Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, evaluating anxiety and stress management during university exams, said, “When students repeat the ‘breathe in, hold, breathe out’ cycle 5-6 times, the stress hormone in the brain decreases.”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan suggested that during this process, they should direct their thoughts to topics other than lessons and school, stating, “It’s important to breathe in for a count of 2, hold for a count of 4, and breathe out for a count of 4 while taking deep breaths. Repeating this method 5-6 times when they feel stressed would be beneficial.”
Üsküdar University Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, evaluated anxiety and stress management during university exams.
Stress must be managed…
Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, stating that when an individual's physical integrity is disrupted, like straining an arm or leg, pain occurs, and when psychological integrity is challenged, stress, anxiety, and an anxious state emerge, said, 'Stress is the body's protective response when a person's psychological bodily balance and integrity are shaken. If controllable, it keeps a person alert. It leads to the goal. If uncontrollable, it causes a person to tumble. That's why, in scientific terminology, it's referred to as 'managing stress,' not 'defeating stress.' Stress must be managed. Trying to eliminate stress is neither realistic nor correct.'
One must fear the inability to control stress
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, noting that stress also varies from person to person, explained:
'If a person has received resilience training in managing stress and possesses the ability to remain calm under stress, in such situations, they absorb that stress like rubber and return to their original state. We call this psychological resilience, psychological robustness, psychological invulnerability. They don't break down and return to their former state. In these types of situations, stress strengthens the person, teaching them something with each stressful event. We even call this a developing trauma. They experience trauma, experience pain. They learn something from it. They emerge stronger. You see them better confronting events over the years; their fighting spirit has strengthened. Their personal strength, ego strength has increased. Therefore, one should not fear stress, but rather fear the inability to control it. Stress is nuclear energy. If we use it for a good purpose, it takes us to our goal; if we use it incorrectly, it explodes in our hands and blocks us.'
Acute stress increases attention
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, also pointing out the effects of stress on the body, said, 'Acute stress invigorates the body, increases vascular resistance. Blood flow to the brain increases. Body fats and glucose instantly pass into the blood. Sugar and glucose increase. The body gives an immediate fight-or-flight response to stress. This boosts the immune system. All defenses become active. Shoulder and neck muscles develop. Attention increases. It protects the person against threats and dangers. Acute stress is a stimulant. When this persists for a long time, meaning when it becomes chronic, the opposite happens. It suppresses the immune system. Blood pressure rises and becomes chronic. Gastrointestinal disorders occur. Spasms occur. Skin allergies occur. Many psychosomatic illnesses emerge this way.'
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, also stating that when the threat passes, the vagus nerve relaxes muscles, calms the body, and tranquilizes the person, said, 'Individuals who effectively use their vagus nerves manage stress better, analyze events well, and react appropriately. These individuals achieve a state called 'authentic happiness' even in the biggest and most difficult stressful situations. They succeed in being happy in every environment, even in the most stressful places. They can maintain their composure even in prison. These individuals neither become excessively sad nor excessively happy. This emotional wisdom is a learned ability. A person needs to learn to regulate their emotions appropriately and timely. Emotion regulation is taught in textbooks. This is positive psychology, meaning being able to be happy in any environment.'
We will manage the chemistry of our soul well…
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, noting that those who know and manage themselves also manage their lives, stated, 'Being one's own leader is important. This is called 'neuro-leadership.' You manage the pharmacy in your brain. You manage the chemical laboratory in your brain. When a person manages this, they can succeed in being happy in any environment. We will learn to manage brain chemistry like a chemist. Our soul has chemistry. We will manage this. There are methods for it. In the USA, young people at middle school and high school levels receive it. Mindfulness training... They develop breathing exercises, relaxation exercises, thinking techniques. They think in a positive-focused way. They teach themselves to analyze themselves. These are our values education.'
Pre-exam anxiety is normal, being anxiety-free is abnormal…
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, also evaluating pre-university exam anxiety and stress, continued as follows:
'Pre-exam anxiety is normal; being without anxiety is abnormal. Anxiety happens. We say 'stress yes, panic no.' Panicking is not right. Panic blocks a person's thinking system. 'What will happen, will you win, will you not win?' This happens to those who think outcome-focused. 'What if a bad question comes up, what if it's from a topic I don't know, what will happen, what if I can't win?'... Parents also do this unconsciously. They even tell the child; 'Never mind, it's okay if you don't win.' They say this with good intentions to boost morale, but if the child has a high sense of responsibility, their anxiety increases even more. Because it reminds them of the possibility of not winning. Whereas, one should say to them: 'Look, you've taken this many practice exams before, you've been this percentage successful. This shows you can succeed. You did your best. We are behind you. Leave whether you win or not to fate. Leave it to time. Accept it'...'
Stress increases with outcome-focused thinking
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, drawing attention to the increase in stress when thinking outcome-focused, said, 'Because thinking about something one cannot control increases anxiety. After all, based on past accumulated knowledge, one can already estimate how many correct answers they can achieve. When the answer key is published after the exam, most young people find they scored as expected.'
Perform breathing exercises to avoid panicking during the exam
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, stating that they teach breathing exercises to students to avoid panicking during exams, made the following recommendations:
'By taking deep breaths, they breathe in for a count of 1-2, then hold their breath for a count of 3-4-5-6, and then slowly exhale for a count of 6-7-8-9-10. When they repeat this 'breathe in, hold, breathe out' cycle 5-6 times, the stress hormone in the brain decreases. During this time, it's important for them to direct their thoughts to topics other than lessons and school, and while taking deep breaths, to breathe in for a count of 2, hold for a count of 4, and breathe out for a count of 4. Repeating this method 5-6 times when they feel stressed would be beneficial. Additionally, imagining places where they feel comfortable and safe in their minds (e.g., green spaces, coast, mountains, village) and giving themselves positive affirmations by saying 'I did my best' reduces exam anxiety.'
Toxic individuals should be avoided
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, stating that some precautions should be taken before entering the exam hall, emphasized the importance of staying away from toxic individuals who speak negatively, saying things like 'I couldn't do it, I'm ruined, I'm done,' and demoralize everyone. He noted that even if such individuals score high on the exam, they can negatively affect others' morale, hence creating a positive and motivating environment before the exam is crucial.
Long-term stress makes one ill…
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that long-term stress suppresses the immune system, leading to immunosuppression (a decrease in immune system activity). He noted that the immune system neutralizes cancerous cells in the body, but when the immune system weakens, dormant cancer cells can become active, saying, 'Turkish scientist Aziz Sancar received the Nobel Prize for discovering how DNA damage is repaired. Chronic stress also causes DNA damage. Normally, the body cleanses these damages during sleep and moments of relaxation. A healthy diet and lifestyle are of great importance.'
There is a slavery to success…
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, stating, 'We don't have the power to change the world, but we have the power to change ourselves,' concluded his words by saying, 'Currently, there is a kind of voluntary slavery among people. There is a slavery to success. There is a slavery to the consumer economy. As a result, people's stress increases by constantly wanting 'more, more.' As people's expectations from life increase, stress levels rise, and a constant state of anxiety emerges. Therefore, re-evaluating our lifestyle and expectations is important to reduce stress and live a healthier life.'