available at both Campus Wellness locations and on the Stress Management website (see below).

Individual Appointments

A stress management coordinator is available to discuss issues such as stress, feelings of overwhelm, physical and mental health, time management, and more. Appointments are designed to help individuals identify their particular sources of stress and create a plan for managing and getting assistance with stress. Coordinators can provide support and stress management tools and techniques, recommend campus services and programs and make referrals to counseling or other health-related professionals.

Call or stop by one of our Campus Wellness locations for more information!

Strom Thurmond Wellness & Fitness Center (lower level): 803-576-9393

Blatt P.E. Center: 803-777-6518

>More Information about Stress Management

Stress basics

“Stress is a normal psychological and physical reaction to the ever increasing demands of life. Surveys show that most Americans experience challenges with stress at some point during the year. In looking at the causes of stress, remember that your brain comes hard-wired with an alarm system for your protection. When your brain perceives a threat, it signals your body to release a burst of hormones to fuel your capacity for a response. This has been labeled the "fight-or-flight" response. Once the threat is gone, your body is meant to return to a normal relaxed state. Unfortunately, the nonstop stress of modern life means that your alarm system rarely shuts off.

That’s why stress management is so important. Stress management gives you a range of tools to reset your alarm system. Without stress management, all too often your body is always on high alert. Over time, high levels of stress lead to serious health problems. Don’t wait until stress has a negative impact on your health, relationships or quality of life. Start practicing a range of stress management techniques today.”

By Mayo Clinic staff : Reference: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress-management/MY00435

More information from the Mayo Clinic about stress – the good and the bad and how you can relieve and manage stress.

Things you can do RIGHT NOW to manage your stress on campus:

Eat Right for you – take advantage of the numerous nutrition and healthy eating services available on campus: grocery store tours, cooking demonstrations, individual consultation with a registered dietitian and much more!

Get moving – Campus Wellness and Campus Recreation can help you incorporate more activity and exercise into your day. Research suggests getting moving is a great way to bust stress and keep it at bay.

Meditation and Relaxation – Try one of the guided mediations available at SoundCloud
– free for student to use or download. Meditations are between 4 and 8 minutes long and provide a quick break or an easy addition to your daily routine.

Need more one-on-one assistance or does it feel like things are escalating beyond your control? The Counseling and Human Development Center
at USC can help. The counseling center provides individual appointments, group counseling and support sessions and many other services.

Take a walk, listen to music, laugh, talk with a friend, read a book, take a few deep breaths, write, paint or draw, enjoy a movie, spend time in the company of others, the options are endless – find something that makes you feel truly happy and incorporate even just a few minutes into your day!