Exam Stress: It is like a mind attack.

This blog aims to help you understand and recognise exam stress and offers strategies to help you minimise any harmful effects. The leaflet also provides contact details for further sources of help and advice.

Much of the stress that people feel doesn’t come from having too much to do. It comes from not finishing what they’ve started....

Adolescence is often described as a period of “storm and stress”, marked by increased susceptibility to mental disorders. Early identification and successful management of mental health problems in the adolescent years can improve long-term health outcomes and social adjustment.Such efforts require an in-depth understanding of environmental risks, signs and idioms of psychological distress, and coping strategies for vulnerable youth across different contexts.

The psychological outcomes of an individual’s interactions with his or her environment can be understood through Lazarus and Folkman’s “stress-coping” theory. In particular, an imbalance between internal/external demands and the perceived resources to deal with these challenges leads to negative emotional responses. Specific outcomes are mediated by appraisals of events in terms of perceived threat, control and access to coping resources. A persistent imbalance in this transactional stress-coping system contributes to the development and maintenance of a range of mental disorders, including both internalizing and externalizing difficulties.

What is stress?

Stress is one of the body's natural responses to something that is threatening or frightening. It is something that we all experience from time to time. Many aspects of university life have the potential to cause stress, including adjusting to a new living environment, fulfilling academic requirements, developing friendships and preparing for and sitting exams.

Stress is not necessarily harmful: mild forms of stress can motivate and energise you. Slightly increased stress levels may make you more alert and motivated to do your work. However, if your stress level is too high then it can cause difficulties, including impairing your ability to prepare for and perform during exams.

What causes stress?

To understand what produces the responses associated with anxiety and stress, think about how your body responded at times when you felt threatened or frightened. It is likely that you will have experienced the following physical responses:

• increased muscle tension to prepare your muscles for use;
• increased heart rate to boost blood flow and energy levels;
• increased breathing rate to supply oxygen required for energy;
• extra alert senses to produce a  reaction from the slightest touch or sound.

All these reactions happen automatically when we are under stress; they are driven by the production of hormones, including adrenaline. This is called the flight or fight response because it equips you to fight or escape from situations which are dangerous or threatening; your body is alert and ready for action. Once the danger has gone, your body will gradually return to normal.

People also respond similarly to situations that feel threatening but which cannot be resolved by fighting or running away. Imagine that it is a few weeks until the start of your exams, your revision is not going well and you are starting to feel "stressed out". In this instance there may be some time between when you start to feel stressed and the end of the "danger" (which may be the completion of the exams). During this time your body may remain mentally overactive and physically tense. It is when you are in this uncomfortable state that you are stressed or in a state of anxiety; the  flight or fight response is switched on and remains on, causing additional difficulties for some individuals. It is only when you perceive that the danger has passed that your body returns to normal. This may be as soon as you have sat the exam, but it could be when the results come out, or even later.

What are the signs that I am stressed?

There is a whole range of different signs which may indicate that someone is feeling stressed. The signs could include: strong feelings such as feeling scared or irritable; changes in your thinking such as being unable to concentrate and remember things; behavioural changes such as changes in your appetite, increased use of drugs or alcohol and sleeping difficulties; physical changes such as headaches or other pains from muscles that have become tense. People vary greatly in the way that they react to stress, and you should therefore try to become aware of how your body and behaviour change and take action to minimise any negative effects.

strategies for dealing with stress

1. Get organized. Take good notes, keep important due dates on your calendar, set phone or electronic reminders of important events, and know where your materials are. Take time to organize your time. Break big tasks into mini-pieces. Preparing a little everyday will help you keep from pulling an over-night cram session. Organization is an easy way to simplify your life; not to mention it's a great starting place.

2. Make a game plan. Plan out a time each day to study, even if you don't have an assignment due. By being one step ahead, you'll be better prepared and feel more in control.

3. Put a little "me" time into your day. Take a break and play, you deserve it...Be sure to take mini-breaks. Don't force yourself to sit for long periods of time. Go for a power walk or a run, hit the gym, or clean your room. Once you've studied an hour, get up and move. Whatever activity you choose to do...have fun!

4. Take care of your body, it's the only one you'll ever have... It's not uncommon to get the munchies when stressed out. Keep your pantry stocked with quick, healthy choices. Remember food is the fuel your body uses to keep you going. If you put bad fuel in a car, it won't run right. The same analogy is true for your body—the purer the fuel, the better you'll do. Also, your body needs rest. It is not a 24-hour convenience store; it needs to be closed to restock itself...You need to sleep and replenish your body. You'll perform much better if you do. So, healthy eating and getting 7-9 hours of sleep is really important during this stressful time of your life.

5. Be creative! 

Some people are naturally good at studying for a big test or exam — others, not so much. The ability to study, and retain information in the process, is definitely something that you can train yourself to get better at, and if you're capable of thinking outside the box, it's good to know that there are plenty of creative ways to study that will help you excel academically.

1. Turn those facts into songs.

2. Read your textbook as you would a play.

3.Turn your material into celebrity gossip(Humanize your facts a bit, and figure out a way to make them stick. Even a cue like, "The thalamus got over the hypothalamus since he's a bigger person" will help with both size and location. If you have trouble memorizing science — just turn it into something you have no trouble remembering.)

4.Make a game out of studying.

5.Treat yourself to creative breaks.

On the day of the exams and during the exam:

• Have a good but moderate breakfast and lunch, remembering not to drink too much caffeine.
• Try to do something relaxing for the last hour before the exam. Last minute cramming could cloud your ability to remember the overall concepts.
• Try to avoid fellow students who may increase your anxiety levels by asking what you have or have not revised etc.
• Use the breathing exercise to calm your mind.

For more query contact on dhyancounseling@gmail.com