PROJECT 3: ANXIETY & STRESS IN COLLEGE: A CASE STUDY ANALYSIS 1

Anxiety & Stress in College: A Case Study Analysis

Matthew Shelbourn

Pasadena City College

PROJECT 3: ANXIETY & STRESS IN COLLEGE: A CASE STUDY ANALYSIS 2

The scenario we were asked to analyze for the purposes of this case study is not an

unusual one by any means. The situation is that Katya is a young adult new to the college scene.

She is an above-average student, but has some self-confidence issues when it comes to her

performance capabilities with schoolwork, notably with exams. Katya has a history of anxiety,

which presents most-strikingly prior to taking a test. All of these factors combined put Katya at

high risk for experiencing heightened stress at times during her college career, but especially

when she has a test coming up. Apart from the fact that she is already experiencing anxiety

because of an upcoming Chemistry exam, there is the added stressor of her needing to perform

well on this exam because if she does not then she risks earning a lower GPA and thus

potentially losing her academic scholarship. Therefore, in Katyas case there are four significant

contributing factors to her mental state: 1.) Katya is young and has little experience coping with

life in college; 2.) Katya has self-confidence issues when it comes to school performance; 3.)

Katya has a history of anxiety, which is at its worst before exams; 4.) There is the presence of a

threat if she doesnt perform well, which in this case is the potential for her to lose her

scholarship. All four of these factors come into play at the same time in this scenario, which

results in Katya experiencing a panic attack while she is in the middle of studying for her exam.

What Katya is experiencing in this instance is more common than most people think. In

fact, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), approximately

18.1% of adults of age 18 and over in the United States suffer from at least one type of anxiety

disorder (About ADAA: Facts & Statistics, 2017). Furthermore, these statistics are based only on

study participants who were honest about their mental health problems and since mental health

disorders are widely stigmatized in the US, its a safe bet that this percentage is higher in

actuality. Nevertheless, anxiety and stress disorders are major problems in the United States and
PROJECT 3: ANXIETY & STRESS IN COLLEGE: A CASE STUDY ANALYSIS 3

college students are especially susceptible to experiencing these types of disorders as a result of

many factors working in tandem. I have concluded that stress and anxiety for college students

can be likened to gateway drugs. Meaning, just as gateway drugs often lead to more

serious/dangerous drugs, stress and anxiety can easily lead to more serious problems if not

treated such as suicidal ideation and serious physical health complications. The statistics related

to this are quite disturbing. In an annual report published by the Center for Collegiate Mental

Health, statistics were presented showing that between 2015 and 2016 33.2% of college students

who attended counseling sessions had seriously considered attempting suicide (Center for

Collegiate Mental Health, 2017). Although 33.2% is an alarming statistic, it is even scarier to

think that this percentage is based on students surveyed who were already attending mental

health counseling. What about the students who were too scared or intimidated or embarrassed or

proud to seek out professional help? Herein lies one of the biggest hurdles of tackling the anxiety

and stress problems experienced by college students today.

All of these statistics are great for shock value, but they dont paint a picture of what its

really like to suffer from anxiety and stress disorders. However, Ive had issues with anxiety

since high school and, let me say, its no fun at all. First of all, I believe it important to mention

that I do possess some obsessive tendencies, the most severe of which being my compulsive

perfectionism. The only reason I mention this is because my need to be perfect when it comes

to such things as school and work projects often further compounds any anxiety or stress I was

already experiencing with said projects. With this being said, I can trace my anxiety back to

when I was a junior in high school. Im not exactly sure why the problem started, but I remember

not being able to sleep for days on end because I would lie awake at night contemplating several

hypothetical scenarios and their outcomes. These scenarios were not about anything specific and
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didnt have a recurring theme, rather they were just random thoughts that kept my mind racing

throughout the night. This continued for a year or so on and off and then pretty much

disappeared for several years. After I graduated from high school I spent two years at Cal State

Long Beach before transferring to USC. While attending CSULB I did not really have any

problems with anxiety to speak of (I have a theory on why this is, but I will get to that later).

However, once I transferred to USC my anxiety issues came back with a vengeance. Not only

did I experience acute insomnia like I did in high school, but I also struggled with social anxiety,

performance anxiety, self-deprecation, and etc. To make matters worse, I opted to use alcohol as

a coping mechanism instead of turning to healthier and more productive means of therapy. This

time, the problems I was experiencing didnt only last a year. Instead, they continued long after I

left USC and well into my early thirties. I attribute the staying power of my anxiety issues to the

fact that I used improper methods for handling them (e.g. alcohol, apathy, social disconnection,

etc.) Although the ten years or so after leaving USC were a constant struggle for me in terms of

stress management and performance, I managed to get through this period of my life in one piece

and learned several valuable lessons along the way. These lessons I learned tie in closely with

methods for managing stress and anxiety that are recommended/practiced by professional

psychologists and psychiatrists. But what are these methods?

Generally speaking, part of the cure for any illness relies on addressing the root causes.

