• It’s not always obvious when a friend needs you to be there. On our campus. . .
  

• 24% report feeling tense
• 14% report feeling irritable
• 8% have spells of terror or panic
• 37% become anxious when they have to speak in front of audiences

**Based on the Mental Health & Counseling Student Survey (2010)

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Be Concerned If Your Friend Is. . .

• Talking frequently about being stressed or tense
• Sleeping poorly
• Worrying excessively about academic performance
• Complaining about never having enough time
• Showing signs of physical tension (e.g., headaches, muscle pain, stomachache)

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Be There For Your Friend By. . .

Listening, supporting, encouraging, and just being there can really make a difference in a friend’s life.
Here are some other ways to help a friend manage stress.

• Listening without judging
• Helping them identify sources of stress and possible coping strategies
• Supporting their efforts to maintain healthy eating, sleeping and exercise habits
• Encouraging them to use relaxation strategies such as deep breathing, meditation, yoga
• Directing them to resources to help them make changes (e.g., offering to call or walk them to the Counseling Center [x5005] or Health Center [x5001])

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Additional Resources. . .

Stress Management Tips
Stress Recess
Self-Help Strategies for Anxiety Relief
Don’t Delay – Understating Procrastination & How to Achieve Our Goals

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