Dr. Ora Golan on exam anxiety

Hello Dr. Ora Golan, an expert in neutralizing emotional barriers from the Ora Golan Center, today we will talk about test anxiety. What exactly is “test anxiety”? After all, we are all a little stressed before a test.

Test anxiety is a condition in which a person learns, knows the material, but most of the stress fails the test. Sometimes even to the point of actual failure. Sometimes it manifests itself that stress causes terrible burnout and frustration, and it is impossible to endure this for a long time. Exam anxiety hurts a great many people; Students, new candidates who want to be hired and also people who, in order to advance in the job, have to pass tests, all those people who suffer from “test anxiety”: of course they can not realize their potential.

For example:  Adi, 17, is currently in the matriculation exams. Adi is an excellent student and her potential is enormous, but she is under insane pressure before any test, unrelated to her knowledge and ability. She does not sleep, she is not able to eat, she visits the bathroom often she is really crazy and also drives the whole family around. Due to too much pressure Adi is unable to concentrate so much that in some exams she has a real “blackout” and she does not understand at all what she is being asked. This situation is very frustrating for her because she is an outstanding student who helps others. Adi came to our short and focused treatment that includes four stages in just four sessions. During the treatment we examined how Adi copes with failure, competition and success. After neutralizing the emotional barriers Adi was happy to tell us about the amazing change she went through: the stress almost disappeared, Adi came calmly to the exams and as an outstanding student she of course succeeded in the matriculation exams.

*אז בכדי שנדע לאבחן אצלנו ואצל אחרים, האם “חרדת מבחנים” מאופיינת רק  בסממנים פזיולוגים?

לא, יכול להיות מצב כשהלחץ הוא חסר פרופורציה ועדיין לא ניתן לראות כל סימנים פיזיולוגיים. כלומר, זה בהחלט נורמטיבי שנגיע לבחינה עם רמת לחץ מסוימת, כשאנחנו מעט לחוצים לפני בחינה יש לנו סיכוי גבוה יותר להוציא מעצמנו את המיטב. אבל כשהלחץ גורם לשחיקה ולתגובה חסרת פרופורציה, או שהוא במצב שהוא לא מאפשר לנו לממש את הפוטנציאל שלנו ושוחק אותנו במשך ימים ושעות לפני המבחן לעיתים מלווה בסממנים פיזיולוגיים כמו כאבי ראש, כאבי בטן חוסר יכולת לאכול וכו’ לעיתים אנשים ממש מאבדים פרופורציה ומתנהגים כאילו הם בסכנת מוות לפעמים לפני בחינות – זו בהחלט “חרדת מבחנים”.

כן, האנטיציפציה הזו לחרדה.

Right. Come to us. Lawyers, doctors, accountants who need to be tested for bureau tests. It is true that all these tests are very, very difficult tests, but these people have been through all these years and know all this stuff. They only need the summary tests to get the certificate, but because the test is so significant, many of them fail the first tests — not because they do not know, but only because they respond disproportionately. It’s so unnecessary, and so easy to solve. Last year, in May,. Four lawyers who failed previous tests came to us, and after the treatment they took the bureau tests and all passed successfully.

So lawyers also have test anxiety – yes, “test anxiety” can appear in all walks of life, at all ages regardless of education, intelligence and abilities.