Exam anxiety

Sometimes the nerves are so tense it might feel unbearable. You can for example get so worried that you cannot eat, sleep or think of anything else during the weeks before an examination. Others may experience a sense of blockage despite having studied many hours before the exam, the knowledge seems lost when you are at the examination. Finding a solution to the problems can be difficult in a situation like that.

The threat to fail or do worse than expected, turns to a stress reaction in your body that blocks your ability to relax and use logic. Maybe the threat to fail is even bigger if you as a child learned that you have to succeed in order to be accepted. Maybe you have failed in exams before and tens yourself even more this time.

Sometimes part of the tension will loosen up just by talking to someone. Many people use their family or friends to talk about this. The Student health care centre offers students at the university courses in relaxation where you get to practice how to conquer your bodily reactions. If you need more help about what you can do to reduce your anxiety you are welcome to the Student health care centre. We have experience on what it is like being a student and we have met many students with exam-nerves. You reach us most easily via e-mail.

Read more about exam anxiety and perfectionism at Studenthälsa.se