Depression in Exam Time: Best Ways to Prevent It

Recently, the problem of lack of motivation to study and work for young people has been very common. Education in higher education institutions can be attributed to a specific type of activity associated with a high level of mental and physical stress, extremely increasing during the sessional period, lack of time, the need to absorb a large amount of information in a short time, increased requirements for solving problem situations, tight control and regulation mode.

Of course, this cannot but affect the psycho-emotional and psychophysical state of students and the resulting motivation for studying and a further choice of job.

Speaking about the deterioration of the psychological health of students, it should be noted that one of the pathologies of the mental state is depression. It is important to learn how to overcome it on time, and even better, not to allow its development.

Best Ways to Prevent Depression

General recommendations to help you overcome depression are listed below:

You should believe in yourself. You would not be able to study at a college or university or learn a particular discipline if you did not have certain skills and abilities. And this means that you can easily pass the exam, without too much excitement and anxiety;
Do not try to be the best. Reaching for the stars is fine, but you need to keep a balance. While thinking that getting a rating less than ‘excellent’ means failure, you are thereby building mountains of useless depression for yourself. You must always try to do everything well, but do not forget that no one can constantly remain perfect;
Plan and take consistent ways to overcome difficulties. If something is not clear to you in the course material, then depression and stress will not help you. It is necessary to solve issues radically, following the advice of the teacher or resorting to the help of comrades;
Have enough time in stock so that there is no situation when you need to read all the material of the course at the last minute. This approach will significantly enhance your self-confidence and reduce pre-examination depression, as you will know that you have spent enough time on preparation;
Schedule your exam preparation so you can keep track of time and your progress. Allow enough time for relaxation and entertainment to avoid overwork. When preparing a plan for each day of preparation, it is necessary to clearly define what will be studied today. Of course, it’s good to start from the most difficult section, which you know the worst. But it also happens that you don’t want to do it, nothing comes to mind. In this case, it is useful to start with what you know best, from the material that is most interesting and enjoyable to you;
As soon as you notice that you are losing attention and your brain begins to get tired, take a short rest. After you return to study, you will feel rested and ready for further preparation;
Experiment with different preparation methods so that classes become a kind of entertainment for you and your motivation will intensify;
Do not drink too much coffee, tea, and carbonated drinks, caffeine will only excite your brain and make it less susceptible to information. Eat more often and correctly; during the preparation period, your brain needs more nutrients;
Regular, but moderate exercise will strengthen your energy, enlighten your thinking and reduce feelings of stress. Try exercises, breathing techniques, or other ways to relax and overcome depression. They will help you relieve stress, enhance concentration and attention, and improve sleep;
You should remember that the fastest and most effective way to overcome feelings of stress and panic is to close your eyes and take a few slow, deep breaths. Such breathing will calm your entire nervous system. At the same time, you can say to yourself several times “I know that I can do this, and I will do it well”;
Do not keep everything in yourself. Seeking support from friends and sharing your problems with them, you thereby significantly reduce your anxiety before the upcoming exam;
Look at everything in perspective. Exams may seem to you the most significant event at the moment, but in terms of your entire distant life – this is just a small part of it.

So, try to put into practice the information that we told you and you will surely overcome stress and depression during midterm exams and pass the session perfectly!