Anxiety symptoms and support resources for students

Anxiety is what we feel when we are worried or afraid, especially about things that are about to happen or could happen in our lives. Anxiety can affect us all in different ways, and there are lots of symptoms that our body can experience, both physically and mentally.

Some symptoms include:

• fast and thumping heartbeat
• feeling lightheaded or dizzy
• nausea, or a sick-feeling in your stomach
• panic attacks - what is a panic attack?

If you are struggling to manage your anxiety, we would always recommend speaking to your doctor. If you haven’t already, please register with a doctor.

Feeling anxious

It’s normal to experience some levels of anxiety during stressful or busy times of our lives. We may feel anxious about certain events or activities, like upcoming exams or even attending a busy social event.

Anxiety can become a problem if it prevents you from enjoying your life and limits what you feel you can do day-to-day. It’s important to remember that anxiety can be overcome. It is only our body’s natural response to potential risks or perceived danger.

Exam anxiety

Exam anxiety is when people experience high levels of distress around exams and testing situations. It is normal to feel nervous about exams, and it can often give you that boost to study hard and perform to a high standard. However there are also times when exam anxiety can become overwhelming and take over, creating an association with fear around exams.

You can feel anxious about exams for a number of reasons such as:

• pressure and expectations of others
• grade requirements for progression or career options
• not being fully prepared for an exam
• negative experiences in previous exams
• mitigating circumstances affecting ability to study
• fear of failure

You might experience:

• general anxiety symptoms (increased heart rate, sweating, feeling ‘butterflies’)
• inability to focus on the exam or retain information studied
• skipping classes or exams due to fear
• using unhealthy coping strategies to deal with your nerves
• feeling like you want to drop out of your course

Ways to manage exam anxiety

To overcome your anxiety around exams, it’s good to identify the causes and triggers so that you can find effective ways to manage this.

• Try techniques that help you to manage your anxiety symptoms.
• Replace negative thoughts with positive self-talk – encourage and motivate yourself that you can do it, rather than tearing yourself down before you’ve even started.
• Make sure you’re prepared and find a study technique that works for you.
• Try not to focus on the final grade. Instead focus on the present and try your best.
• Speak to someone around you about how you are feeling, like a lecturer, course mate or a friend.

Techniques for managing anxiety

Grounding and breathing techniques are helpful tools to help us to ride out the symptoms of anxiety. Once we learn to accept our anxiety and not fear it, it becomes easier to manage and it won’t feel as much of a burden on our daily lives. Try out these techniques, and notice if there are any changes you feel (heartrate slowing down, calmer breathing, less brain fog etc).

Grounding techniques

These technique can help to shift our thoughts away from our anxiety, and instead focus on the present moment to remind our body that we are in control.

5-4-3-2-1

• 5 things you can see
• 4 things you can touch
• 3 things you can hear
• 2 things you can smell
• 1 thing you can taste

3-3-3

• 3 things you can see
• 3 things you can hear
• move 3 parts of your body

Breathing exercises

Focusing on our breathing can help to ease symptoms of anxiety (slowing down heartrate) and can relax our bodies so that we can think clearly again.

Belly (calm) breathing

• Place a hand on your belly and breathe in through your nose for about 4 seconds, focusing on expanding your belly.
• Hold your breath for a couple of seconds, then breathe out through your mouth for 4 seconds.
• Take a moment, then repeat this until you feel your symptoms start to ease.

Box breathing

• Breathe in slowly for a count of 4 seconds
• Hold your breath in for 4 seconds
• Release your breath slowly for a count of 4 seconds

Support resources

The Counselling Service and Mental Health Nurses can help you to find ways of managing your anxiety and work through different techniques for overcoming the symptoms.

You can also speak with your Academic Advisor if there are specific things related to your course that are increasing your anxiety. They may be able to identify support available in the school, such as extra study sessions or tutors.

Online resources

Anxiety resources:

• Breathing exercises for stress
• Relaxation tips
• Therapy in a Nutshell – walkthrough videos for anxiety and panic attacks

Exam anxiety resources:

• What Is Test Anxiety?
• How To Deal with Exam Stress
• 14 ways to beat exam stress
• Exam essentials