{"id":135604,"date":"2022-10-25T11:00:14","date_gmt":"2022-10-25T10:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/?p=135604"},"modified":"2023-03-30T17:38:23","modified_gmt":"2023-03-30T16:38:23","slug":"exam-stress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/exam-stress.htm","title":{"rendered":"Exam Stress &#8211; How to Deal and What Might be Making it Worse"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_135605\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-135605\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-135605\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/jeshoots-com-2vD8lIhdnw-unsplash-3-400x266.jpg\" alt=\"exam stress\" width=\"400\" height=\"266\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/jeshoots-com-2vD8lIhdnw-unsplash-3-400x266.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/jeshoots-com-2vD8lIhdnw-unsplash-3-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/jeshoots-com-2vD8lIhdnw-unsplash-3-180x120.jpg 180w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/jeshoots-com-2vD8lIhdnw-unsplash-3.jpg 709w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-135605\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">photo by Jeshoots for Unsplash<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Does the very word \u2018exam\u2019 make you feel not yourself? Exam stress can happen to the best of us, and there are things that can help.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color: #333399;\">A <a style=\"color: #333399;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/265857913_Test_anxiety_prevalence_and_gender_differences_in_a_sample_of_English_secondary_school_students\">study at Liverpool university<\/a> found that over 16 per cent of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/student-stress-what-is-it.htm\">students<\/a> identify as highly test anxious.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">What is exam stress?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Just because you manage to act cool, calm, and collected around exams doesn\u2019t mean<\/strong> you actually are. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/types-of-stress.htm\">Stress<\/a> is not about how we appear to others, it\u2019s about how we experience something. <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\" style=\"color: #333399;\">If exams mean negative shifts in the way you think and feel, both emotionally and physically, you might be experiencing exam stress. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">What are the symptoms of exam stress? <\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Stress is not just a mental thing. It\u2019s also a very physical experience to go through. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong><span class=\"s1\">So while mentally with an exam approaching,<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>you may experience:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">racing and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/negative-thoughts.htm\">negative thoughts<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">self-doubt and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/self-critical-signs.htm\">criticism<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li>a<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/no-motivation.htm\"> lack of motivation<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">an<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/foggy-brain.htm\"> inability to think straight<\/a>. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong><span class=\"s1\">Emotionally, you might: <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">have mood swings, including<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/different-types-of-anger.htm\"> anger<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/crying-for-no-reason.htm\">tears<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">feel edgy and frustrated with everything <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">numb out and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/dissociation.htm\">dissociate<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">or feel like you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/apathy-stop-caring.htm\">don\u2019t care anymore<\/a>. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong><span class=\"s1\">You will also have physical symptoms of exam stress, such as:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">a change to your appetite <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/sleeplessness.htm\"><span class=\"s1\">sleep problems <\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">headaches<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/release-muscle-tension.htm\"><span class=\"s1\">muscle tension<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">unexplained aches and pains<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">upset stomach <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">sweatiness<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">a racing heart <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/causes-of-exhaustion.htm\"><span class=\"s1\">fatigue<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">catching a cold or flu. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Why am I so stressed about exams? <\/span><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_135606\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-135606\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-135606\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/kevin-ku-aiyBwbrWWlo-unsplash-1-400x300.jpg\" alt=\"exam stress\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/kevin-ku-aiyBwbrWWlo-unsplash-1-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/kevin-ku-aiyBwbrWWlo-unsplash-1-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/kevin-ku-aiyBwbrWWlo-unsplash-1.jpg 709w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-135606\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">photo by Kevin Ku for Unsplash<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Sometimes exam stress is quite logical. We just are not <\/strong>a natural fit with a certain subject and struggle with it, so we are stressed if we will manage to pass or not. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Or we have parents who have really<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/setting-expectations.htm\">high expectations<\/a> of us, and we are afraid to<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/how-to-say-no-more-effectively.htm\"> let them down<\/a>. Or are at a very competitive <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/boarding-school-survivor.htm\">boarding school<\/a> that piles on the stress.