Name: Mercy Ndinda Munyao

ADM Number: E34/2668/2021

Name of lecturer :[Link]

Unit code: EPs 110

Date : 1/12/2021

Q1 .using relevant examples ,explain various causes of stress in a university setting

.Time management stress - students in the early collegiate careers,often experience time stress as they
adjust to a larger work load and other demands from their [Link] who also attend large
universities like Kenyatta university find it difficult to navigate a new campus during their first months
leaving them worrying they will be late for classes.

. Academic stress - The worry about academic performance causes symptoms such as anxiety ,changes
in appetite and overall mood .students faces anticipatory stress when thinking about an upcoming test
or presentation which is often triggered by lack of confidence or an overall sense of fear about failing in
some way especially when the student studies the last minute by cramming.

Peer pressure - students especially the first years are pressured by their fellow collegnes who are above
them to skip their responsibilities to attend a party or other activity ,to engage in damaging behaviors
like drug abuse and [Link] activities leads to dangerous consequences like sexual assaults leading
to unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases thus some end up falling into depression or
even killing themselves .

The new relationships - the need to have friends and the intense need to fit in and be accepted by
friends causes stress .Some students have the fear of being rediculed and rejected because of their
accent ,skin color and religious symbols .example is albinos may fear associating with a other students
who differ from their skin colour.

The new university environment - Students face the challenge of beginning the process of finding their
own identity as an adult and their place in the world away from their parents and the need to practice
housekeeping ,to manage a budget and to find their way around the strange place .This causes sadness
and tension among the students .
[Link] how frustration and psychological conflict cause stress

Being in a constant state of frustration can lead to many problems in ones life likewise to being under
psychological conflict .This includes ;

If you continue pursuing a goal without any result ,the frustration you feel can lead to other emotions
such as situational stress by making you get into quarrel with yourself with questions such as why you
are unable to achieve that certain goal despite the many trials and efforts you have made and also
feeling like you can't do anything about the situation

Frustration and psychological conflict causes mental diseases such as post - traumatic stress disorder
especially where there are two conflicting motives which needs to be satisfied at the same time .Some
of which may not be curable thus becoming a permanent situation of which you could have prevented
hence one becomes stressed .

Internal frustration can lead to lack of confidence which is a sign of low self- esteem which reduces the
quality of a persons life in many different ways including negative feelings which leads to stress.

External frustrations such as earthquakes and floods causes stress. Example is where flooding has
occurred forcing the students in the area not to attend school and the KCSE or KCPE is approaching .This
students fall under anticipatory stress where they are at an overall sense of fear about failing in some
way since students in other schools are still on their studies and they are still at home .

Psychological conflict can lead to encounter stress where a student is working and is still studying ,they
may feel stress over interacting with a large number of customers while trying to balance their studies.

[Link] the various defense mechanisms used by individuals to cope with anxiety .
Rationalization - This is putting something into a different light or offering a different explanation for
one's perception or behaviors in the face of a changing reality .example is a student might blame a poor
exam score on the instructor rather than their own lack of preparation.

Denial - Is the refusal to accept the reality or fact ,acting as if a painful event ,thought or feeling did not
exist .example is victims of traumatic events may deny that the event ever occurred .

Repression - This is acts to keep information out of conscious awareness .However ,these memories
don't just disappear; they continue to influence our behavior .example is a person who has repressed
memories of abuse suffered as a child may later have difficulty forming relationship .

Reaction formation - Reduces anxiety by taking up the opposite feeling ,impulse or behavior .example is
treating someone you strongly dislike in an excessively friendly manner in order to hide true feelings.

Projection - involves taking your own unacceptable qualities or feelings and ascribing them to other
people .projection works by allowing the expression of the desire,but in a way that the ego cannot
recognize ,therefore reducing anxiety.

[Link] various techniques used by individuals to help them cope with stressful situations .
Understanding the situation - some individuals take some time to think about the situation they are
facing and naming the feeling they have about the situation which helps them write down their thoughts
.

Committing to a positive attitude - by doing so ,they are able to stop themselves from being dragged by
unhappy feelings therefore boosting the problem solving that a stressful situation requires .

Taking action of deciding what you want to do - This is by pinpointing the parts of the situation they
have the power to change or influence for the better .

Getting support - when the situations are a bit harder to handle alone ,people find someone they can
talk about their situations and asking advices especially from people who believe in them ,make them
laugh ,and help them feel good about themselves.

Caring for oneself- This includes eating nutritious foods and minimizing junk foods ,getting enough sleep
,taking a walk ,listening to music and playing a guitar.