Exam Anxiety

[wblastyn]

Last Christmas I took an overdose because I could not cope with the stress of my university exams. I was allowed to resit them in the summer, but anxiety took over again and I couldn't sit them. So I was allowed to repeat the semester. Now I'm back in the exam period and feeling anxious yet again.

I feel ok, then suddenly I'm flooded with anxiety, and I start crying uncontrollably. I feel like I can't cope with this any longer. Does anyone have any advice?

 

[Everlasting33]

Last Christmas I took an overdose because I could not cope with the stress of my university exams. I was allowed to resit them in the summer, but anxiety took over again and I couldn't sit them. So I was allowed to repeat the semester. Now I'm back in the exam period and feeling anxious yet again.

I feel ok, then suddenly I'm flooded with anxiety, and I start crying uncontrollably. I feel like I can't cope with this any longer. Does anyone have any advice?

I certainly understand where you are coming from! I have struggled with test anxiety since I was little and especially when I am taking a math course! Anxiety is definitely a very uncomfortable emotion and it makes you feel so helpless and powerless! You must have felt very overwhelmed and frightened...and maybe even angry at yourself that you felt so anxious!

Perhaps it may be useful to ask yourself what cognitive thoughts are driving this irrational fear of test taking?

Sure, noone really enjoys taking a test and especially in a subject that they struggle with. But, to use myself as an example, I became anxious taking tests because I did not feel smart enough to remember and understand the material. I procrastinated in studying and I never truly learned the material so I felt anxious about the test.

Therefore, I thought of myself as incompentent to learn the material and thus I sabatoged my efforts of learning by putting the material off and then I became anxious around test time because I wasn't confident with my knowledge of the subject (simply called "self-fulfilling prophesy). The underlying issue was not the test but rather the fact I thought of myself as stupid and incompentent.

Perhaps this does not apply for you but I wanted you to see why test anxiety can occur.

I would encourage you to ask yourself why are you really anxious to take these tests? What is motivating your fears and anxieties? Getting to the root of this may not solve it but it could certainly open up the doors for progress.

I have simply learned to study more and to use my skills in order to feel more knowledgable with the subject. Although I still struggle with my self-esteem, it has become easier as I challenge my cognitive distortions.

Of course, deep breathing and meditation before test taking can always be beneficial!

The best of luck to you and I truly hope you find peace!