Test Anxiety & EFT – You’re Not Alone

Test and Exam Anxiety

At this time of year many students are experiencing distressing feelings of jitteriness, self-doubt and dread; ranging all the way to outright panic. The blood flow begins to be diverted from the logical thinking parts of the brain to the survival centers managing fight, flight or freeze.

As the exam performance parts of the brain experience reduced blood flow,  functional intelligence, the ability to efficiently use that intelligence is diminished. Making us feel even more panicky.

What can I do to make it go away?

Let’s look at what’s going on and how these EFT tools can be so beneficial. Some of the processes involved also include the dominant part of the brain getting tunnel vision, saying “I’ve got it, I’ve got it” while forgetting to use the resources of the other half of the brain.

Ideally the two halves of our brains talk to each other through that telephone exchange in the middle of the brain. It’s rather like an Ethernet cable connecting two computers so each is more powerful as part a team than on its own.

Why is this all happening?

It’s estimated that ninety five percent of all thoughts are heavily influenced by the subconscious mind. From the time you’re born, the subconscious mind is processing and storing over a million times as many data points as the conscious brain at any given time and our core beliefs are established by the age of six; whether we recognize them or not. Every fleeting facial expression, body language or words overheard in any context have been analyzed and stored for future use. In this case, programming reactions for whatever might come in the future.

In this case the subconscious mind is putting together all the data points it’s stored that it believes are somehow relevant to test or exam time. It’s doing the very best it thinks it knows how, to keep you safe.

There IS Good News Though

In my practice I’ve found Emotional Freedom Techniques including Picture Tapping to be so effective in this situation that I warranty the results.

Fortunately over four hundred published studies including a meta-analysis by the world famous Cochrane Review have shown how combining sensory, cognitive and emotional inputs using Emotional Freedom Techniques can safely and effectively allow us to re-write the earlier programming causing the current distress. Every “feeling” is attached to a belief. Taking one small safe piece at a time of worrisome feelings and bringing it into the light of the day, allows the conscious and subconscious minds to re-examine and re-process the whole story in the current moment. In the meantime, tapping  on certain acupressure points during this process keeps the part of the brain responsible for anxiety and panic too busy assessing and re-assessing those inputs to have time to jump in and hit the panic buttons.

Battling yourself is exhausting. Learning to collaborate with every part of your mind is freeing.

Some may be able to talk themselves down, use meditation, eat well, exercise, get enough sleep  or cram. Others could do with a helping hand. That’s what I’m here for. Book your first, or next appointment with me here!