Examination stress may be triggered off before or even during exams, especially if a student does not perform well in a paper.
* Symptoms include: sudden acute depression or panic; withdrawal, inability to sleep, eat or concentrate; going blank, loss of confidence and irritability.
* “It’s a temporary state of mind, so you should not scold or condemn the child,” says Dr. T. P.Jindal, Psychiatrist & Head of the Department of Psychiatry, Indira Gandhi ESI Hospital. Parents should be careful not to show their own anxiety.
* If you feel your mind’s gone blank, don’t panic. Your memory won’t fail. “Memory becomes sharper while writing exams,” says Dr Jindal.
* You can prevent exam stress by making a study time-table and sticking to it.
* Do not get influenced by the level of preparedness of your friends.
* Keep time aside to relax.