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong><span class=\"s1\">But often, exam stress is not a stand alone stress but related to other things, such as:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/feeling-not-good-enough.htm\"><span class=\"s1\">never feeling good enough<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/types-of-learning-difficulties.htm\">different way of learning<\/a> that means exams are harder for you<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">feeling we have to impress others to be liked<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">still <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/its-all-my-fault-self-blame.htm\">blaming ourselves<\/a> for past failures <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/comparing-yourself-to-others.htm\"><span class=\"s1\">comparing ourselves to others<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">not liking being tested or judged in any way<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">difficulties elsewhere in our life such as at home. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Mental health issues that add to exam stress<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>As well as learning differences, there are several mental health issues<\/strong> that make sitting exams harder. If you feel one of these might be you, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/stress-management-counselling-london.htm\"> getting mental health support<\/a> could end up meaning exam periods are easier. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Mental health issues that might be contributing include: <\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Depression. <\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">When we are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/how-to-stop-being-depressed.htm\">depressed<\/a> it can feel like our head is full of cotton wool and sand and our memory is a giant blank. We can\u2019t remember where we left our keys, let alone the date of a historic battle or how to do an algebra problem.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[Not sure if it&#8217;s depression? Take our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/quiz-stressed-or-depressed\">&#8216;stressed or depressed&#8217; quiz<\/a>].<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Anxiety.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/anxiety-therapy.htm\">Anxiety<\/a> puts our mind into hyper gear. Our thoughts can be so busy and racing we can\u2019t bring them to focus on the task at hand, sitting an exam. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">ADHD.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/adult-adhd-quiz\">Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder<\/a>, ADHD, might mean that when you do focus you can cram more studying into an hour than others do into a day. But the rest of the time your mind is on a million different things. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>And you can space out mid exam, or start off answering a question really well but<\/strong>\u00a0then get bored and write a rushed conclusion that is beneath your ability.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><span style=\"color: #800080;\">ADHD can mean you constantly deal with a sense of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/reach-your-full-potential.htm\">never living up to your potential<\/a>. This can mean exams are a particular sore spot as they are yet another thing you\u2019ll end up beating yourself up over.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Many people with ADHD also don\u2019t do well being told there are time limits<\/strong>, it causes a sort of anxiety that can lead to not thinking straight. If this sounds like you, consider an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/adhd-assessment-london.htm\">ADHD assessment<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The autism spectrum. <\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>If you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-autism-spectrum-disorder.htm\">have autism<\/a> you might have a brain that over focuses on one subject, but that<\/strong> you struggle to make focus on other subjects. And you might find an exam question others find easy to understand instead confusing, as the way you think might not get the insinuations others easily do. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Plus, you can find stressful situations put you into<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/sensory-overload-in-adults.htm\">sensory overload<\/a> and then you can meltdown. So if some idiot next to you keeps clicking their pen you might get so <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/why-am-i-so-distracted.htm\">distracted<\/a> you simply can\u2019t perform well or get emotional.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Trauma and complex trauma (c-PTSD).<\/h3>\n<p>Never do well under stressful situations? Always find yourself in a weird fugue with a beating heart, or totally out to lunch and unable to think? If you lived through a difficult situation or had an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-are-adverse-childhood-experiences-aces.htm\">ongoing hard experience<\/a> like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/were-you-sexually-abused-as-a-child.htm\">abuse<\/a> as a child you could have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-complex-ptsd.htm\">post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)<\/a>. This means that anything challenging can set off your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/fight-or-flight-response.htm\">fight, flight<\/a>, or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/freeze-response.htm\">freeze response<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">How do you relieve exam stress?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>When it comes to the lead up to exams, you need to be honest with yourself about what<\/strong> helps you personally, not what works for others and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/social-pressure.htm\">your peers<\/a>. Just because your friend loves cue cards doesn\u2019t mean they will work for you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Do you learn best in quiet environments like a library? Or do you actually find you work best in places with ambient noise, like a cafe?<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">What way do you take in information best? Is it hearing things said, reading them, or writing them out? Or actually saying them out loud? Experiment.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Do you work well in a group, or is the truth that study groups put you behind and you do better studying <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/spending-time-alone.htm\">alone<\/a>? <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>It\u2019s also important to try to be a little <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/can-you-be-selfish-and-still-be-a-good-person.htm\">selfish<\/a>. If you tend not to tell people you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/personal-space.htm\">need space<\/a> or time as you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/why-do-i-feel-guilty-all-the-time.htm\">feel guilty<\/a>, or feel you must help others in need even during exam periods, then recognise that you need to prioritise yourself. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>It can also be easy to assume loved ones and friends know what we need, but often they are doing their best but simply don&#8217;t.