Exam Stress? LET’S MAKE IT FAIL

Meena would get anxious before her exams. She would get headaches and at times even start vomiting. She had palpitations and was unable to focus. She managed to write her exams with great difficulty. The problem intensified prior to her Board exams. She would get fearful thoughts like: “What if I do badly? 

What if I do not get even 80 per cent?” Her parents reassured her that it was perfectly fine, but she felt very apprehensive. 

Anxiety is a normal physiological reaction in response to a situation or an upcoming event. Some degree of anxiety is normal or expected before exams, a public-speaking event or an interview etc. However, it needs attention when it becomes excessive or maladaptive and interferes with the ability to appear for an exam or an interview. We live in times when there is a lot of competition between children and often pressure from parents and teachers who focus on academics excessively. This is to the detriment of the overall personality growth of the child. So judgements from others such as parents and /or teachers can cause stress as does linking one’s self esteem with good marks. For instance, a child thinking — “I’m a failure if I don’t do well” is linking his/her self esteem to marks.

Fear brain & endless worry cycle

Basically, when we are overtaken by anxiety our fear brain takes over. It begins to anticipate the worst or ‘catastrophise’ — that is to think about the worst that could happen. Feelings that recur are:”I’ll do badly, I will not get into a good college. I will let my family down. All my friends will look at me and wonder what happened to me...” So on and so forth. It leads to an endless cycle of worry and self doubt. It is these catastrophic negative cognitions or thoughts about oneself that make the anxiety spiral out of control. Here’s a list of ‘Unhelpful’ and ‘Helpful’ thoughts. 

— The writer is a psychiatrist based in Chandigarh

Red thoughts unhelpful

• I’m terrible at maths
• I’m sure I’ll do badly
• If I do badly, everyone will be so disappointed
• I don’t think I’ll do well at all. What am I going to do?
• It’s too difficult. I can’t do this

Green thoughts helpful

• I may be weaker in mathematics than in other subjects, but it’s okay
• Try your best and leave the rest to fate
• If I don’t do as well as I hope to, it’s okay. There’s always a next time and I still have the same abilities
• Let me try my best. In case I don’t do well, next time I can try again. It doesn’t define me as a person. I am still the same person I was
• It’s tough, so just do your best. Prepare and give it a good shot. That is what matters
• I may not do as well as my peers in academics, but I have my strengths 

Signs of anxiety

Physical  

• Butterflies in the stomach
• Cold clammy hands
• Fast heart rate
• Short, rapid breathing
• Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
• Nausea, upset stomach

Emotional  

• Feeling irritiable or angry
• Crying often, mood swings

Cycle of avoidance

• Physical reactions
• Negative thoughts
• Behaviours
• Decreased learning & coping
• More anxiety
• Physical reactions 
• The cycle of anxiety usually begins with physical reactions to fear, anxiety or worry such as inability to concentrate, rapid breathing, feeling of impending doom before test and/or dizziness.