Many parents have come to me and expressed their frustration that their son or daughter is a straight A student but keeps bombing on major tests like the ACT. Their concern is that their student needs a good ACT test score to get into the college of their choice, but while they are a straight A student in every other aspect of school, it just sees that tests make them freeze up.
In worse cases, nonetheless, people with anxiety disorder become withdrawn to their surroundings.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.
As expected, the written tests are not too reliable, especially when the patient starts holding back some information. Some fall short in providing honest answers as they try to convince doctors and peers that they are mentally and psychologically healthy. This often occurs when a patient worries about getting judged or mistreated because of anxiety disorder.Doctors would then perform another round of oral tests. The questions are practically the same as those written in the questionnaires, but asking them face to face allows the experts to read non-verbal expressions of the patient. The "interview" also allows the doctors to further assess the intensity of the patient's anxiety as they can do follow up questions to elaborate the response to the queries.
One overlooked aspect of relieving test anxiety is the idea of staying healthy. The brain, like any of our muscles, needs food, liquids and rest. Being well-rested (at least 7 hours for adults), fed and hydrated (6-8 glasses of water per day) is a good preparation strategy.Maintaining an exercise program has been known to keep the mind sharp. Try to avoid fried foods, processed snacks and carbonated drinks to keep the mind ready for peak performance. Also, be sure to eat on the day of the test. The stomach may be nervous, but the body and brain need nourishment.A positive attitude goes a long way for test preparation. If one has followed the guidelines mentioned, there should be fewer reasons to worry. Another key is to arrive for the test early with materials in hand. This eliminates the worry manifested in the SAT dream. If you have studied, found the test site, arranged your spot and have time to spare, then you are prepared to succeed. At this point, a positive visualization can also assist in relieving anxiety. Athletes have been well known for visualizing success (hitting a home run, jumping over the bar) before a competition. It does not have to be as advanced as meditation, but can be a simple as closing your eyes and picturing yourself doing well on the exam. You visualize knowing all the answers, writing a well developed essay and combining thoughts to present a strong thesis.
Hopkins Symptom Checklist (SCL-90) - involves providing real-time rating during the interview. The rates recorded will be compared to those jotted down from the last screening to measure how the symptoms have changed, and whether or not the patient has shown improvements. In contrast to the HAM-A, the ratings will be provided by the patients themselves. The test takes about 20 minutes to complete. There will be 90 items - 83 of which are subdivided in 9 categories including anger, phobia, sleeping patterns, appetite disturbances, psychotic symptoms, paranoia, signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder and somatisation.
Hospital anxiety Depression Scale (HAD) - rating test answered by patients at home. This is normally given to those with suspected anxiety disorders prior to their consultation with professionals. The test only lasts for about 5 to 10 minutes and is readily available online. Disorders will be enumerated in the questionnaire and the patients will rate each according to severity. A Zero-to-three scale is used. The scores will be added at the end of the test: 7 or below falls under normal, 8-10 signifies mild condition, 11-14 is moderate, and 15 is severe.
Most students experience some level of nerves or worry during their educational career. Feelings of nervousness and uncertainty combined with physical symptoms like sweaty palms and a racing heartbeat are common among students, especially those facing major exams like finals or the SATs.The symptoms of are similar to panic attacks and other anxiety disorders and can include,Sweaty palms and body chills.Nausea, diarrhea, stomachache and heartburn.Headaches, particularly tension headaches and pain behind the eyes.An elevated heart rate.Feeling dizzy and disorientated.Difficulty sitting still; feeling restless and fidgety.Nervous laughter and immature, silly behavior.Feelings associated with test anxiety are:A sense of impending doom.Difficulty concentrating and remembering simple things; going 'blank'.Strong feelings of anger, fear, or helplessness.A sense of sadness, sometimes accompanied by crying.
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.
Planning ahead can also help cut test anxiety - many schools offer study skills courses and groups to help students prepare for tests and exams, cutting down on last-minute cramming and fear that you've forgotten to study important material.Recommended Treatments.Test anxiety can be successfully treated using drug-free anxiety treatments like talk therapy and hypnotherapy. The goal of these short-term, solution-focused treatments is to help the student understand the root cause of their fears about academic tests, leading to the development of personalized coping strategies that challenge their debilitating thoughts. With effective treatment, students will learn how to manage the stress of tests and exams, turning their fears into fuel for their success.
