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.
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 situations can sometimes feel so intimidating that it's impossible to recall anything that you've learned – you experience a mental block», explains Birgit Schmid, psychologist at santé24.
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.
««If you can't get past the block, you should consider seeking professional help.»»
Be prepared
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.
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. «A helpful way to calm yourself is to take deep breaths in and out, and concentrate on the parts of your body where your breath is particularly noticeable such as your nose and stomach», says the psychologist.
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.
For your health: santé24 and SWICA Benecura
Do you have a health question? Our physicians and healthcare professionals at santé24 are available 24/7 on +41 44 404 86 86 for SWICA customers. In addition to telephone health advice, patients whose conditions are appropriate for telemedicine can receive medical services such as diagnostics, treatment, and even e-prescriptions for prescription medications.
Do you feel ill? The SWICA Benecura medical app makes it easy to carry out a digital SymptomCheck. You will receive a personal recommendation about what to do next. Send your information in encrypted form to the santé24 online practice for your telephone consultation to significantly shorten the assessment.
