Exam Stress - Help & Support

Exam time is a stressful period for pupils and parents alike. I recently worked out that, taking my three school-aged children into account, I was heading for ten consecutive years of exams. This is Year 4 and we are troubled by GCSE's!

Many children get through exam time unscathed, and it is perfectly natural and useful for children to display some nerves along the way. For the majority of children, preparation, in the form of good food, regular sleep patterns, a balance between work and relaxation, and a listening ear, is generally all that is needed.

However, for some children, the pressure of exams, can result in uncharacteristic and worrying physical and/or emotional symptoms. These include headaches, tummy aches, a change in bowel habits (constipation or diarrhoea), loss of appetite and problems sleeping. Your child’s behaviour may also be characterised by anxiety, tearfulness or erratic emotional outbursts. In fact, anticipatory anxiety, can have a range of symptoms, which begin to affect the child’s ability to work effectively. Furthermore, the student who has studied particularly hard, can show signs of exhaustion, while complaining of feeling “brain dead.”

As a parent and practising homeopath, I actively use, and recommend a variety of remedies, which can help to alleviate symptoms of exam stress. Each are matched carefully to the person’s individual symptoms . Argentum Nitricum is one of the top remedies for anticipatory anxiety resulting in nausea/vomiting and diarrhoea. Lycopodium and Gelsemium can be used to build or restore confidence in cases of “stage fright”, whilst also targeting gastric disturbances, headaches and general dullness and lethargy.

Kali Phos Tissue Salts not only have a calming effect on the nerves in cases of excitement, overwork or worry, but along with Picric Acid, can support those students suffering with exhaustion and “brain fag” from overwork. On a more preventative note, a dose of your constitutional remedy, will boost your health and immunity, and get you in the best possible shape for the big day(s).

So, don’t suffer in silence. Act positively. Act homeopathically and good luck!

It is always advisable to seek the advice of a registered homeopath before administering remedies.