<\/strong> So <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/how-to-communicate-stress.htm\">have a proper conversation<\/a> with those around you and let them know you are stressed about exams and need their support, and what exact ways you would like that support to look like.Your mother might not realise, for example, that endlessly knocking on your door with snacks or asking how things are going might simply stress you out more.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Try proven stress tools<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_135623\" style=\"width: 354px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-135623\" class=\"size-full wp-image-135623\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/girl-meditationg.png\" alt=\"exam stress at school\" width=\"344\" height=\"349\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/girl-meditationg.png 344w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/girl-meditationg-50x50.png 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 344px) 100vw, 344px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-135623\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">photo by Oluremi Adebayo for Pexels<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>There are several to choose from here. You can be trendy and<\/strong> do some yoga and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/mindfulness-help-guide.htm\">mindfulness meditation<\/a>. You can also try breath work (try <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhs.uk\/mental-health\/self-help\/guides-tools-and-activities\/breathing-exercises-for-stress\/\">the NHS guide to breathing your way out of stress<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p><strong>But you can also just<\/strong> go for a walk, or\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/how-to-use-a-self-help-journal.htm\">journal out your thoughts<\/a> then rip up the pages after (this means you are less likely to censor yourself and can get more out on the page).<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color: #333399;\">Or you can close the curtains, put your headphones on, and dance it out. Physical exercise is now <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4013452\/\">shown to make us more emotionally resilient to the effects of chronic stress<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">What if my parents are putting tons of pressure on me? <\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Ideally of course you\u2019d let your parents know<\/strong> it\u2019s too much and is backfiring, making your studying go badly. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>But if this is not possible,<\/strong> if your parent would just get upset with you, do <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/reaching-out-support.htm\">try to find someone else to talk to<\/a> at least. Sometimes just letting off steam with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/how-to-find-friends.htm\">trusted friend<\/a> or other family member can at least help us feel less alone. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Stop the black and white thinking <\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>When we are dealing with exam stress it\u2019s very easy for our mind to hook into what are called<\/strong> \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/cognitive-distortions.htm\">cognitive distortions<\/a>\u2019. These are things that aren\u2019t true but we convince ourselves are. Assumptions are a cognitive distortion. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/black-and-white-thinking-stop-drama-addict.htm\">Black and white thinking<\/a> is one such distortion.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Notice if you see things in terms of all or nothing.<\/strong> &#8220;I have to pass or my life is over&#8221;. &#8220;I will either do really well or fail&#8221;. Life is never black and white, so <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/general-adaptation-syndrome.htm\">lower stress<\/a> by finding the middle ground. You might do well enough, and you might find that in the big picture, this exam was not as important as you thought. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Try a perspective jump.<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Being judged on the outcome of exams is hard, and is also in many ways very unrealistic.<\/strong> Our intelligence can manifest in many different ways that exams simply don&#8217;t measure, and being good at exams doesn&#8217;t even mean we&#8217;ll be good at life. Imagine you are eighty years old, looking back at your entire life. Will you even remember this exam? This is not to say you shouldn\u2019t do your best, but try not to attach your entire wellbeing to a one moment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Wish you had someone to talk to who understood? We provide <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/adolescent-teenager-counselling-london.htm\">therapy for teens in central London<\/a> and online. Or use our sister site to find <span style=\"color: #333399;\"><a style=\"color: #333399;\" href=\"https:\/\/harleytherapy.com\/?utm_source=Harley%20Therapy%20Blog&amp;utm_content=Post%20End\">UK-wide therapists who work with teens<\/a> <\/span>now.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Does the very word \u2018exam\u2019 make you feel not yourself? Exam stress can happen to the best of us, and there are things that can help. A study at Liverpool university found that over 16 per cent of students identify as highly test anxious. What is exam stress? Just because you manage to act cool, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":135605,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"yes","_lmt_disable":"no","footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[224,4009],"class_list":["post-135604","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-anxiety-and-stress","tag-anxiety-stress","tag-student-stress","has_thumb"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.0 (Yoast SEO v27.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Exam Stress - How to Deal and What Might be Making it Worse - Harley Therapy\u2122 Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Exam stress might be something you can hide from others, but it will still wreak havoc with your mental and physical health. How to deal\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/exam-stress.htm\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Exam Stress - How to Deal and What Might be Making it Worse\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Exam stress might be something you can hide from others, but it will still wreak havoc with your mental and physical health. 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Darcy","author_link":"#"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Does the very word \u2018exam\u2019 make you feel not yourself? Exam stress can happen to the best of us, and there are things that can help. A study at Liverpool university found that over 16 per cent of students identify as highly test anxious. What is exam stress? 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