Severe test anxiety is a terrible thing to experience. Your body becomes tense all around and spirals into a heap of anxiety. I've been there! The thought of a deadline simply makes matters more severe.
Here is what a Test Anxiety Cycle looks like
- You sit down to study.
- You Become dissatisfied with your progress up to that point.
- Your mind starts to bounce, searching for easier material to absorb.
- You focus on deadlines and negative consequences.
- You tense up and your body becomes stressed.
- Your mind locks and a panic sets in.
And the cycle repeats, getting more severe each time...
Most anxiety cycles have a downward spiraling effect. Feeling fatigued in the mind from other classes and losing sleep with poor nutrition only makes matters worse. Below are 4 steps to help you pull out of severe test anxiety.
#1) Stop and Justify Your Cause To Panic!
The worst thing you can do in a panic is get mad at yourself and panic more as a result of panicking. This is like smothering the exit to a volcano. Eventually it just gets explodes. So for a moment, justify your anxiety. Tell yourself it's OK to feel anxious and then go over the reasons why you feel severe anxiety.
Say something like.. " Of course I'm upset.. I really have wanted to do well on this test, I've have done my best in life and now I only have a little time left to study!"
#2) Now narrow it down further and identify what you're truly afraid of.
Feeling severe anxiety for a test means there are some more specific consequences that scare you. Briefly identify what it is you are truly afraid of so you can face it to erase it! You might be afraid of what people think of you if you fail or you might be afraid that you'll never be successful if you don't pass the test etc.
#3) Now breath deep while talking yourself out of it.
Become your own coach as a voice inside your head. Realize you will get through this rough time because you always do. Say to yourself "My mind is becoming focused again.. I'm so glad I ended up finding a solution to studying that actually worked!"
#4) Go for a brief walk outside while doing nothing but visualizing success!
Visualize success about studying well for that test as you go for a brief walk outside for about 10 minutes. Drink a tall glass of water to lubricate your system and see yourself smiling next to those books!
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