Acute, extreme, and constant concern, tension, and fright about everyday situations is called anxiety. When the same happens during or before taking an exam or test is referred to as Test or Exam Anxiety.

A lot of people experience stress or anxiety before any exam. A little tension can actually help us to present our best. Nevertheless, when this anguish becomes so enormous that it actually gets in the way of our achievement of an exam, it is known as test or exam anxiety.

Test or Exam Anxiety is a psychological state in which people experience extreme anguish and worry during examinations or tests. Meanwhile, a lot of people experience some degree of tension and worry before and during exams, this exam or test anxiety can actually decrease learning ability and impaire test performance.

Symptoms of Test Anxiety

  • Physical Symptoms- These include nausea, rapid heartbeat, dry mouth, sweating, fainting, and shaking. Sometimes it may feel like a normal thing but it can also be representative of more grave symptoms of other physical afflictions like vomiting or diarrhea.

  • Cognitive and Behavioral Symptoms- These include staying away from situations that involve giving tests or exams. This can lead to behavior that includes missing lectures or exams and an increase in substance dependence and abuse.

  • Emotional Symptoms- It can be seen as a feeling of hopelessness, anger, low self-esteem, and depression.

  • Other symptoms involve difficulty concentrating, pessimistic self-talk, and memory problems.

Tips to deal with Test Anxiety

Here are some techniques that can be used to manage or control the symptoms. They are as follows:

  • Steer clear of Perfectionism – Try staying away from the idea of always being perfect. Focus on your hard work and giving your best rather than getting perfect scores.

  • Dismiss the pessimist ideas – If you start to have negative thoughts, such as “I am not able to do this”, or “I will fail because I haven’t studied so well” try to eliminate them or substitute them with more positive ones such as. “I am capable of doing this”, and “I studied well for the exams”, can help to manage your anxiety when placed in such a situation.

  • Take proper rest and sleep – Studies have shown an increase in concentration when we have a sound sleep. Start preparing for the exams beforehand, not the night before the exam. You can take help from your friends and teachers if you are not sure how to prepare. These things will boost confidence and reduce the symptoms of test anxiety.

  • Try to take deep breaths – Sometimes even after working on the above tips, you may experience anxiety. Don’t panic and abandon the exam. Try taking a deep breath to help you calm and relax. Breathe in through your nose and breathe out through your mouth. Work slowly on each question rather than rushing. Take rest if required. Try solving the easier ones first. Try taking deep breaths which provide oxygen to the lungs and help in concentration and a feeling of calmness.

  • Seek professional help – You don’t have to go on board on the trail of mending yourselves alone. Take help from a mental health professional who can help you give suggestions and heal.

Importance of Professional Counseling: A friend or family member may listen to you, but they aren’t professionally, technically qualified or experienced to offer you professional advice. If you wish you can contact us at MindTribe to receive help from our team of expert psychologists.

About MindTribe.in.

MindTribe Founder Dr. Prerna Kohli, India’s eminent psychologist, established the company to leverage the strength of the online to make counseling affordable and accessible to everyone. MindTribe provides counseling, workshops, support groups, forums, and eLearning.

About the Author.

Mishika is a psychologist at MindTribe.in. You can learn more about her by clicking here

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of MindTribe.in, the Founders, or management team.

Acknowledgement: All images used are open source and from Unsplash.