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.
As expected, the written tests are not too reliable, especially when the patient starts holding back some information. Some fall short in providing honest answers as they try to convince doctors and peers that they are mentally and psychologically healthy. This often occurs when a patient worries about getting judged or mistreated because of anxiety disorder.Doctors would then perform another round of oral tests. The questions are practically the same as those written in the questionnaires, but asking them face to face allows the experts to read non-verbal expressions of the patient. The "interview" also allows the doctors to further assess the intensity of the patient's anxiety as they can do follow up questions to elaborate the response to the queries.
One overlooked aspect of relieving test anxiety is the idea of staying healthy. The brain, like any of our muscles, needs food, liquids and rest. Being well-rested (at least 7 hours for adults), fed and hydrated (6-8 glasses of water per day) is a good preparation strategy.Maintaining an exercise program has been known to keep the mind sharp. Try to avoid fried foods, processed snacks and carbonated drinks to keep the mind ready for peak performance. Also, be sure to eat on the day of the test. The stomach may be nervous, but the body and brain need nourishment.A positive attitude goes a long way for test preparation. If one has followed the guidelines mentioned, there should be fewer reasons to worry. Another key is to arrive for the test early with materials in hand. This eliminates the worry manifested in the SAT dream. If you have studied, found the test site, arranged your spot and have time to spare, then you are prepared to succeed. At this point, a positive visualization can also assist in relieving anxiety. Athletes have been well known for visualizing success (hitting a home run, jumping over the bar) before a competition. It does not have to be as advanced as meditation, but can be a simple as closing your eyes and picturing yourself doing well on the exam. You visualize knowing all the answers, writing a well developed essay and combining thoughts to present a strong thesis.
Hopkins Symptom Checklist (SCL-90) - involves providing real-time rating during the interview. The rates recorded will be compared to those jotted down from the last screening to measure how the symptoms have changed, and whether or not the patient has shown improvements. In contrast to the HAM-A, the ratings will be provided by the patients themselves. The test takes about 20 minutes to complete. There will be 90 items - 83 of which are subdivided in 9 categories including anger, phobia, sleeping patterns, appetite disturbances, psychotic symptoms, paranoia, signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder and somatisation.
Hospital anxiety Depression Scale (HAD) - rating test answered by patients at home. This is normally given to those with suspected anxiety disorders prior to their consultation with professionals. The test only lasts for about 5 to 10 minutes and is readily available online. Disorders will be enumerated in the questionnaire and the patients will rate each according to severity. A Zero-to-three scale is used. The scores will be added at the end of the test: 7 or below falls under normal, 8-10 signifies mild condition, 11-14 is moderate, and 15 is severe.
Most students experience some level of nerves or worry during their educational career. Feelings of nervousness and uncertainty combined with physical symptoms like sweaty palms and a racing heartbeat are common among students, especially those facing major exams like finals or the SATs.The symptoms of are similar to panic attacks and other anxiety disorders and can include,Sweaty palms and body chills.Nausea, diarrhea, stomachache and heartburn.Headaches, particularly tension headaches and pain behind the eyes.An elevated heart rate.Feeling dizzy and disorientated.Difficulty sitting still; feeling restless and fidgety.Nervous laughter and immature, silly behavior.Feelings associated with test anxiety are:A sense of impending doom.Difficulty concentrating and remembering simple things; going 'blank'.Strong feelings of anger, fear, or helplessness.A sense of sadness, sometimes accompanied by crying.
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.
Planning ahead can also help cut test anxiety - many schools offer study skills courses and groups to help students prepare for tests and exams, cutting down on last-minute cramming and fear that you've forgotten to study important material.Recommended Treatments.Test anxiety can be successfully treated using drug-free anxiety treatments like talk therapy and hypnotherapy. The goal of these short-term, solution-focused treatments is to help the student understand the root cause of their fears about academic tests, leading to the development of personalized coping strategies that challenge their debilitating thoughts. With effective treatment, students will learn how to manage the stress of tests and exams, turning their fears into fuel for their success.