Life Stress Events
Stress! I have been thinking about the overall impact of stress on my life. There is a list of stressful life events that is very popular in psychology intakes called the Holmes and Rahe Social Readjustment Rating Scale. On it, you check off all of the life events you have experienced in the last year. The test is old (1967), and there are several major life stressors that are not included. Still, even when I take this test as it is, my stress score is high. Since September 11th, 2001, I have experienced the following major life stressors (some are from the original list, and some are just stressors that I consider significant in my life):
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September 11th (a stressor for many people)
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Creation and submission of a major grant proposal to the Department of Education
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Separation after a 10-year relationship
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Divorce
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Reconciliation with ex-husband
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Breakup with ex-husband
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Death of a friend
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Difficulties finding employment (Summer 2004)
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Helping my parents go through all the stuff in the house they’d been in for 25 years, the house where I grew up
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My parents moved out of my home town (not really the same as the last one)
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Selection of internship programs then completing applications to 10 programs
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War declared while I was in Europe traveling alone
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Loss of a pet (my parent’s dog Henry)
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Travel to 5 cities in 2 weeks for internship interviews
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Moving to another state (out of an apartment I’d been in for 7 years, away from my social network, etc.)
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Unfortunate involvement with a person with Borderline Personality Disorder
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Breaking up with someone who was in love with me
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Beginning a new relationship (the scale includes good stressors, too!)
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Long-distance relationship (yes, he’s here a lot, but all of the driving he does, all the scheduling, etc… It’s stressful in many ways!
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Predoctoral internship! (2 little words, but a LOT of stress!)
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Selecting a new city in which to live after internship
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Applying and interviewing for jobs in that new city
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Completion of dissertation
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Dissertation defense
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Living conditions (loud neighbors, high crime in my area)
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Planning a move to a new city with my boyfriend (another mostly good stressor!)
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End of degree details and paperwork
I can’t wait to live with Aaron. I can’t wait to work in one place all day long instead of constantly traveling all over the city to all the places I work. I can’t wait to work in a place with resources. I can’t wait to have a little time to socialize. I’m really looking forward to Boston!
