Exams-What You Can Do
Learning how to recognise
when you're under stress is one of the first steps towards dealing
with it. If you think you might be experiencing stress ask yourself
the following questions:
- Are you angry and impatient with people close to you?
- Do you feel close to tears over small events?
- Are you behaving differently from usual?
- Do you feel isolated from people around you?
- Is your self-esteem at rock bottom?
Do you have any of these
physical symptoms?
- Lack of sleep
- Loss of appetite or irregular eating
- Panic attacks and difficulty breathing
- Tight, knotty feelings in your stomach
- Low energy and lack of concentration
- Loss of interest in things around you
'Karen' explains how
stressed she felt while waiting for her exam results:
"I wasn't speaking to my
parents, I had all these powerful emotions inside of me that I
couldn't bring myself to talk to my friends about. I felt like I
was being destroyed by what was going on inside of me.
I was just at the end of my line. I didn't know where to go, what
to do, I thought I'd gone insane, I just wanted some peace. The
only way I thought I could get it was by topping myself. I was
totally messed up, out of control. If I hadn't rung Samaritans and
got help I think I might have done the most stupid thing that
anyone could ever do."
So, what can you do about
it?
- Talk to someone you trust, whether that is a friend, teacher or
relative
- Eat healthy food regularly
- Get exercise - walking, running, dancing, sport
- Get a reasonable amount of sleep.
Why does talking
help?
Talking openly about how you
really feel can be like opening a door. Talking puts you back in
control and reveals the choices you have. Many people feel
pressured into hiding their feelings out of embarrassment or
concern not to burden family or friends. But hiding under a calm
exterior only saves the problem for later and stress can build up
until it becomes unbearable. Don't leave it that long. Remember
your emotional health is your responsibility and Samaritans is
there to help whatever time of the day or night.
'Gary' describes how talking
to a Samaritans volunteer helped him:
"I'd like to say how great
Samaritans are. I recently phoned them and the bloke I talked to
was really calm and friendly.
He gave me the time that I needed to say difficult things and he
called me back so that the call wouldn't appear on the itemised
phone bill. No-one there could magically make my life better and
totally happy, but talking really did help.
People reading this who are depressed might not believe that; I
know because I was the same. But I'd like to say give it a try - it
can't make things worse can it? I also know that there will always
be someone at the end of the phone."
You can call a Samaritan 24
hours a day on 08457 90 90 90 (UK) or 1850 60 90 90 (Republic of
Ireland) to talk through stress, depression or anxiety, in total
confidence. You can also e-mail Samaritans on jo@samaritans.org.
If you know someone in distress, encouraging them to phone or
e-mail Samaritans will help them take their first step. Good
luck.