Exam Panic Exam Anxiety Final exams bring mixed

Exam Panic

Exam Anxiety

Final exams bring mixed emotions

The Fight or Flight Response

Central Nervous System

Dealing with Fight / Flight Response 1. Recognise the signs within yourself. 2. Use interventions which reduce the physical reaction. 3. Breathing techniques. 4. Do something physical to reduce the amount of toxins in your muscles. 5. Diet – Caffeine & sugar fuel fight or flight. Consider complex carbs, eating smaller, more frequent meals, drinking plenty of water, and limiting the intake of caffeine and alcohol.

Cognitive Distortions • Irrational thoughts that are not based in evidence. • Ways that our mind convinces us of something that isn’t really true. • They are used to reinforce negative thinking or emotions — telling ourselves things that sound rational and accurate, but really only serve to keep us feeling bad about ourselves.

Cognitive Distortions - Exams • “I always do badly in exams” • “I failed the last exam, so I am bound to fail this one” • “I do not know anything” • “I cannot remember anything” • “I never get the timing right” • “Everyone else knows more than me” • “I have probably failed”

Rational Vs Distorted Rational thinking Distorted thinking Thinking based on evidence Thinking based on limited evidence Conclusions are logical Conclusions are irrational Functional beliefs which are useful Dysfunctional beliefs Result: Happy, competent, realistic people Result: Problematic behaviour, fears and anxieties

Cognitive Distortions All or Nothing Overgeneralisation Filtering Disqualifying the positive Jumping to conclusions Fortune. Telling Catastrophising Personalisation Blaming

How to deal with cognitive distortions? 1. Recognise them as distorted thinking. 2. Challenge them with reality … Is it really true that … 3. Imagine they are being said by this man in the box. Close the box.

Role Play In pairs, role play the cognitive distortions and who you could respond to those distortions.

Role Play Ideas Distorted Thinking 1. “I always do badly in exams” 2. “I failed the last exam, so I am bound to fail this one” 3. “I do not know anything” 4. “I cannot remember anything” 5. “I never get the timing right” 6. “Everyone else knows more than me” 7. “I have probably failed” Rational Thinking?

What should you do?

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