By Augie Colantuono


Of all the things that cause us stress, like your car having a flat tire, your best friend and his wife coming to stay at your house for a week, or your dog getting sick, now we have the end of the school year to deal with.

Steve Burns specializes in stress. He says most of our stress stems from worry. Things like your mother needing an operation, and yes, getting that 10-page paper done for your professor are all things to worry about.

“If it is something that makes you worry, then it is stress,” Burns said.

Depression, anxiety attacks and insomnia were all thought to be a disease before the 1990s. Now Burns says they are just symptoms of overstress.

“We now have ways that can help a person suffering from overstress to feel healthy again, sleep well and be rid of anxiety and depression,” said Burns.

When treating stress it is important to realize what not to do, Dr. Burns says.

“The biggest mistake you can make in handling stress is using pick-me-up’s to boost yourself, while continuing to pile on the stress. When you do this, you ride the wild rollercoaster: Sometimes feeling well, mostly feeling ill, never achieving balance,” he said.

“What you should do is stop using the pick-me-up’s, lower your stress level, and give your body a chance to re-balance itself. Then you can achieve balance, feel well and stay well. Overstress is treated by reducing your stress load.” Burns added.

Lora Streckewald, a junior business major, says the worst thing about stress is taking it out on other people.

“When I’m stressed out about school I take it out on my friends or my family,” Streckewald said.

She says the way she deals with stress is to exercise. When the school year is all over she plans to drink a lot.

“Maybe I’ll hit the bars downtown to celebrate,” Streckewald said.

For more information on stress, log onto Dr. Burns’ Web site at www.teachhealth.com.