Students Anxiety at University, College and School

Anxiety is a common problem amongst students in Colleges and Universities throughout  the country.
They deal with a lot of stressors due to changes:

• Different lifestyle
• New friends
• Leaving home for the first time
• New room mates
• Different ways of thinking
• Burning the candle at both ends
• Lot of pressure on studying
• Exams

Its very different from living at home, getting along with room-mates, dealing with new social pressures, being exposed to alcohol or drugs, managing finances, meeting academic demands – all while being away from their parents and without their support. This can leave students feeling overwhelmed , confused and stressed out. And this is normal and healthy, but there are some who will experience relentless anxiety and find it difficult to cope –  these students may isolate  themselves from their peers, have difficulty in their classes, or drop out of College completely, this is why it is important for students and their parents to understand the symptoms and the available treatment options. Leaving it untreated during this time in their lives can have consequences on their future. They need to be able to go through their College days  happy and performing at their best.

Many students do not seek help because of embarrassment, not knowing their symptoms are treatable, or who or where to turn to for help. Some think they are going mad, but of course they are not, anxiety like this is very common, and definitely treatable.    Self medication with alcohol or drugs, and financial concerns regarding treatment can all be blocks to seeking help.

You can understand the nature of anxiety better by looking both at what it is and what it is not. For example anxiety can be distinguished from fear in several ways. When you are afraid your fear is usually directed toward some external object or situation. The event you fear is usually within the bounds of possibility, You might fear not meeting a deadline, failing an exam, being unable to pay your bills, or being rejected by some one you want to please.

When you experience anxiety on the other hand, the focus of anxiety is more internal than external. It seems to be a response to a vague, distant, or even unrecognised danger. You might be anxious about losing control of yourself, at a lecture  or some other situation. Or you might feel a vague anxiety about something nasty happening when you are eating out with your fellow students.
Anxiety affects your whole being.

On a physiological level anxiety may include bodily reactions such as rapid heartbeat, muscle tension, queasiness, dry mouth or sweating, inability to sleep.
On a behavioural level, it can sabotage your ability to act, express yourself, or deal with every day situations, for example if you are at university or college you might even stop going.

Anxiety can appear in different forms and at different levels of intensity. It can range  from a twinge of uneasiness to a full-blown panic attack marked by heart palpitations, disorientation and terror.

• Shortness of breath
• Heart palpitations
• Trembling or shaking
• Sweating
• Choking and/or feeling sick
• Nausea or abdominal distress
• Numbness
• Dizziness or unsteadiness
• Feeling of detachment or being out of touch with yourself
• Feeling very hot or cold.
• Fear of dying
• Fear of going crazy or out of control

None of the above symptoms are dangerous, but, they are unpleasant and need to be dealt with.

If you feel anxious only in response to a specific situation it is called situational anxiety . Situational anxiety is different from everyday fear, in that it tends to be out of proportion . If you have a disproportionate apprehension about standing up in class, giving presentations, or eating out with other people, , this may qualify as situational anxiety. It becomes phobic when you actually start to avoid the situation altogether. In other words, phobic anxiety is situational anxiety that includes persistent avoidance of the situation.

Often anxiety can be brought on merely by thinking about a particular situation. When you feel distressed about what might happen when or if you have to face one of your situations, you are experiencing what is called anticipatory anxiety. In its milder forms anticipatory anxiety is indistinguishable from ordinary worrying. But sometimes anticipatory anxiety becomes intense enough to be called anticipatory panic.
You can overcome anxiety if you get help.

Some treatments that will help to stop student anxiety

Go and talk to your doctor – he has helped anxious students many times before.  He may give you medication that can help to relieve and even stop your anxiety

Relaxation

You can improve your symptoms by using relaxation techniques, or joining a Yoga class.

Exercise

Run or swim, or play some sport that you like.

Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy, can be very successful in helping and stopping those anxious feelings. You learn to understand what is happening, stop negative thoughts and use special breathing techniques so the symptoms become fainter, further away and eventually stop.  It relaxes you, and also aims to change the way you think, the way you behave and the way you feel. It is also very enjoyable.

• Learning breathing techniques
• Muscle relaxation
• Learning new ways to change old thinking patterns.
• Slowing down
• Stopping automatic negative thoughts
• Positive self statements
• Changing behaviour
• Building a strong foundation of cognitive and emotional skills.
• Relaxation and de-stress strategy

The more your brain is relaxed, the easier therapeutic information  will work, as peace and calmness become stronger, It tends to crowd out the anxiety. That is why hypnotherapy is so beneficial, it builds on the opposite to anxiety.  it builds on relaxation and confidence, changes your pattern of thinking so you can take positive action.  If you  do suffer from anxiety and panic attacks, a  few sessions  of hypnotherapy can do wonders.

Presentation Anxiety

Giving Presentations is a part of the student experience, but many dread it, even the thought of it. It is a response to fear, and shows itself in a number of ways, for example blushing, shaking, stuttering, sweating and not being able to speak properly, not making sense, or losing the thread – quite often these feelings become so intense that the student tries to avoid giving presentations.

It is usually  because of an overwhelming fear of others watching and judging, and anxiety that they are thought to be stupid –  then the negative feelings start – I am a failure – and then you avoid giving presentations, avoidance makes things worse – you may even avoid going to College because of the feeling.

So what is happening

You become phobic of giving presentations
You start talking to yourself negatively.
You avoid the situation.

So what can you do about it?

You can take control and think positively.
You can learn special breathing techniques.
You can find a new way to look at the problem.

A few sessions of hypnotherapy can do wonders

You can get rid of your anxiety
Enjoy your time at College and perform at your best.