How to beat exam stress

Johnson Thomas, Director , Aasra




Exam stress is more rampant in India because we have a larger population under the age group of 30 ( 60%), high risk group for suicide and depression worldwide is between 15 and 40 yrs. And we have a peculiar culture and attitude that stresses on academics above all other talents. more weightage is given to academics than any other achievement. Even life skills are neglected in favor of academic achievements. So when stress happens students find themselves inadequately equipped for coping with difficult situations.




We need a better understanding of the role of stress in accelerating depressive illnesses which in turn accentuate the risk of early death by suicide. Systemic changes and concerted awareness campaigns are required to bring about a changes in behavior with regards to priorities in life. Stress-management interventions for high-risk groups at an early age can also have a positive impact on early risk trajectories, yle choices, Systemic changes, informed lifestyle choices and Stress management, combined with promoting healthy lifestyles in adolescence and young adulthood, are more likely to generate long-term economic and social advantages.



Aasra doesn't give advice. We only facilitate the process of de-stressing in times of crisis. We are a crisis intervention centre for suicide prevention and pride ourselves for not forcing our views on our clients/callers. Through the process of non-directive counselling which we term as befriending- we empower our clients to make decisions likely to alleviate their stress as best suited to their unique situation.

tips for students to beat stress..

Students have a lot of stress especially during the exam period. Exams themselves are a compelling experience that causes stress, because the stakes are high: the dreams that students make for their lives, the pressure of unfulfilled dreams of their parents, the beginning of a career, the expectations that they have for themselves, the expectations parents have for their children. The exam stress is usually associated with the fear that students will disappoint their parents by their performance, and with the expectations they have from themselves. Physical symptoms:( abdominal pains, headaches, rapid pulse, sweating, tremor, nausea, muscle tension)

Stress is created by the negative thoughts created and grow inside our mind and in the worst case, stress can completely block our mind, and lead us to abandon our effort.Stress can:Limit the ability of our actual performance and Makes us suffer, both physically and mentally. The symptoms are usually a Reduction of performance(Difficulty in concentration, mental blockade (black out), difficulty in organizing information), Psychological symptoms( negative thoughts, low self-esteem , irritability and insomnia)

Tips to manage/reduce stress
Prepare well before exams( at least start 2-3 months in advance) if possible. if you are the type to study at the last minute then concentrate on important chapters deduced from previous question paper sets. Do not waste time overexerting or else you will not do well.

Identify capability and learn as per your capability and not as per yours or others expectations
be practical and manage time as per your individual capacity to absorb information
stay away from those you percieve to be better at studies than you, especially during the exam period
accept your performance for what it is rather than what you want it to be
Remember there is always a second chance at an exam. Tthere is no reason to be ashamed if you do badly in one. it's just that your skills lie in a different (as yet unexplored) direction. There is no reason to lose hope ever!


Johnson Thomas
Director
Aasra
www.aasra.info
helpline:91-22- 27546669/27546667
mob: 9820466726