Dr. Ken Nedd is a family doctor and stress expert.

He explains that stress can cause several physical problems:

* Headaches

* Back pain

* Depression

* Heart issues

“As far as happiness goes, it is obvious that we as physicians/practitioners, we want to make people happy,” said Nedd. “The impact of happiness on health is amazing.”

When people are happy, there is chemistry in the body that positively changes. “Leave stress behind and adopt the happier life,” said Nedd. He helps clients, patients, and online visitors achieve happiness every day.

Stress and the College Process

How can students and their parents learn to deal with the stress associated with the college process? Stress is not the events of going off to college and wondering if you are going to be liked, how you will handle the financial aspect, etc. It is not these stressors that cause the stress, but how you respond to them.

“Stress is not the event, stress is your response to the event,” said Nedd.

Definition of Stress

The definition of stress is, “Stress is the response of an individual when he or she recognizes that their demands are beyond their ability to cope.”

Three Windows

There are three windows you can use to defeat stress.

* Identify stressors

* Deal with perceptions

* How to respond

Stress is the response when you perceive things are beyond your ability to cope.

But just look at the stressor directly in the eye and ask, “What can I do?” And instead of using your energy feeling remorseful about what you can’t cope with – use your energy via a different perception. Perceive it as something you can handle. “I can handle that. And that alone will give you a certain amount of power,” said Nedd.

How to recognize stress:

How can parents recognize if their students are stressed? Here are a few indicators:

* Changes in behavior

* Eating habits change

* More upset/irritated

* Don’t listen

* Physical issues: headaches, abdominal pain, etc.

“You begin to intervene at that point,” said Nedd.

Stress: Good or Bad?

According to Nedd, all stress is bad. People need stressors in their lives, but their responses need to be self-enhancing and powerful. Don’t run away from stressors. Just learn to handle them correctly.

“The stressors in your life might stimulate you to be better,” said Nedd.

Adrenaline and Cortisol

Stress impacts the following in your body: adrenaline and cortisol.

* Cortisol: Decrease so it does not make you nervous or impact your memory.

* Adrenaline: Decrease to improve responses.

Practical Examples

Example: Student does not do well on college entrance exams or get good high school grades and feel stressed as a result. What does the parent do?

* Tense your body and breathe through your nose to become calm

* Lower sympathetic tone

* Ask student to release tension as well

“Once they learn the technique, then the problems don’t seem as big,” said Nedd.

Too Much Stress

When going to college, money is a major concern and stressor. Therefore, ask what is not necessary? Does your student have to go to a college that costs $80,000 or would a college that costs $5,000 be just as good?

“Sometimes we take on more than we need to,” said Nedd. “Unload what is unnecessary.”

When it comes to scholarships, applications, and other aspects of the college process – instead of trying to do it all, only do the stuff that makes the difference. Don’t wait until the student’s senior year to do everything. You can predict what the stressors will be, so plan ahead.

“The biggest obstacle to success is opportunity,” said Nedd. “Focus, focus. Take some time. Look at your values.