With only a few days remaining until the Undergraduate Placement Exams, which will determine the fate of university-age young people, both young people and their families are surrounded by excitement, stress and exam anxiety. Although these symptoms seem like normal excitement, exam anxiety, in particular, affects the person so negatively that they forget what they know during the exam. So, what can be done in times of anxiety? Psychiatrist Dr. Shortly before the university exams, Uğur Hatıloğlu gave information to young people about the causes of exam anxiety and ways to deal with it.
- Exam Anxiety Prevents Using Information
Anxiety is a familiar feeling that every student experiences before and during the exam. Every student thinks about that tension, the excitement of what will happen and what will happen next. These types of concerns affect people positively and motivate them to produce better performance. It increases desire and motivation.What about test anxiety?Exam anxiety is intense anxiety that prevents the learned information from being used effectively during the exam and leads to a decrease in success. It prevents studying and using attention efficiently. It affects the use of information and the decision-making process during the exam. It reduces the level of knowledge and self-confidence.
- Pay Attention to These Symptoms During the Exam Process!
A person's physiological, emotional and and the level of behavioral changes guide us as to whether this anxiety is healthy or severe. Although it may vary from person to person, the most common changes are:
Physiological changes: Palpitations, sweating, rapid breathing, shortness of breath, dry mouth, nausea, headache, dizziness, Symptoms include shivering, chills or flushing, abdominal pain and frequent trips to the toilet.
Emotional changes: Tension, irritability, pessimism, fear and panic.
Behavioral changes: Inclination towards extracurricular activities, spending more time on extracurricular activities than usual, procrastination, sleep disorders, loss of appetite or increased appetite, social withdrawal, desire to be alone.
These changes can be seen in every anxious person, but when their frequency and duration increase significantly, they can seriously affect exam success. And at the end of the period of not studying, the person confirms the prophecy that he will fail as he expected. When test anxiety affects a person's life significantly, it is necessary to consult a psychiatrist.
- WAYS TO DEAL WITH EXAM ANXIETY
1- Work Planned
Making a plan suitable for oneself and one's daily life positively affects one's productivity at work. It is necessary to learn what the subjects you are responsible for in the exam are and arrange the time accordingly.
2- Regulate Your Lifestyle
Feeling tired and overwhelmed can cause anxiety. increases and negatively affects attention. An individual's physical well-being depends on his physical and mental health. Reasons such as irregular nutrition and inadequate rest negatively affect the quality of life and attention.
3- Replace Negative Thoughts with Positive Ones
If the exam to be taken was the same Even though each student's reactions vary. In this case, what actually causes destructive anxiety is; It is the person's thoughts, perspectives, beliefs and expectations regarding this event. These thoughts are negative, unreal, disturbing and uncontrollable. Thoughts and feelings about test anxiety are interrelated. They influence and strengthen each other. Whenever you notice negative and derogatory thoughts about yourself while studying, before, during and after the exam, replace the negative thoughts with realistic positive thoughts. Psychotherapy can be very useful in this regard.
4- Do Not Lose Attention Control When You Are Anxious During the Exam
When anxiety increases, move away from the exam you are taking and focus on your thoughts and body. You begin to deal with physical symptoms. As your attention focuses on your thoughts and physical symptoms, your anxiety increases. As the anxiety increases, the questions become strangers to you and you may feel like you are encountering such a question for the first time. Then the worst possible consequences begin to come to your mind and your body You begin to interpret normal anxiety symptoms as meaning that something very bad is going to happen. All this starts a vicious cycle that will reduce your performance. People who experience constructive anxiety perceive these stimulations as a sign that helps them make more effort in the exam and can direct their attention to the exam. Individuals with catastrophic anxiety level: Instead of accepting these symptoms as natural, they consider them as harbingers of a disaster that will soon happen to them beyond their control. They cannot turn their attention away from the stimulations in their bodies. Due to this situation, their attention towards the exam is divided. So much so that, in some cases, this shift in focus of attention may even prevent them from completing the exam.
5-Relax with Breathing Exercises in Times of Anxiety
The physiological problems that occur in case of anxiety The effectiveness of certain relaxation methods in reducing symptoms has been scientifically proven. For this reason, the relaxation method has an important place in coping with the disturbing physical stimulation caused by anxiety. Relaxation; You can practice it in the easiest way by taking diaphragmatic breathing, which is a healthy way of breathing. In cases where thoughts that cause excessive anxiety cause physiological symptoms, relaxation exercises can be used.
6-Determine Yourself Exam Strategy
Making it happen is possible with a good strategy. Strategies for an efficient exam vary from person to person. Because people's knowledge, remembering information, reading and writing speed vary. You can develop the best strategy to increase your success by taking trial exams and evaluating your behavior and shortcomings at the end of the exam. You can get help in creating a strategy from experienced people and guidance counselors.
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