Anxiety

It starts as early as primary school. It turns play into competitive sport, the joy of learning into a struggle to excel and friends into social connections.

Anxiety, the uncomfortable feeling of dread that occurs in response to extreme periods of stress. It is commonly ranked as mild, moderate, severe, or panic. A mild amount of anxiety is normal and is necessary to change and develop new ways of coping with stress. Stress itself is not a bad thing as you are not truly alive without stress. Being challenged makes you learn new things and keeps your brain functioning. In all the major theories of learning, there is stress. However, it can sometimes distort your view of reality and when stress starts interfering with development, there is a problem. Anxiety is a type of fear. Its symptoms are rooted in your biological 'fight or flight- response which results in a cascade of biological symptoms such as increased heart rate and breathing.

There are many ways you can reduce anxiety. Lack of organization often leads to anxiety. As an example, in a few months we will take important exams that cover material from the entire year. At first, you barely know where to begin and it is overwhelming to think about so much material this overwhelmed feeling will probably intensify, as the exam dates grow closer

The good news is that you can map out a study plan that will dramatically reduce your stress. One of the best ways to reduce stress is to control how much time you spend studying Use a calendar to decide when you will study each day. If getting started is a problem, set a timer for 30 minutes and study until the timer goes off. This can also help control how much time you give to each subject as we sometimes find ourselves giving too much time to certain subjects at the expense of other subjects. Pinpoint your weak areas and focus most of your time on what you do not understand as well.

Once you have decided what you need to do, create a quiet, calm environment where you can work without interruptions. Avoid situations where you will be easily distracted such as, around your Siblings or in front of the TV. These changes will help you feel more relaxed and in control of what is going on

Make time for exercise. This is not the time to meet with a personal trainer for that boot-camp-style workout, but about 30 minutes of aerobic activity a day can ease your stress level and help you function better. If you have not been exercising regularly, just go for a walk or do something that gets you moving. Do not do anything overly tiring and this should be understood, as you do not want to wear yourself out.