Reducing anxiety
Many students will experience some form of anxiety or panic during their time at university and it is more likely to occur at specific times within the academic year. Anxiety is likely to be higher when you are beginning new classes, have assignments due, are preparing for exams or are involved with placements, practicums or field work. It is likely to lessen as you get to know other students, understand expectations and finish tasks.
This resource provides some information to help you understand anxiety, manage the fluctuations and find some strategies to off-set its effects.
Signs
There are a variety of indicators or signs for anxiety including:
- feelings of irritability and/or uneasiness
- heart palpitations
- muscle tension and pain
- headaches
- nausea
- shallow breathing
- dizziness
- muscular tremors
- repetitious thoughts
- excessive perspiration
- change in sleep or eating patterns.
Effects on study
Anxiety may make it difficult for you to concentrate on a range of tasks including reading, writing and listening. You may find activities such as placements, practicums and presentations particularly difficult. You may have repetitive and intrusive thoughts that prevent you thinking clearly or have physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, muscle tension and nausea which stop you doing what you want.
The effects of anxiety on study tend to fluctuate. Sometimes you may have difficulty maintaining motivation while at other times you will be focused and productive.
Strategies
Students who have anxiety have identified a number of strategies which have helped them to complete their studies successfully. These strategies include
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Acquiring self-knowledge
You can limit the effects of anxiety by learning more about yourself and by discovering how anxiety impacts on your life. You can do this by researching anxiety and its effects, and by keeping a diary or a daily running sheet for a period of time to see what patterns emerge..
Most students discover through self-monitoring that they have both high and low times. If this is the case they can plan to make effective use of the high times and be accepting of reduced productivity during the low times.
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Setting realistic goals
Sometimes anxiety and panic might get in the way of a study program. If that happens you may not be able to complete all your work on time and may need to negotiate extensions for assignments, enrol in a lighter course load or take longer to complete your degree. Generally, reaching a goal is more important than how fast it takes you to get there.
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Developing personal skills
There are a range of personal skills that are helpful in navigating study (and life!) and will minimise anxiety and its effects. Everyone needs time and practice to develop skills. Some skills to begin with are:
- Develop relationships with other students
- Maintain motivation despite setbacks
- View anxiety as only a small part of your life
- Increase time management and planning skills
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Focusing on the positive
Students who have anxiety often describe how difficult it is for them to feel positive about themselves. Feeling depressed is sometimes a side effect of anxiety and so it is important for you to be able to create an environment which you enjoy. You can begin to do this by:
- recognising their achievements and those of others
- making a list of affirmations, reading them and carrying them as a reminder
- asking some good friends to add their ideas to the list of affirmations
- celebrating achievements and rewarding themselves
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Obtaining university support
There are times when every student can benefit from some support. Students who take up the opportunities that exist on their campus find them very helpful. Opportunities for increasing success include:
- reading your course information booklets and then rereading them to find out the 'what', 'when', 'how' of each assessment task
- forming study groups with other students
- checking with tutors about assessment criteria well before due dates
- asking questions during lectures, workshops, tutorials or laboratory times
- making friends who share classes
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Planning, organising and managing time
Sometimes it is difficult for students with anxiety to concentrate fully on their studies, so it is very helpful if you utilises time management skills to help you meet deadlines and stay motivated.
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Managing stress
Stress is common in daily life and particularly for when major assessments are due. Anxiety is likely to increase during times of stress. You can help manage stress if you:
- Balance study, work and recreation
- Exercise regularly e.g. walking, swimming, yoga or going to the gym
- Take care with your diet e.g. avoid stimulants such as coffee
- Resolve personal conflicts and problem solve effectively
- Learn to manage personal crises
- Practice slow breathing exercises two or three times a day
The following is a slow breathing exercises you can try to do three or more times daily to help reduce anxiety or panic:
- Hold your breath and count to five
- At the count of five breathe out and say the word 'relax' to yourself in a calm manner
- Start breathing in through your nose and out slowly through your mouth in six second cycles
- Breathe in for 3 seconds and out for three seconds
- Continue breathing in six second cycles for 5 minutes, whilst thinking "in, two, three, relax, two, three".
High anxiety
Sometimes students experiencing very high levels of anxiety may be diagnosed by a medical practitioner as having an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders range from specific phobias related to particular situations to more generalised feelings of anxiety with no apparent cause. Most anxiety disorders occur in early adulthood and are often, but not always, triggered by significant life events.
Anxiety disorders can sometimes make it difficult for students to complete all assessment tasks within set time lines. If you have a diagnosed anxiety disorder and it is affecting your study, contact the Disability Service in the Learning and Teaching Unit for information about services that can assist you to achieve your learning goals.
Useful websites and online resources
If you require further assistance, please make an appointment with a counsellor in the Learning and Teaching Unit on your campus.
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