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And I'm Like Forget You

There's nothing more stressful for me than waiting for my luggage at baggage claim, especially when they only release one bag at a time. As bags pass you by one mocking bag at a time you find yourself standing on your toes hoping to get a glimpse of your precious cargo. You keep reassuring yourself that it will come. You find yourself talking in soothing tones, counting backwards from twenty ......... You begin experiencing muscle  tension, abdominal pain and sweaty palms As passengers drift away with their luggage you keep consoling  yourself as you find yourself stuck with the few remaining miserable souls.

The wait is so long you begin getting delusional. One passenger  believed  his luggage might be stuck in some myserious vent. I became hopeful. We looked like two idiots staring at a vast hole hoping our luggage would magically pop up.  When it became apparent that my suitcase was indeed lost I found myself running to baggage claim like a mad woman. I began  spewing out all the virtues and qualities of my luggage to a slightly confused attendant. Namely all the clothes and makeup inside it.I sought reassurance from the baggage claim person.  I became irritable, unable to pay attention to what he was saying .I was too busy contemplating whether or not to have flyers printed out half expecting a ransom call ( I watch CSI.)

Once in my room I sank into my bed defeated (emotionally). I got up every other hour to call up baggage claim each time highlighting my stress. I became restless and began pacing around my room biting my nails. Around 2 pm the following the day my suitcase finally found its way back home. I've never felt so relieved.

The issue of  stress management is of huge concern in schools and is an issue that all of us struggle with. Stress is a normal physiological response to threatful events. During such events the hypothalamus in the brain  regulates metabolic and autonomic function and prepares the muscles to act  - to either fight or flee.  In each case heart rate is increased,  breathing is shallow and fast, digestion is slowed and muscle tension increases (Tanner, 2007).

Stress can result from being bullied, family/relationship conflicts, bereavement, academic problems,  hectic schedules and poor time management skills.

The first step in stress management is to identify the physical (heartburn/constipation/diarrhea, migraine/tension
headaches, shallow breathing. cold sweaty palms. jaw pain, neck pain, loss of/increased appetite, stuttering, dryness of mouth, increased heart rate) behavioral (low morale, sleep disturbances, use of aggressive behavior, carelessness, compulsiveness, blaming other, accident proneness, disturbed relationships and nervous ticks such as nail biting, foot tapping and teeth grinding) emotional (irritability, angry outbursts, depression, jealousy, withdrawal, negative thoughts and reduced self esteem,  anxiousness, tendency to cry, self deprecation and nightmares) and cognitive (forgetfulness, preoccupation, blocking, reduced creativity, lack of concentration and decreased psychomotor reactivity and coordination) signs of stress.


Once you've identified signs of stress, just like anger,it's worth noting that people react to stress in different ways. Some might get angry and act out while others may try to internalize it which could lead to maladaptive behaviors such as substance abuse or eating disorders.

In order to tackle stress in a healthy way it's useful to practice certain preventive techniques. These may include learning time management skills, being realistic, getting a good night's sleep,  deep breathing exercises, visualization, use of humor and getting regular exercise. Practice these regularly and you'll feel the stress melt away. Have a happy and stress free Sunday.