Anxiety disorders are no exception to this rule. Almost every article and scholarly journal I read

while conducting research for this case study mentioned that one way to prevent anxiety and

stress is to limit or eliminate any stressors in life. In my opinion, this is all well and good, but

quite unrealistic. For instance, I cant just not be stressed out about paying bills by eliminating

them. Bills are always going to exist, they are simply part of our modern existence. This idea is
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supported by one journal article I came across which states, Attempting to substantively

decrease or remove the underlying factors associated with stress is impractical because the world

is a stressful place to one degree or another. (Millett-Thompson, 2017). Instead of eliminating

the root causes for stress and anxiety, I believe that it is more realistic to learn how to effectively

manage stress and anxiety, which in turn minimizes the effect they have on our mental and

physical states. This isnt just my thought either, a plethora of different research studies have

been conducted over the years to determine the effectiveness of various methods for reducing

stress and anxiety, specifically when it comes to college students. College is one of those periods

in life where an individual is in a state of flux. It is where most people find their individuality

and learn independence. It can be a very rewarding experience, but can be an extremely stressful

one as well. With college comes new financial responsibilities, added workloads, new social

structures, competition among classmates, and etc. All of these factors combine to create an

intense amount of pressure on individuals. Some students are able to cope with these pressures

adequately, but most struggle with it. Further exacerbating the problem, mental health counseling

is often stigmatized in college. While most college students are trying their best to fit in in a

completely new environment, the last thing they would want is for their classmates to think they

are crazy because someone saw them walking into the psychologists office. This is a very

serious dilemma and researchers are acutely cognizant of it, however, there is no clear solution

since it is a complex sociological issue and would take a widespread adjustment in peoples

perception in order to be eradicated. But its not all doom and gloom.

Some studies have found very promising results from educating students about anxiety

and stress. More specifically, one researcher studying potential methods for minimizing stress

and anxiety states that all college students should be required to complete a mandatory
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orientation course prior to registering for their first semester (Millett-Thompson, 2017). This

orientation would present the students with information about stress and anxiety, including how

to minimize the effects of stress and anxiety, the resources available to them for outside help, and

that it is okay to be open about their problems with stress and anxiety. Furthermore, these

orientation courses would provide students with an opportunity to interact with their peers and

allow them to talk about times where they were stressed out or experienced anxiety. The thought

behind this is to provide new students with a support system before they experience the stressors

associated with college. The hope is that students will seek out help when they need it if they are

aware that professional help is available and that it is perfectly okay to take advantage of.

One other method for managing stress and anxiety, which is universally regarded as

effective and has personally helped me several times, is maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This

includes a balanced diet, routine exercise, and adequate sleep. According to one article on the

topic of stress management, it is crucially important to set and follow a routine, regularly

exercise, eat healthy, get a good nights sleep, learn to relax, manage time, and avoid alcohol and

drugs (Tips for Healthy Living, n.d.). Going back to the period of my life while I attended USC

and the years immediately following, the lack of a healthy lifestyle was the major reason for my

heightened anxiety and stress levels. During this time, I was constantly sleep deprived, ate

unhealthy food that lacked adequate nutrition, drank alcohol in excess, and would go for weeks

at a time without rigorously exercising. This period sharply contrasts with my time at Cal State

Long Beach where I had a routine sleep schedule, ate healthy meals, surfed for exercise every

morning before class, and managed my time effectively. In retrospect, I was able to witness

firsthand what happens when I live a healthy lifestyle compared to when I do not, and the

difference in my stress and anxiety level during both periods. As I mentioned earlier, my
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experiences at USC and after were tough lessons learned. However, I am now more aware of

how to better manage my stress and anxiety. Nowadays, I dedicate time in my schedule to eat

properly, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep, regardless of how busy I am with everything

in life.

To bring it full circle, I can relate to what Katya is experiencing in this scenario. Ive

been in the same situation too many times to count. During episodes of heightened stress and

anxiety, it is almost impossible not to feel helpless, hopeless, and that everything is just not

going to be okay. If I were, or actually I should say when I was, in her situation I did not get

help. In fact, I refused to get help even though friends and family suggested I do so. Perhaps it

was pride, or embarrassment, or denial, but I just didnt want to accept that I needed help. I

realize now that I should have utilized the resources available to me when I become so utterly

stressed out that I couldnt function. I have learned the value of expressing my feelings, worries,

and anger to other people, especially mental health professionals. I see a therapist now from time

to time when things get rough and it helps tremendously. When I isolate myself, like Katya is in

this scenario, the problem gets worse and I end up blaming myself for everything beating

myself up for things that are often not my fault and out of my control. But seeking external help

is not a silver bullet. We as individuals are also responsible for doing our part to minimize stress

and anxiety. Living a healthy lifestyle goes a long way, but we should also mentally prepare

ourselves for the challenges we will face going into each semester as a college student. We cant

be unrealistic and believe that we will excel in school without having a plan to do so. If straight

As is our goal then we need to plan accordingly and make sacrifices when necessary in order to

achieve that goal. Managing stress and anxiety is perhaps one of the biggest challenges that we

have as college students, but is also one of the most important. A balance between home life,
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school life, work life, and personal time is exceedingly difficult to accomplish, but it is possible.

Im living proof that it is possible, and the countless students like Katya can be also.
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References

About ADAA: Facts & Statistics. (2017). Retrieved from https://adaa.org/about-adaa/press-

room/facts-statistics

Center for Collegiate Mental Health. (2017, January). 2016 Annual Report (Publication No. STA

17-74). Retrieved from https://sites.psu.edu/ccmh/files/2017/01/2016-Annual-Report-

FINAL_2016_01_09-1gc2hj6.pdf

Millett-Thompson, A. (2017). Dealing with college students' stress, anxiety, and depression. The

Journal for Quality and Participation, 39(4), 24-27. Retrieved from

https://login.ezp.pasadena.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/186599273

6?accountid=28371

Tips for Healthy Living. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.anxietybc.com/adults/tips-healthy-

living