The second semester's end-of-semester exams are starting on Sunday, and Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) is urging students to avoid the stress and anxiety that comes with it by following a healthy diet. This will help them concentrate and make it easier for them to recall information so they can ace the exams.
For her part, Dr. May Al Muraisi, executive director of clinical and service development for HMC's Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), stated that families should address the symptoms of this anxiety in order to prevent further stress and fear, which can result in negative thoughts that could impair students' performance in exams.
The key to overcoming students' anxiety during exams begins with boosting the students' self-confidence, and reinforcing their positive thinking, she added.
Dr. Al Muraisi provided students with psychological advice in the framework of maintaining their best performance during the exam period, the most important of which is exercise for its role in maintaining psychological stability and increasing self-confidence before and during exams, as well as doing deep breathing exercises to relieve stress, and performing their daily prayers, indicating that the spiritual aspect is a key factor in enhancing a sense of reassurance and psychological comfort.
In regard to the responsibility of the students' guardians, she said that parents have the responsibility to provide psychological support to their children during this period, as well as providing appropriate family conditions to ensure a calm atmosphere inside the home, in addition to motivating children and providing them with moral support.
Regarding the mechanism of dealing with younger students, Dr. Al Muraisi affirmed that parents must engage in calming conversations with their children to reduce their feelings of fear and anxiety, assure them that these feelings are normal during this period, and encourage them to enhance their self-confidence.
She pointed out the important role of guardians and parents during this period of the academic year, indicating that the role of the family promotes positive thinking among students and dispels feelings of anxiety, especially among children, in addition to the importance of giving them a short break during study and a snack that helps them regain their activity and overcome the psychological pressure that they may feel during the exam period