Test Anxiety is one of the frequently complained about and most normal manifestations of the overall prototype of anxiety, which every person, sooner or later, experiences.

What is anxiety? Anxiety is about not dealing with intrapesonal dynamics. It does not

matter if the feared situation is external, like not doing well on

tests, or whether it is internal, like not being able to control our

feelings. The intrapersonal experience of anxiety is the same.

We feel a indefinite sense of restlessness, which if allowed to form,

crescendos into something that can be quite heavy-going .

The most accessible cure for such an encounter is to stop ruminating. This means stop overthinking about what we are thinking about. The defending strategy is that whatever it is that engenders anxiety should be avoided. On the other hand, if it is the

background in which we find ourselves, the quickest solution is

to leave. These are quick fixes for anxiety, and often work when

the anxiety is low, or when we can control what we think or where

we are.

However, other kinds of anxiety are not so easy to suppress.

Test taking anxiety is about being ill-equipped for a test, or

having to do really well "or else." One cannot just leave the

state of affairs behind or just go away, physically.

To handle this particular form of anxiety, one has to first recognize

what specifically stimulates the fear. (By the way, anxiety is usually

thought of as unfocused fear; that is, we are afraid of something

but just do not know of what. Since test anxiety is specific, we

might just as well label it test fear, not test anxiety.) It could

be lots of things. Have you not studied enough so you fear just not

knowing enough answers? Are you competing with others who you

perceive to be better organizedd, or smarter? Is there a bigger

concern if you do not do well? (Think final exams vs.

mid-term quizzes.)

To deal with test anxiety, as with most experiences of anxiety, try to

break the experience down into less important categories. Think baby steps,

in popular lingo. As with most things, the smaller the steps

are the easier they are to navigate. In addition, try not to think of

the absolute outcome; rather, focus on the unique steps, letting

them add up one by one. It does not take long to realize the smaller

steps are much easier to negotiate. Without thinking of the final goal, managing

smaller steps inevitably leads to the bigger goal, which is to reduce

test anxiety, in this case from the inside out.

Here is an example from school. Suppose there are thirteen chapters to review

before a final exam. You could worry about the significance of material,

fretting that with so many chapters, surely there will be something to

forget, hence lower your grade. Or, you could focus solely on

Chapter One. The idea is to be "in the moment" with a smaller step,

in this case focusing on and attending to only one chapter.

Just pay attention to this one thing, and then ask your roommate, parent or significant other to quiz you if there are no quizzes at the back of the chapter. Master one chapter.

When this is ended, you have lowered your anxiety more than you probably realize.

Does not seem like much? Study Chapter Two and do the same thing,

while reviewing Chapter One. Now you have mastered two-thirteenths of the material,

plus gotten a sense that this project is doable, and so on.

Alas, many people do not stay in the moment, nor do they

break their experiences down into convenient units. These are the

people who are prone to pick up anxiety disorders proper, of which

there are many. If you think this is your experience, this author

has written an ebook that shows you exactly how to assess your own

experience of anxiety, and a lot more, especially if you are a

do-it-yourself type.

Dr. Griggs