Overcoming Anxiety and Test Anxiety

It's normal to feel a little tension before an exam. Many of us experience it, and sometimes can even help to perform better.

The problem is that too much nervousness can prevent you from thinking clearly and can adversely affect your performance on the exam.

Test anxiety is actually a part of a wider phenomenon called performance anxiety.

You might feel it when you participate in any event where your performance really matters and you are evaluated by others.

To overcome the tension, you must first understand your anxiety, in terms of its type, causes, symptoms, and effects.

Then you can choose the best coping mechanisms for your particular situation.

Students who have experienced, or have a fear of, blanking out on tests or the inability to perform in testing situations can develop anticipatory anxiety. Worrying about how anxiety will effect you can be as debilitating as the anxiety itself.

This kind of anxiety can build as the testing situation approaches, and can interfere with the student's ability to prepare adequately.

Lack of preparation is another factor that can contribute to test anxiety.

Poor study habits, and lack of organization can lead to a student feeling overwhelmed.

Being able to anticipate what the exam will cover, and knowing all the information has been covered during the study sessions, can help students to enter the testing situation with a more positive attitude. Test anxiety can also develop genetically.

The pressure to perform well on exams is a great motivator unless it is so extreme that it becomes irrational.

When a student's self-esteem is too closely tied to the outcome of any one academic task, the results can be devastating.

Most students experience some level of anxiety during an exam.

However, when anxiety affects exam performance it has become a problem.

In case that it is not the case of a disorder, developing good study habits and strategies may reduce the fear. Taking a step by step approach to build a strategy and not get overwhelmed, organizing the material to be studied helps a lot.

Reviewing your past performance on tests, improving and learning from your experience, using whatever strategies you can, may personalize your success. Treating the exam as an opportunity to show how much you've studied will be a reward for the studying you've done and may help you to pass further.

Avoid speaking with any fellow students who have not prepared, who express negativity, who will distract your preparation.

Get a good sleep the night before the exam. Don't go to the exam with an empty stomach. Fresh fruits and vegetables are often recommended to reduce stress.

Take a small snack, or some other nourishment to help take your mind off of your anxiety. Avoid high sugar content which may aggravate your condition.

I also recommend you to to look for Dr. Joe Barry McDonagh and to try his Natural Treatment for Anxiety and Panic Attack.

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