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Numerous studies in the fields of medicine, clinical psychology and occupational psychology underline the importance for an individual, whether sick or healthy, of being supervised and feeling supported in order to improve overall quality of life and well-being at work.

To receive moral support is to be offered help and/or encouragement in order to better cope with a given situation. Support is usually provided informally by those directly involved (parents, relatives, friends, peers, etc.), but it can also be found through various associations, groups and communities, as well as medical, social or educational professionals.

Studies in the field of work psychology show that horizontal and vertical support help to overcome heavy workloads. This means that, when an individual is faced with a large amount of work, feeling encouraged by peers and supported or recognized by superiors considerably eases the subject's perception of the workload to be carried out (a workload which nevertheless remains unchanged).

	Heavy perceived workload
	Same light workload

KARASEK's model defines work-related stress as the result of the following three dimensions: 

•   high demand, high standards 

•   limited decision-making space, little room for manoeuvre

•   little social support

Let's transpose this model to the study situation. During a block, stress is often the response of a student who is confronted with a situation and demands (deadlines to be met, amount of material to be assimilated, etc.) which he feels he has to cope with at a time when he doubts he has the necessary resources and therefore foresees the possibility of failure.

As one can easily imagine, it's difficult for the student to modify the imperatives of the situation (workload and time constraints). He can, however, modify his perception of them (relativize) and manage his resources differently (organize himself well) in order to attack the task with greater serenity. Finally, the social dimension and personal relationships also come into play here.

In fact, in stressful situations, interpersonal relationships can be salutary (finding support and comfort in others, sharing moments of laughter or pleasure, releasing positive and negative emotions by expressing them to a loved one, etc.).

On the contrary, certain relationships can lead to discouragement or increased stress (contact with pessimistic people or contagious stressors, etc.).

The most important thing in such situations is to choose the right people to keep in touch with, and the type of activities to share with each of them (Pierre's great at cheering me up, Caro always makes me laugh out loud, Nathalie's always up for an hour of tennis, etc.).