What is anxiety?
Most people may experience feelings of anxiety before an important event or meeting such as a big exam, a presentation or a first date. Anxiety is normal. It arouses you to action. It gears you up to face a threatening situation. Not only is anxiety a natural reaction to threatening physical or emotional situations, but a moderate amount of anxiety is actually essential for survival and success. We all know of situations when our fears have stopped us from an impulsive, foolish act or when it has supplied us with that extra energy needed to complete an assignment on time.
Sometimes, however, the anxiety experienced may be so extreme that it keeps us from coping and affects our daily lives. Some students when anxious, for example, may shun normal, everyday activities such as attending class, shopping, or even leaving the apartment. Others may need the physical presence of family members or friends for support or reassurance when facing a feared situation. Such symptoms are indicative of more serious anxiety problems like generalised anxiety disorder and panic attacks.
What is Generalised Anxiety Disorder?
Generalised Anxiety Disorder is characterised by excessive worrying about daily life that may include more than one specific circumstance. For example, if you have Generalised Anxiety Disorder, you may find yourself worrying about the same things over and over, such as "What if I fail my exam today? How would I graduate?" Although these might seem like normal issues that most student deal with on a regular basis, someone with Generalised Anxiety Disorder will have a constant worry and will not be able to get the thoughts out of their mind.
Many times there is no trigger or cause for these feelings and the person realises these feelings are irrational. Nevertheless, the feelings are very real.
What are panic attacks?
Panic attacks are episodes of extreme anxiety often accompanied by such physical symptoms as shortness of breath, racing heart, sweaty palms, dizziness and tingling sensations. Sometimes a person experiencing a panic attack will think that he or she is having a heart attack or is dying. Panic attacks usually take a person completely by surprise. It seems to come "out of the blue" while a person is engaged in some ordinary activity like walking to university or doing a household chore.
Physiologically, panic attacks involve an activation of the sympathetic nervous system or fight-flight response. When we are faced with an extreme danger, this innate response mobilises us to confront or escape the danger. This fight-flight response is designed to protect us, not to harm us. Panic attacks occur when this physiological response occurs in the absence of a real, physical threat. Instead of mobilising us for action, the activation of our nervous system is channelled into anxiety.
One feature of panic attacks is that the person may learn to avoid situations in which the attack occurred. In more extreme cases, a person might develop a fear of leaving the house. This avoidance pattern can cause a person to withdraw from others and from doing activities which involves getting out of the house. In addition, the fear of having a panic attack can sometimes precipitate an attack.
What are some signs of anxiety?
Students with anxiety have some or all of the following symptoms:
- Clenched stomach.
- Chronic sleeplessness.
- Sweating for e.g., sweaty palms
- Feeling fearful.
- Inability to concentrate.
- Uncontrollable, repetitive behaviours
- Feeling out of control
- Intestinal/digestive upset
- Muscular aches
- Chronic headaches
- A sense of impending doom
What should I do if I feel anxious?
- Reduce level of anxiety instead of wanting instant cure
Do not immediately look for complete relief or cure as the only solution. Reduction of the level of anxiety may be a more realistic goal, given that much anxiety is completely survivable and may even help you.
- Take an interest and understand the process
Develop awareness of your experience of anxiety and read up about it. As your understanding of anxiety increases, it will help you to help yourself cope with it.
- Identify what sort of anxiety you have
You may need to seek a treatment which is appropriate to the nature of anxiety that you experience. Panic, for example, will not respond to techniques and strategies aimed at reducing and dealing with general worry. Specific approaches designed to meet the particular anxiety are more helpful. One way is to talk to a counsellor at the NTU Student Counselling Centre so that the counsellor can help you assess your level and nature of anxiety and suggest or teach strategies that will help you cope with your particular nature of anxiety.
- Pay attention to situations you avoid
Look at the situations you are avoiding because of anxiety and begin to consider how you could begin to expose yourself to these situations in small but increasing steps.
- Develop a problem solving attitude
This will allow you to break down the large problems into lots of smaller ones and then to resolve them by practical steps. For example small steps to deal with a large anxiety over public speaking could include talking to a counsellor; observing how others cope; making your tutor aware of the problem you have; preparing the presentation; rehearsing in private; taping your voice; practising before a friend; getting as relaxed as possible on the day; and doing it.
- Use relaxation techniques
Learning and practising relaxation techniques regularly will help you relieve tension that comes with anxiety. When you are less tensed, you may be more able to deal with the things you find difficult. Refer to our section on Brief Relaxation Techniques.
- Take prescribed medication
Medication can be very useful for some people when they are coping with specific crises or when anxiety needs an initial reduction so that you are more able to help yourself by taking planned action. Be very wary of using alcohol or non-prescription drugs to overcome anxiety as not only do they rarely offer a solution, but they often can give rise to other problems.
If you find that you are experiencing signs of anxiety as outlined above and especially if it is affecting your studies, consider seeing a counsellor at the NTU Student Counselling Centre. To make an appointment, contact the Counselling Centre at 67904462 or email SCC@ntu.edu.sg.
