Exam anxiety: when your mind suddenly goes blank
The end of May marks the start of exam season for many students and schoolchildren. That's when they're asked to recall everything they've learned during the whole semester within a short space of time. So they need to have their wits about them. For those who suffer from exam anxiety, however, this presents a significant challenge that can often lead to a downwards spiral.
30.05.2023 | 2 minutes reading time
Author:
Content-Team SWICA
Content-Team SWICA
We've probably all felt nervous before an exam. After all, we want to show off what we've learned, and a good grade is a nice reward for all of our hard work. A certain amount of nerves also helps us to stay focused and perform at our best. But people who suffer from exam anxiety get so nervous that all of their other emotions are eclipsed. Their minds suddenly go blank, which only adds to their stress.
Exam anxiety can have many different causes. Your expectations of yourself or those of the people close to you may be too high, the sheer quantity of the subject matter may be overwhelming, or the time pressure during the exam itself may trigger an enormous amount of stress. The feeling of being ill-prepared also offers fertile ground for exam anxiety. The first step for sufferers is to work out what their own personal triggers might be.
Exam anxiety can have many different causes. Your expectations of yourself or those of the people close to you may be too high, the sheer quantity of the subject matter may be overwhelming, or the time pressure during the exam itself may trigger an enormous amount of stress. The feeling of being ill-prepared also offers fertile ground for exam anxiety. The first step for sufferers is to work out what their own personal triggers might be.
Be prepared
The most effective remedy for exam anxiety is the feeling that you have revised enough and understood the material. A realistic revision plan that allows enough time for breaks can be helpful. Planning is essential, particularly for people who tend to put things off. Revising with friends can help you stay motivated, and makes it easier for you to tell how well you're doing. You should take regular breaks and use them to get some exercise outdoors in order to keep your stress levels under control. It is crucial that you eat healthy meals and get enough sleep in order to achieve the best possible conditions for following your revision plan.Let off steam
If the pressure gets too much for you in the run-up to an exam, you may find it helpful to talk to your parents, friends or a professional about it. Talking about your feelings demystifies them, and makes them seem less threatening. Remembering past exam successes, and reminding yourself that life goes on no matter how you do, can also help. Relaxation sequences in the form of meditation can help you lower your stress levels.Good conditions
On the big day, you shouldn't have to think about anything apart from the exam. Getting enough to eat and drink, wearing comfortable clothing and perhaps even using earplugs can help prevent you from being distracted.Guided online self-help courses by santé24
santé24 offers SWICA customers a scientifically verified online self-help course to help them deal with anxiety or panic. Participants can work through the course content anywhere and in their own time and receive written feedback from their personal coach. Further information and more self-help courses can be found here.
In the event of further health-related questions, SWICA customers can contact the santé24 telemedicine service free of charge on +41 44 404 86 86. A telemedicine practice licence allows santé24 physicians to provide additional medical services in cases that are suited to a telemedicine approach. SWICA customers can also use the BENECURA medical app to carry out a digital SymptomCheck and receive recommendations about what to do next. During a subsequent phone call with santé24, customers can decide for themselves whether to release their information from SymptomCheck to santé24.
