Test Taking Anxiety

[blueberry]

Whenever I take a CLEP, even when I am very well prepared and know the material inside out, I get severe anxiety before and during the exam. The worst is right before I click to see my scores, and the night before. I can never sleep a wink! One time I spent the entire night before an exam wide awake and really really really nauseous. I even came home from the test with fever! It was awful! The whole time I was taking the exam I felt hot and sweaty and my throat felt like it was on fire. It's crazy- I made myself physically sick from anxiety and it happens every time. It's not always that bad, but in the mildest instances, my heart races and I get all clammy and sweaty. It's sooooo unpleasant.
I wasn't always like this. In high school, tests were a joke for me. And this doesn't effect me in any other area of my life, either. (Thank goodness for that!)
My question is, is this normal? I mean, I am pretty sure it's not, but is there anything I can do about it? Please help!

[Ruddigore]

Hm. I get somewhat excited when I take a CLEP, but rarely nervous. Generally, I just pray and I'm okay.

How many CLEPs have you taken? Do you tell yourself that one more test isn't a big deal and that it will go fine? Have all your CLEPs gone well? Generally, if you can get your mind away from the emotions attached to CLEP-ing and concentrate on the logic of the matter (I have an X pass-rate -- I'll be fine, etc.) then you may feel less of the stress which has plagued you.

[blueberry]

I have taken 5 CLEPs, failed the first one by one point but passed the rest with flying colors... I usually know the material well, but I still panic. (Although half the time I feel like I am totally guessing the answer) Whatever. The one good part of it all is the feeling of getting back into my car after the exam- the relief is overwhelming!

[studyhard]

I'll bet you have some physical issues that are aggravating your ability to handle the stress. If you've been under a lot of stress (even "good" stress, such as excitement or busyness) it can take a toll on your body's mechanisms for handling stress--your adrenal system, your thyroid, stuff like that. Been there, done that. When your stress mechanisms can't handle stress properly, it's not surprising to experience things like being hot, having a burning throat, nausea, etc.

So what I would do is focus on helping your body heal. Make sure you're getting a full 8-10 hours of sleep every night. Cut out all sugar (sugar is a stresser on your body) and refined starches, which means no soft drinks, no candy, no cookies, no white bread, no processed cereals (look for whole-grain Kashi cereal instead), no potato chips, stuff like that. Start reading labels and avoid things with corn syrup in them too. You might even want to cut out fruit for a couple weeks, as fruit is sugary too (even though it's a much healthier form of sugar). Eat lots of veggies and protein. Yeah, it's a boring diet but you'll probably feel better after being on it awhile.

Make sure you're taking a good multi-vitamin.

Have you considered taking any kind of herbal relaxers to help you sleep the night before a test? You might check at your local health food store and ask if they can recommend something for you. Chamomile tea might help too. I've actually taken relaxers right before taking a test and it can help take the edge off.

Also, try eating a healthy snack or meal before your test--especially something with protein. You can get protein drinks at a health food store (make sure they don't have sugar or corn syrup) or you can eat a handful of nuts or an egg or some meat. Protein is good brain food.

[blueberry]

wow...thanks a bunch, studyhard! You've given me a lot to think about!

[Farmerboy]

I'll bet you have some physical issues that are aggravating your ability to handle the stress. If you've been under a lot of stress (even "good" stress, such as excitement or busyness) it can take a toll on your body's mechanisms for handling stress--your adrenal system, your thyroid, stuff like that. Been there, done that. When your stress mechanisms can't handle stress properly, it's not surprising to experience things like being hot, having a burning throat, nausea, etc.

So what I would do is focus on helping your body heal. Make sure you're getting a full 8-10 hours of sleep every night. Cut out all sugar (sugar is a stresser on your body) and refined starches, which means no soft drinks, no candy, no cookies, no white bread, no processed cereals (look for whole-grain Kashi cereal instead), no potato chips, stuff like that. Start reading labels and avoid things with corn syrup in them too. You might even want to cut out fruit for a couple weeks, as fruit is sugary too (even though it's a much healthier form of sugar). Eat lots of veggies and protein. Yeah, it's a boring diet but you'll probably feel better after being on it awhile.

Make sure you're taking a good multi-vitamin.

Have you considered taking any kind of herbal relaxers to help you sleep the night before a test? You might check at your local health food store and ask if they can recommend something for you. Chamomile tea might help too. I've actually taken relaxers right before taking a test and it can help take the edge off.

Also, try eating a healthy snack or meal before your test--especially something with protein. You can get protein drinks at a health food store (make sure they don't have sugar or corn syrup) or you can eat a handful of nuts or an egg or some meat. Protein is good brain food.

You sound exactly like my mom!

[P00057870]

hypnotism.

Now that you have laughed your brains out, realize that I know someone who like you had not had problems while in high school but upon returning to training some 20+ years later had developed this problem, to the point of being physically ill, which seems similar to what you have described you are going through.

He had a friend who was a hypnotherapist who convinced him to try it. After all, what could it hurt. He told no one, as he was uncomfortable with this.

Long story short, it did work for him. He came in relaxed and then could easily take the tests, as he had always studied enough and had the knowledge. Only after he had taken multiple tests with good results did he share this with others in his classes who complained of a problem.

Another alternative -- and I do mean alternative -- to consider.

[Ruddigore]

Have you considered taking any kind of herbal relaxers to help you sleep the night before a test? You might check at your local health food store and ask if they can recommend something for you. Chamomile tea might help too.

That's a good bunch of advice, studyhard! I simply must second the tea recommendation. I often drink tea when I'm studying for a test. It soothes like little else. (Still, it's probably not good to drink it *right* before the test...)

Hope it all works out for you, blueberry.

[thatbrian]

I was the same way. I does get better, but I took an Ambien before every test, so that I got some sleep.

[NAP]

I really like to get my studying done a day early so that I can use the night before and day of the test to take a break and relax. I try not to study, but I do allow myself to look up a few things that are unclear and review some lists I need to memorize.