Can you peer-reviewed this one and include 1 reference within 5 years of publication.

Discussion Post 1: Stress

My personal definition of stress may be different from others, but I would define stress as chronic, a feeling that last for days and leaves you in a physical and mental state in which you do not find enjoyable or even livable for that matter. I have read that stress is often viewed so negatively because of all the things it can do to our bodies, stress has been known to affect our cardiovascular and respiratory system, increasing heart rate and contractions. Stress even affects our endocrine system, causing a production of steroid hormones, it can even affect our gastrointestinal tract and digestion. (Chu et al., 2021)

I’m sure most of us have experienced stressful moments in life, and not just one I’m sure. For myself, one of the most stressful moments I have experienced was my son having emergency surgery. He had to be rushed into the emergency room due to symptoms and in turn rushed by ambulance to the nearest children’s hospital for surgery. There was a possibility that he could lose an organ if the damage was too severe, so at that moment I was under great stress while waiting for him to come out of surgery, and even the weeks after during his recovery. In those moments I found it difficult to focus on anything else, and I could not remember much that was brought up to me. I took his recovery to come out of all the stress that caused.

I could have used some techniques to manage stress at a moment like such. After doing some reading, I have seen that stress lies in many occupations, and being a student was one that was often mentioned. There are stress management techniques that I would agree are certain to help some if given the chance I think finding support groups is a great stress management tool that most don’t give the chance to because it’s tough to tell you problems or worries to other people. Health education programs and mentorship programs are also great tool to aid in stress management. (Graves et al., 2021)

References:

Chu, B., Marwaha, K., Sanvictores, T., & Ayers, D. (2021). Physiology, stress reaction. In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing.

Graves, B. S., Hall, M. E., Dias-Karch, C., Haischer, M. H., & Apter, C. (2021). Gender differences in perceived stress and coping among college students. PloS one, 16(8), e0255634.

ANSWER

Peer Review

The discussion post provides a clear and personal definition of stress, offering insights into its physical and mental effects on individuals. The inclusion of references adds credibility to the post. However, there are a few points to consider for improvement:

1. Clarity and Structure: The post could benefit from a clearer structure. Breaking it down into paragraphs for each point or idea would enhance readability. For instance, the definition of stress, personal experience, and stress management techniques could each be in separate paragraphs.

2. Personal Experience:The personal experience shared about the author’s son having emergency surgery is emotionally charged and helps to illustrate the impact of stress. However, it would be even more valuable to discuss how the author coped with this stress, what techniques or strategies were employed, and what lessons were learned from that experience.

3. Citations: While the post includes citations, it would be helpful to integrate them more seamlessly into the discussion. For example, when mentioning the effects of stress on the body, the post could briefly summarize or paraphrase the relevant information from the source and then cite it.

4. Discussion on Stress Management Techniques: The post mentions support groups, health education programs, and mentorship programs as stress management techniques. It would be beneficial to elaborate on each of these techniques, explaining how they can be effective and providing any personal insights or experiences related to them.

5. Engagement: Encouraging engagement with the reader can enhance the quality of the discussion post. The author could ask a question or seek input from others, fostering a dialogue on the topic of stress and stress management.

Overall, with some structural improvements and deeper insights into personal coping strategies, the discussion post could provide an even more informative and engaging perspective on the topic of stress.