Exam stress can lead to many different mental illnesses, like
depression and anxiety
, panic attacks, low self-esteem, self-harming and suicidal thoughts and worsening of pre-existing mental health conditions.
What are the effects of exam stress?
This causes you to worry more,
experience anxiety and depression, lose sleep, become forgetful, irritable, overwhelmed, exhausted and feel out of control
. This can really impact on your ability to prepare for your assignments and exams, as well as negatively affect your levels of performance and sense of well-being.
Why is exam stress harmful?
Research shows
high levels of exam stress can interfere with attention and reduce working memory
, leading to lower performance. Early experiences of anxiety and stress can also set a precedent for mental-health problems in adulthood.
How does stress affect the students?
The Mayo Clinic reports stress
increases feelings of irritability and anger
, which increases the likelihood for angry outbursts and social withdrawal. Besides directing anger at other students, students who are stressed may be resistant to following school guidelines and respectfully engaging with instructors.
What makes students feel more stressed about taking exams?
Kids who worry a lot also might feel anxious at test time.
Perfectionists and worriers find it hard to accept mistakes they make or to get less than a perfect score
. This creates more pressure for them. As we mentioned before, not being prepared for a test (duh!) can cause test anxiety.
Do exams cause stress?
Sometimes the pressure of exams may cause you stress
. Stress is your response to pressure and, while a small amount of pressure can be useful to keep you focused during exam time, if it becomes too much study can seem impossible.
Can exam stress make you sick?
Milder cases of test anxiety can cause a sense of “
butterflies
” in the stomach, while more severe cases can actually cause students to become physically ill. People may even vomit or experience diarrhea before a test. Emotional symptoms of test anxiety can include: Depression.
What are the 3 causes of stress?
- Financial Problems.
- Work.
- Personal Relationships.
- Parenting.
- Daily Life and Busyness.
- Personality and Resources.
What is student stress life?
Students also feel stress when they
get too little sleep
, a poor diet and even from having too much downtime. Being expected to speak up in class, being disorganized and having a fear of change can lead to anxiety among students. All these stressors can be treated and overcome.
How does depression affect the academic performance of students?
Their learning is often hampered because depression and anxiety can impair working memory, making it difficult to remember new knowledge and recall past experiences. Anxiety and depression harm academic performance and
promote underachievement
. Students with high stress score lower on IQ and achievement tests.
Why do I struggle with exams?
Poor study habits
, poor past test performance, and an underlying anxiety problem can all contribute to test anxiety. Fear of failure: If you connect your sense of self-worth to your test scores, the pressure you put on yourself can cause severe test anxiety.
How do tests affect students?
Standardized test scores are often tied to important outcomes, such as graduation and school funding. Such high-stakes testing can place
undue stress
on students and affect their performance. Standardized tests fail to account for students who learn and demonstrate academic proficiency in different ways.
What percentage of students have test anxiety?
This type of anxiety is more common than most may realize. According to the American Test Anxieties Association,
about 16 to 20 percent of students have high test anxiety
, with another 18 percent troubled by moderately high test anxiety.
How can I stop stressing about exams?
- Remember to breathe. …
- Eat, sleep and exercise well. …
- Set realistic goals. …
- Don’t go it alone. …
- Pace yourself through panic. …
- Believe in yourself. …
- If you feel like you are struggling, talk to someone. …
- Useful links.
How can I get rid of my fear of exams?
- Relax and Make a Plan. …
- Have Proper Rest and Eat Well. …
- Do Not Compare Yourself with Others. …
- Take Small and Regular Examination Breaks. …
- Make Time for Revision to Keep Exam Phobia at Bay. …
- Sleep Properly. …
- Stay Positive.
Are exams bad?
Examination is
a threatening term
. It causes mental stress to the students. Fear of exams makes many students in rural areas lose their interest in going to school or discontinue their studies resulting in increase in dropouts. Exams kill the spirit of learning.
