Have you ever experienced an increased heartbeat before turning on your microphone or camera in an online class? Have you ever felt overwhelmed with anxiety before and after taking an exam with a camera on or off? Perhaps after finishing an online class understanding nothing?
If you have, let me start by telling you, YOU are NOT alone. Many students have gone through the same experience. Online classes can be overwhelming, especially when assignments and quizzes start to pile up and exam week (hell week) begins. Also, not having healthy coping mechanisms with COVID-19 on the loose can raise our anxiety levels a nudge.
Why do I feel this way?
First of all, it’s common for college students to have anxiety, and it can be helpful to a certain extent. Anxiety is a protective response to danger, a flight or fight mode where our body responds by elevating our heartbeat and breathing. So if it is a normal biological response, when should we start to worry?
The problem arises when we start to worry excessively and overreact to non-threatening situations—in other words, not having the ability to recognize or separate everyday worries from anxious moments. For example, a daily concern can be: “I have a quiz in two days, and I need to study.” A person with an anxiety disorder will think that worry is a life-threatening problem and won’t be able to manage it properly.
Everything we do and feel is controlled by our mind, even anxiety. Aside from doing exercise, eating right, and practicing meditation, what else can we do? In a webinar provided by the ADAA, Anxiety and Depression Association of America, David Carbonell talked about his latest book in which he proposed a new way of overcoming anxiety that involves outsmarting your brain. Dr. Carbonell, who is a Clinical Psychologist and specializes in treating anxiety, broke down the steps into an acronym: AWARE.
First trick: Acknowledge and accept
The first step is acknowledging the panic, the fear, and the anxiety, and accepting that you are feeling it. Some thoughts aren’t real worries or life-threatening problems, and our gut feelings aren’t always right. It is crucial to acknowledge our feelings and thoughts when we begin to have anxiety or panic attacks. Don’t run away from it, don’t resist it- just feel it.
Second trick: Wait and watch
Once you can accept it, watch yourself. Stand there and see what you are doing in that moment of anxiety. What are your hands doing? How’s your breathing pattern? What thoughts come to your mind? Observe your body language in order to look for ways to respond differently. An excellent way to observe is to write down everything you see and feel. Write down your triggers (it can be an exam or quiz with the computer camera on), and find ways to break them (maybe practice taking the exam or quiz with your computer camera on to adjust).
Third trick: Action
After you observe your behavior, your real job at that moment is to wait for the anxiety or panic attack to go away and make yourself comfortable. You don’t have to stop the anxious thoughts or the wave of panic. Fear can be a powerful feeling, but a way to overcome it is to face it. In this step, you follow the rules of the opposite. If you have trouble breathing, don’t inhale; first, exhale and then inhale. Too stressed and worried about studying? Don’t study anymore, take a break, relax, and then go back to study. Afraid to turn on the camera? Face your fear by turning on the camera.
Fourth trick: Repeat
Repeat, repeat, and repeat until the anxiety or panic goes away. A great way to help you relax is to do belly breathing.
Fifth trick: End
Remember that every anxious moment, every panic attack, every exam, every semester comes to an end. Your thoughts don’t last forever; they come and go.
Taking care of yourself
Lastly, don’t be afraid to talk to a friend or family member, or contact help. Anxiety disorders are treatable. As a college student who has struggled with anxiety, I recommend always taking care of yourself first before any class. Your mental health is more important, especially during these challenging times. Talk to your professors about your struggles and seek any help if necessary. You may find that the real first step to overcoming anxiety is letting go of your pride by being vulnerable with yourself and others.
“It takes courage to stand up for yourself.”– Catherine Jane Fisher, I am Catherine Jane: The True Story of One Woman’s Quest for Justice