BDeRoes Test Anxiety

Overcoming Test Anxiety

It is estimated that 30 percent (or more!) of people experience Test Anxiety at some time. If you find yourself thinking that you are doomed whenever a test comes around, the following material may be helpful to you. It comes from the book The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook, Second Edition, 1995, by Edmund Bourne. I also recommend you look up "test anxiety" on the Internet.

from Chapter 9, Self-Talk

Links to headings in this document:

Anxiety and Self-Talk
Some Basic Points About Self-Talk
Types of Negative Self-Talk

The Worrier
The Critic
The Victim
The Perfectionist

Exercise: What Are Your Subpersonalities Telling You?
Countering Negative Self-Talk

Imagine two individuals sitting in stop-and-go traffic at rush hour. One perceives himself as trapped, and says such things to himself as "I can't stand this," "I've got to get out of here," "Why did I ever get myself into this commute?" What he feels is anxiety, anger, and frustration. The other perceives the situation as an opportunity to lay back, relax, and put on a new tape. He says such things to himself as "I might as well just relax and adjust to the pace of the traffic," or "I can unwind by doing some deep breathing." What he feels is a sense of calm and acceptance. In both cases, the situation is exactly the same, but the feelings in response to that situation are vastly different because of each individual's internal monologue, or self-talk.

The truth is that it's what we say to ourselves in response to any particular situation that mainly determines our mood and feelings. Often we say it so quickly and automatically that we don't even notice, and so we get the impression that the external situation "makes" us feel the way we do. But it's really our interpretations and thoughts about what is happening that form the basis of our feelings...

In short, you are largely responsible for how you feel (barring physiological determinants, such as illness). This is a profound and very important truth - one that sometimes takes a long time to fully grasp. It's often much easier to blame the way you feel on something or someone outside yourself than to take responsibility for your reactions. Yet it is through your willingness to accept that responsibility that you begin to take charge and have mastery over your life. The realization that you are mostly responsible for how you feel is empowering once you fully accept it. It's one of the most important keys to living a happier, more effective, and anxiety-free life.

Anxiety and Self-Talk

People who suffer from phobias, panic attacks, and general anxiety are especially prone to engage in negative self-talk. Anxiety can be generated on the spur of the moment by repeatedly making statements to yourself that begin with the two words "what if." Any anxiety you experience in anticipation of confronting a difficult situation is manufactured out of your own what-if statements to yourself. When you decide to avoid a situation altogether, it is probably because of the scary questions you've asked yourself: "What if I panic?" "What if I can't handle it?" "What will other people think if they see me anxious?" Just noticing when you fall into what-if thinking is the first step toward gaining control over negative self-talk. The real change occurs when you begin to counter and replace negative what-if statements with positive, self-supportive statements that reinforce your ability to cope. For example, you might say, "So what," "These are just thougthts" "This is just scare-talk," "I can handle this," or "I can breathe, let go, and relax."

I want you to consider some basic facts about self-talk. Following these facts is a discussion of the different types of self-defeating inner monologues.

Some Basic Points About Self-Talk

Self-talk is usually so automatic and subtle that you don't notice it or the effect it has on your moods and feelings. You react without noticing what you told yourself right before your reacted. Often it's only when you relax, take a step back, and really examine what you've been telling yourself that you can see the connection between self-talk and your feelings. What is important is that you can learn to slow down and take note of your negative internal monologue.
Self-talk often appears in telegraphic form. One short word or image contains a whole series of thoughts, memories, or associations. For example, you feel your heart starting to beat faster and say to yourself, "Oh no!" Implicit within that momentary "Oh no!" is a whole series of associations concerning fears about panic, memories of previous panic attacks, and thoughts about how to escape the current situation. Identifying self-talk may require unraveling several distinct thoughts from a single word or image.
Anxious self-talk is typically irrational but almost always sounds like the truth. What-if thinking may lead you to expect the worst possible outcome in a given situation, one that is highly unlikely to occur. Yet because the association takes place so quickly, it goes unchallenged and unquestioned. It's hard to evaluate the validity of a belief you're scarcely aware of - you just accept it as is.
Negative self-talk perpetuates avoidance. You tell yourself that a situation such as the freeway is dangerous and so you avoid it. By continuing to avoid it, you reinforce the thought that it's dangerous. You may even project images of catastrophe around the prospect of confronting the situation. In short, anxious self-talk leads to avoidance, avoidance begets further anxious self-talk, and around and around the cycle goes.
Self-talk can initiate or aggravate a panic attack. A panic attack often starts out with symptoms of increasing physiological arousal, such as a more rapid heartbeat, tightness in the chest, or sweaty palms. Biologically, this is the body's natural response to stress - the fight- or-flight response that all mammals, including humans, normally experience when subjected to a perceived threat. There is nothing inherently abnormal or dangerous about it. Yet these symptoms can remind you of previous panic attacks. Instead of simply allowing your body's physiological reaction to rise, peak, and subside in its own good time, you scare yourself into a considerably more intense panic attack with scary self-talk: "Oh no, it's happening again," "What if I lose control?" "I have to get out of here now," or "I'm going to fight this and make it go away." This scare- talk aggravates the initial physical symptoms, which in turn elicits further scare-talk. A severe panic attack might have been aborted or rendered much less intense had you made reassuring statements to yourself at the onset of your first symptoms: "I can accept what's happening even though it's uncomfortable," "I'll let my body do its thing," "This will pass," "I've gotten through this before and I will this time," or "This is just a burst of adrenaline that can metabolize and pass in a few minutes."
Negative self-talk is a series of bad habits. You aren't born with a predisposition to fearful self-talk: your learn to think that way. Just as you can replace unhealthy behavioral habits such as smoking or drinking excess coffee, with more positive, health-promoting behavior, so can replace unhealthy thinking with more positive, supportive mental habits. Bear in mind that the acquisition of positive mental habits takes the same persistence and practice required for learning new behaviors.

