Test Taking Anxiety Treatment And Its Importance To Test Anxious Students

By Ida Dorsey


There are a lot of myths about test anxiety. Some say it is an in born condition. Others say that it is permanent and cannot be treated. Few even go as far as saying that students who have it cannot learn Math. These are all myths. But the existence of test anxiety is no myth. It is a fact.

Myths however are just that. They are myths, so you should not believe them. Knowledge of the truth which starts from observing the basic symptoms such as irregular heartbeats, headache and nausea is more important. The rise of services such as that of the test taking anxiety treatment San Francisco is a clear evidence that the condition is widespread.

Now this does not mean though that San Francisco, California is the only area with reported children experiencing this condition. It happens to other states as well. It happens even to students from around the world. Those who have not experienced it in person will not have any idea how it feels like to be constantly dreading the arrival of examination days.

Test anxiety is curable. It is not permanent just like what the myth says. The symptoms however can progress if the condition is allowed to. Without proper treatment, children and even adults will have to bear with the discomfort over and over and over again.

If parents or you decide to go on a treatment, you need to understand beforehand the cause of your condition. It is like deciding to get a gold medal on the Olympics. You need to have a full understanding on what it would take for you to achieve it. The anxiety could spring from a bad experience about exams in the past. If a kid is reprimanded in front of his classmates for getting a zero in the exam, the event will likely remain in his memory.

One other cause is the pressure due to expectations. If the family of a child keeps on pushing him to be on top of the class, then the kid might develop this fear of failure. Meaning, everytime he gets a low score will already feel like a total disappointment. This type of negativity can manifest itself through physical symptoms.

These factors creates a sort of illusion to the minds of the kids making them associate all types of exams to embarrassment and fear. This is where treatment should come in. The treatment happens in a series. It is composed of several sessions with a trained councilor. In here, they examine what causes the anxiety and devise an approach using the result.

Negative images are slowly replaced with positive ones. This is not to say though that students are expected to forget their bad experience about tests. It is just that, they are taught how to take control over it. This flow of positive thoughts will eventually improve the overall performance of student both academically and emotionally.

Once symptoms start to show among your children, it is important that you take action on it immediately. The longer you allow it to rest inside the mind of your children, the stronger it becomes. The symptoms can become worse as time goes on. Early prevention is better than a late cure.




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