Anxiety and students

Anxiety is a prevalent mental health condition in Australia (Lawrence et al., 2015). On average, one in four people experiences anxiety at some stage in their life (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2008). Student Wellbeing Officer Kathryn Harvey explains what the literature is telling us.

Anxiety disorders often present during adolescence (Lawrence et al., 2015). According to Kessler et al. (2005), the median age of onset for anxiety disorders is 11 years, which is before early adolescence. In Australia, one in 14 adolescents meets the diagnostic criteria for an anxiety disorder (Lawrence et al., 2015).

Intermittent and situational anxiety is normal and can occur prior to exams, public speaking, or when faced with a threat or danger. Anxiety can improve performance (Strack, Lopes, Esteves, & Fernandez-Berrocal, 2017), however, for some individuals, anxiety becomes excessive and significantly affects day to day living (Essau, Lewinsohn, Olaya, & Seeley, 2014).

According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA, 2013), anxiety is “an emotion characterised by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure”. The main features of anxiety include excessive fear and related psychosocial symptoms; for example, feelings of hopelessness or helplessness, panic, mood swings, despair, dissociation and flashbacks to a traumatic event (APA, 2013).

Disordered anxiety tends to be chronic, often interfering with life, such as impairing memory and concentration (Fernández Castillo & Caurcel, 2015). Anxiety symptoms can occur for no specific reason and can be challenging to manage (Hudson & McKinnon, 2017).

People with anxiety disorders may avoid certain situations, with many experiencing physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, dizziness or a rapid heartbeat (Hudson & McKinnon, 2017). From a biological perspective, anxiety induces a heightened state of awareness to protect from threats. However, for those who are in a constant state of anxiety, their bodies never turn off the fight-flight response (Hudson & McKinnon, 2017).

Top 10 signs of anxiety in students

1. Emotional changes

The anxious student may feel on edge, restless, uneasy or become defiant. The student may exhibit behaviours to avoid specific tasks or situations that they find threatening. For example, a student may misbehave before a test to get removed from the class, therefore avoiding the test. Other emotional change may include excessive worrying, low self-esteem, and overwhelming feelings.

2. Social changes

The social changes that the anxious student may present with include social withdrawal and isolation. Also, the student may, in a severe case of social anxiety, develop selective mutism.

3. Physical changes

Students feeling unwell is not a sign of anxiety, but when the student frequently presents to sick bay or requests to go home, it is essential to look for patterns in their presentations. Children and adolescents often present with the following signs of anxiety:

• frequent somatic complaints (including headaches, stomach aches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting)
• racing /pounding heart,
• sweating,
• trembling/shaking
• shortness of breath
• muscle tension
• panic attacks.

4. Sleep difficulties

The overall health and wellbeing of students is dependent on sleep. Anxiety is a frequent contributor to sleep issues. The anxious student can have trouble falling asleep, have nightmares and wake frequently.

5. Changes in school performance

School performance changes is a common indicator of anxiety. The anxious student may be absent often due to physical ailments, or have difficulty concentrating due to lack of sleep or worrying thoughts. Some of the signs that the student may be anxious include decrease in grades, frequently missed assessment tasks, the student feeling overwhelmed by the workload, procrastination and difficulties focusing on tasks.

6. Assuming the worst

When a student is anxious, they may assume the worst. For some students, focusing on negative thoughts is a way of preparing for a worst-case scenario, even if it is unlikely to happen. Negative thinking patterns can be challenging and frightening for the anxious student.

7. Perfectionism

Perfectionism occurs with anxiety for some students. The student’s anxiety levels increase as they are continually worrying about achieving high grades and not making mistakes. The perfectionist student can have low self-esteem and become obsessed with results and achievements.

8. Tantrums

Tantrums and defiance can be signs of an anxious student of any age. The student may be defiant towards teachers so that they can avoid a task, or they may become angry or distressed when being dropped at school. While not all students who are defiant or have tantrums have anxiety, it is crucial to investigate the cause of the behaviours as they could be an anxiety disorder.

9. School refusal

A common sign of anxiety is school refusal or school phobia. Students will go to excessive lengths to avoid going to school. The student may slowly disengage from their peers and extracurricular activities, miss classes or refuse to attend school completely.

10. Panic attacks

Panic attacks are a sign of anxiety. Some of the symptoms of a panic attack can include: the student’s behaviour changes, they become sweaty, dizzy, may begin to shake, have chest pain, breathing difficulties or experience derealisation or feel as if they are dying. If a student has a panic attack in the classroom, it is vital to be prepared and handle the situation gently and calmly so as not to escalate the student’s feelings. Speak calmly and reassuringly. The use of grounding and breathing techniques can reduce the severity. Teaching students mindfulness and incorporating it into classroom daily practices also provides support and prevention to all students.

The most effective way to support anxious students is to recognise the signs and understand that the student is unable to control their feelings easily. Many anxious students become confused, scared and overwhelmed by their emotions – and their anxiety only escalates.