| Select any section that interests you or
else read on through the page. |
| For some people examinations are a source
of inordinate stress. It can be very debilitating mentally.
Such stress can lead to medical troubles and can spoil
what would otherwise be a good time at university. Also,
it can reduce the efficiency of performance so that results
emerge lower than they should. Of course, most people
have some reaction to examinations looming so the problem
is to know if we ourselves are the ones who have a more
definite problem or whether we are normally apprehensive. |
| How
do I know I'm excessively anxious? |
| There are two good indicators which will
help you identify whether your concern about exams might
be something greater than the usual unease which most
people feel: |
| 1. |
Usually you will be aware of a history
of difficulty with nerves at various times before
and/or during exams. See below for a checklist of
possible reactions. |
| 2. |
Usually you will be aware that your worries "turn
on". "Turning on" is a phrase which means that the
worries suddenly seem to appear - when you wake
up one morning, or somebody says something, or something
reminds you about an exam. The effect is one where
you feel generally "turned on" to worry and have
unpleasant feelings without any other cause. Typical
times for worry to turn on are: |
|
| |
| > |
Long before - at the beginning of
the exam year or before you even arrive at college.
|
| > |
About three months before exams. |
| > |
The week preceding exams. |
| > |
36 hours before the exam. |
| > |
At the start of the exam |
| > |
During the exam. |
| > |
After the exam. |
|
| If worrying about exams is your thing you
will probably have strong reactions at more than one of
these times. |
Physical symptoms
Anything can happen but typically: sleep isn't right,
there's loss of appetite, skin rashes develop, neckache,
headache, increased craving for alcohol, stimulants, caffeine.
There may be actual nausea.
- Physical sensations
Again anything can happen but typically: sensations
of panic, dizziness, muscular tension, hyperventilation,
sensations of nausea.
Thinking
Preoccupation with exams even though the exams
may be ages away. Some of the thoughts are uncomfortable
ones and may contain self critical ideas, running
yourself down and comparing yourself unfavourably
with others in more than one way. You may see the
future as bleak with you as a loser - not getting
your degree or being inferior to others. There may
be some memory loss.
Images
These usually take the form of unpleasant scenes
or flashbacks from previous exams. They can be very
vivid. There may be nightmares.
Actions
You may find yourself tending to try and block
out the subject of exams - maybe you avoiding going
near to the exam halls, not looking at old exam papers,
leaving lectures or turning off when the subject is
mentioned. You may be too easily distracted with very
short spans of concentration. You may tend to find
yourself forgetting easily and getting writer's block.
One key factor is that your normal functioning at
study tasks become lessened. A drop of a quarter of
your normal efficiency is indicative of exam stress.
Effect on interaction with others
Other people can be involved in the worry. You
may find yourself withdrawing, unable to talk to people
as much as usual. You may find yourself frightened
of what people may say about exams. People may be
less reassuring than usual.
Feelings
Your mood is usually slightly down or anxious;
it can be exclusively one or the other but often comes
mixed. There may be feelings of terror. You may experience
some despair. |
| What
causes excess anxiety? |
| The
explanations about this type of worry are very varied.
One thing is certain - with this type of worry there is
invariably a move from simple worry to definite anxiety.
It has been suggested that this can be our personality
type but also may have some origins in earlier periods
of our lives. Just occasionally, the worry can emerge
for the first time when we have a variety of other stressors.
Some suggest that a sensitivity to imagined criticism
may be to blame. |
| Three
main targets are suggested: |
 |
Stop
avoiding the issues. |
|
Learn
to handle anxiety more effectively. |
|
Strengthen
exams and revision skills. |
|
It
is best to use all three approaches simultaneously. Just
sitting practise exams, for example, without finding ways
to reduce your worry and accompanying thinking and imaging
may not be enough. In the same fashion, there are definite
skills which have to be used in exams and these can be
relatively easily learned and developed. However, just
relaxing and learning new skills may ignore your need
to actually confront the avoidance.
Here are some helpful hints: |
|
Explore
the critical nature of your thinking. Dispute your
negative beliefs about yourself. You have got this
far; why should you fail now? |
|
Try
a relaxation exercise |
|
Combat
the avoidance. Look at old papers - design your
own questions - make yourself rehearse with other
people and your tutors |
|
| Many
of these tasks can be undertaken with self-help and they
may also be helpfully tackled in conjunction with a Counsellor
because sometimes it needs someone else help to get us
to face a difficulty. Also new skills develop more easily
when you have a chance to talk it out. |
| Adapted from material produced
by Royal Holloway College, the University of London |
