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Thursday 24 October 2013

Recognizing And Relieving Test Anxiety

By Kenneth L. Johnson


Anxiety disorder springs as a result of immense stress, fatigue, depression or trauma. Most patients experience the attacks when they have a close encounter with the subject of their fears. Some experience the symptoms randomly without warning.Suffice to say, the intensity of anxiety attacks varies from one patient to another. Some may suffer nausea, palpitations, excessive sweating, breathing difficulties and stomach upset when their anxiety disorder starts kicking in. In this case, the condition poses no threat to the health of the patients. The attacks may be frightful but they are far from being harmful.

In worse cases, nonetheless, people with anxiety disorder become withdrawn to their surroundings. When left untreated, anxiety disorder may get in the way of living a normal life. Some may even feel that they are on the verge of a nervous breakdown.But the condition won't go this far if the symptoms are easily detected and promptly treated.It is of course daunting for most people to draw the line between normal fear and anxiety disorder, especially when there is lack of information on what the condition really is. This is why an anxiety test is performed by doctors among individuals who are suspected to have anxiety disorders.Doctors would often furnish their patients a questionnaire. The queries solicit how the patients would react to certain situations. For example, some of the questions may be about feelings of guilt in doing certain activities. Other items may ask whether or not the patient feels scared of things that are reminiscent of the past.

The first step is easiest to figure out. Preparation begins by studying the material at hand. Practicing time management techniques, such as making a schedule and creating a to-do list help a student to plan studying time in advance. Adherence to one's schedule allows more test preparation opportunities. Creating the time is not enough. Organizing one's study materials and studying properly will also help. Consider using questions at the end of each chapter section for practice.Having one's materials in a separate, well lit area with few distractions will also help with test preparation. If you don't have such a space, consider making one. Then gather all of your books and materials and keep them in this area. This will save time spent looking for lost materials.

In some clinics, the doctors may also present several items to the patient. The facial expression, heart beat and other bodily movements are measured as each item is flashed. People who developed traumas from vehicular accidents, for instance, may be shown photos of busy roads, car keys, or other items recovered from the place of the accident. The dilation of the pupil, heart rate, and blood pressure are often measured to evaluate whether the reactions are still within the bounds of normal responses. Levels of anxieties can be measured through an anxiety test. Experts adopt several scales that are utilized depending on the severity of a patient's anxiety disorder:Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) - provides rating scale that can rate the intensity of the anxiety symptoms and determine how well a patient can respond to treatments. This anxiety test is performed by a trained professional who can measure the severity of the symptoms from zero to four - 4 being the most intense. The symptoms that are assessed include somatic muscle complaints, somatic sensory complaints, anxious mood, depression, palpitations or fast heart beat, insomnia, intellectual impairment and tension.

During a test, your brain can use as much as 50% of the oxygen you breathe, so it is no small wonder that a nervous, shallow breather will have a lot of difficulty on tests.Psychological causes behind test anxiety are the most commonly known and yet the most ineffectively dealt with. Repeating positive affirmations and "just don't worry" advice are very ineffective and even insulting. Instead, a very structured regimen of confidence building steps needs to be undertaken to take the fear away.Overcoming Test Anxiety is a major component of the College Exam Tutor ACT test prep course. It is video-based and available online and something worth checking out.

While test anxiety can occur at any age or grade level, it is especially prevalent among high school students. Experts believe that young adults are at the highest risk of due to a combination of factors; the pressures of achieving high marks to achieve acceptance into college, stresses related to family and peer relationships, and the physical, hormonal changes young adults experience throughout their teen years.

Lots of bright students of all ages report significant anxiety related to exams. To some extent, it is understandable since the world is quite competitive today and test scores can impact the kind of college you attend, the kind of career you have and the amount of money you earn.Test anxiety impacts children and adults. I have treated doctors, lawyers and graduate students who have had a huge amount of tension and anxiety related to licensure exams, certification exams and entrance exams. Adult students tend to recognize the symptoms of anxiety.

One physician who I treated recently, knew the exam material very well. As he noted, "My problem with this test is my nerves." Fortunately, he realized he needed help in learning how to calm down prior to the exam and during the actual test in order to pass his board exams. After a few counseling sessions, this doctor was able to successfully pass his certification exam. In addition, he reported little or no anxiety while taking the test.Younger students and their parents often mistakenly believe that prep classes and coaching will rid them of their anxiety. Prep courses are useful, but they do not provide the right kind of help for the the student who has a great deal of anxiety.

Eating a healthy, balanced diet and getting plenty of rest is one of the best ways to prepare yourself for the rigors of school. Tests and exams can be physically and emotionally grueling; fuel up with lean proteins, fruits and veggies. Blow of some stress by going for a run or playing a game of soccer. Talk to your friends, family members and teachers about how you're feeling about your tests and exams - chances are good, they've been where you are now.Try to avoid consuming excessive sugars and stimulants like caffeine and energy drinks - while these products can sometimes help you power through an all-night study session, they can also leave you feeling jittery and lead to a sudden crash in your energy levels, making the symptoms of test anxiety worse.

Second, it is useful to get a thorough history and understanding as to the history and the etiology of the problem. Sometimes, test anxiety surfaces after a person does poorly on an important test. The person then begins to fear the next test.People who suffer from test anxiety benefit from training in test taking skills. I encourage them to do as many practice exams as they can and to develop a system for attacking the exam. Most people like having a uniform game plan for approaching specific parts of a standardized test. This helps them to feel comfortable in the exam room.We also spend time on the student's pre-exam preparation. We talk about what they need to do the month before the test, the week before the test and the day of the test in order to feel ready and psychologically comfortable.I also teach people with test anxiety skills for feeling relaxed, focused and confident. These techniques include ego building techniques, exercise, relaxation training, meditation and self-hypnosis. The majority of these patients can be helped without any medication.




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