'Golden' suggestions from Prof. Nevzat Tarhan for those who will take the exam!

Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan evaluated managing anxiety and stress during the university exam and expressed that "When students repeat the 'breathe, hold, exhale' cycle 5-6 times, the stress hormone in the brain decreases."

In the meantime, Prof. Tarhan suggested that they direct their thoughts to classroom and extracurricular subjects and said that "While breathing deeply, it is important for them to breathe in for 2 counts, hold for 4 counts and inhaled 4 counts. It would be useful to repeat this method 5-6 times when they are tense."

President of Üsküdar University, Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan evaluated managing anxiety and stress during the university exam.

Stress must be managed...

Stating that when the physical integrity of individuals is impaired, there is pain when the arm and leg are strained, and when the psychological integrity is forced, stress, anxiety and anxiety occur, Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan expressed that "Stress is a protective reaction of the body in situations where the integrity of the psychological body balance of the person is shaken. If it can be controlled, it keeps the person awake. It leads to the goal. If it is uncontrollable, it makes people do somersaults. That is why in scientific terminology, it is referred to as 'managing stress', not overcoming stress. Stress must be managed. Trying to eliminate stress is unrealistic, and it's not right."

We should be afraid of not being able to control stress

Noting that stress also varies from person to person, Prof. Tarhan made the following remarks:

"If a person who has been trained in resilience has the ability to manage stress and to stay calm under stress in such cases, that person absorbs that stress like rubber and recovers. We call this psychological resilience. One does not collapse and recovers from the stress. In such cases, stress strengthens the person and teaches something in every stress. In fact, we call this phenomenon a trauma that develops. One is traumatized and experiencing pain. A person learns from it. They come out stronger. You see, one faces the events better over the years and one’s fighting spirit becomes stronger. Personality strength and ego strength increase. Therefore, it is not necessary to be afraid of stress, but to be afraid of not being able to control it. Stress is nuclear energy. If we use it for a good purpose, it will lead us to our goal, and if we use it incorrectly, it will explode in our hands and block us."

Acute stress increases attention

Pointing out what stress does to the body, Prof. Tarhan stated that "Acute stress alerts the body, and vascular resistance increases. The blood supply to the brain increases. Blood fats and glucose instantly pass into the blood. Sugar, that is, glucose increases. The body immediately responds to stress with fight-or-flight respond. This alerts the immune system. The whole defense is activated. The muscles of the shoulder and neck develop. Attention increases. It protects the person against threat and danger. Acute stress alerts a person. When this lasts for a long time, that is, when it becomes chronic, it does the opposite this time. It suppresses the immune system. Blood pressure rises, and it becomes chronic. Gastrointestinal disorders happen. Spasm happens. Skin allergies happen. This is how many psychosomatic diseases occur."

Stating that when the threat passes, the vagus nerve relaxes the muscles, relaxes the body and calms the person, Prof. Tarhan said that "People who use the vagus nerves effectively manage stress better, analyze events well and react correctly. Even in the greatest and most difficult stress situations, these people achieve a state called 'authentic happiness'. They manage to be happy in any environment, even in the most stressful place. Even in prison, they can keep their cool. These people are neither extremely sad nor extremely happy. This emotional wisdom is a learned ability. It is necessary for a person to learn to regulate their emotions in a timely and appropriate manner. The regulation of emotions is taught in textbooks. This is positive psychology, that is, being able to be happy in any environment."

We will manage the chemistry of our soul well...

Noting that those who know and manage themselves also manage their lives, Prof. Tarhan said that "It is important to be your own leader. It is called 'neuroleadership'. You are managing the pharmacy in your brain. You run the chemical lab in the brain. When one manages this, one can manage to be happy in any environment. We will learn to manage brain chemistry like a chemist. Our soul has chemistry. We are going to manage that. There are methods for this. In the U.S., they take teenagers at the middle and high school level. Mindfulness training... They develop breathing exercises, relaxation exercises, thinking techniques. They think in a positive-oriented way. They teach self-analysis. These are our values education."

Anxiety before the exam is normal, being carefree is abnormal...

Evaluating anxiety and stress before the university exam, Prof. Tarhan continued his remarks as follows:

"Pre-exam anxiety is normal. Being carefree is abnormal in this case. Anxiety happens. We say 'there should be stress, but there should be no panic'. It is not okay to panic. Panic blocks a person's thought system. 'What is going to happen, am I going to be successful?' It happens in those who think result-oriented. 'What if a difficult question comes up, what if it comes out of a place I do not know, what if I fail... Parents do this unintentionally. Parents even say to their child, ‘What if you fail? It does not matter’. Parents say this with good intentions to give morale, but if the child's sense of responsibility is high, the child's anxiety increases even more. Because it reminds them of the possibility of not being successful. However, it is necessary to say to them, 'Look, you have tried so many times before, you have been successful at this percent. This shows that you can succeed. You did what you could. We have got your back. Leave it to fate whether you will win or not. Leave it to time. Accept it.'"

When you think result-oriented, stress increases

Pointing out that stress increases as you think result-oriented, Prof. Tarhan said that "Because thinking about what you cannot control increases anxiety. After all, according to past accumulations, one already predicts clearly how well they can do in the exam. Young people look at it when the answers are released after the exam, most of them get it.”

Do breathing exercises so as not to panic during the exam

Stating that they teach breathing exercises to students not to panic during the exam, Prof. Tarhan made the following suggestions: "By taking deep breaths, they breathe in enough to count 1-2, then they hold their breath for 3-4-5-6 counts, then they gradually exhale enough to count 6-7-8-9-10. When they repeat this 'breathe, hold, exhale' cycle 5-6 times, the stress hormone in the brain decreases. In the meantime, it is important for them to direct their thoughts to lessons and extracurricular subjects, to breathe in for 2 points while breathing deeply, to hold for 4 points and to give for 4 points. It is useful to repeat this method 5-6 times when they are stretched. Also, imagining places where they feel comfortable and safe (for example, greenery, beach, mountain, village) and making positive suggestions to themselves by saying 'I did my best' reduces test anxiety."

Toxic people should be avoided

Stating that it is necessary to take some precautions before entering the exam hall, Prof. Tarhan emphasized that it is important to stay away from toxic people who talk negatively and demoralize everyone, especially by saying "I cannot do it, I am ruined, I am done", and that even if such people get high grades in the exam, they can negatively affect the morale of others, so it is important to create a positive and motivating environment before the exam.

Long-term stress makes you sick...

Stating that long-term stress causes immunosuppression (decrease in the effectiveness of the immune system) by suppressing the immune system, Prof. Tarhan noted that the immune system neutralizes carcinogenic cells in the body, but when the immune system is weakened, dormant cancer cells can become active, and Tarhan stated that "Turkish scientist Aziz Sancar received the Nobel Prize for discovering how DNA damage is repaired. Chronic stress also causes DNA damage. Normally, the body clears these damages during sleep and in moments of relaxation. A healthy diet and lifestyle have great importance."

There is a slavery of success...

Prof. Tarhan said that "We cannot change the world, but we have the power to change ourselves," and continued his remarks as follows: "There is a kind of voluntary slavery in people right now. There is a slavery of success. There is slavery of the consumer economy. As a result, human stress increases by saying more and more. As people's expectations from life increase, the stress level rises, and a constant state of anxiety emerges. Therefore, it is important to reconsider our lifestyle and expectations to reduce stress and live a healthier life."

 

Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)