Types of Negative Self-Talk

Not all negative self-talk is the same. Human beings are not only diverse but complex, with multifaceted personalities. These facets are sometimes referred to as "subpersonalities." Our different subpersonalities each play their own distinct role and possess their own voice in the complex workings of consciousness, memory, and dreams. Below I've outlined four of the more common subpersonality types that tend to be prominent in people who are prone to anxiety: the Worrier, the Critic, the Victim, and the Perfectionist. (These subpersonalities are based on Reid Wilson's description of the Worried, Critical, and Hopeless Observers in his book Don't Panic: Taking Control of Anxiety Attacks. Since the strength of these inner voices varies for different people, you might find it useful to rank them from strongest to weakest in yourself.

1. The Worrier (promotes anxiety)

Characteristics:: Usually this is the strongest subpersonality in people who are prone to anxiety. The Worrier creates anxiety by imagining the worst-case scenario. It scares you with fantasies of disaster or catastrophe when you imagine confronting something you fear. It also aggravates panic by reacting to the first physical symptoms of a panic attack. The Worrier promotes your fears that what is happening is dangerous or embarrassing ("What if I have a heart attack?!" "What will they think if they see me?!").
Favorite Expression:: By far the favorite expression of the Worrier is "What if..."
Examples:: Some typical dialogue from the Worrier might include: "Oh no, my heart's starting to beat faster! What if I panic and lose complete control of myself?" "What if I start stammering in the middle of my speech?" "What if I just can't get over this phobia?" or "What if I'm restricted from going to work for the rest of my life?"

2. The Critic (promotes low self- esteem)

Characteristics:: The Critic is that part of you which is constantly judging and evaluating your behavior (and in this sense may seem more "apart" from you than the other subpersonalities). It tends to point out your flaws and limitations whenever possible. It jumps on any mistake you make to remind you that you're a failure. The Critic generates anxiety by putting you down for not being able to handle your panic symptoms, for not being able to go places you used to go, for being unable to perform at your best, or for having to be dependent on someone else. It also likes to compare you with others, and usually sees them coming out favorably. It tends to ignore your positive qualities and emphasizes your weaknesses and inadequacies. The Critic may be personified in your own dialogue as the voice of your mother or father, a dreaded teacher, or anyone who wounded you in the past with their criticism.
Favorite Expression:: What a disappointment you are!" "That was stupid!"
Examples:: Typical of the Critic's self-talk are statements such as the following: "You stupid..." (the Critic relishes negative labels). "Can't you ever get it right?" "Why are you always this way?" "Look at how capable _____ is," or "You could have done better."

3. The Victim (promotes depression)

Characteristics:: The Victim is that part of you which feels helpless or hopeless. It generates anxiety by telling you that you're not making any progress, that your condition is incurable, or that the road is too long and steep for you to have a real chance at recovering. The Victim also plays a major role in creating depression. The Victim believes that there is something inherently wrong with you: you are in some ways deprived, defective, or unworthy. The Victim always perceives insurmountable obstacles between you and your goals. Characteristically, it bemoans, complains, and regrets things as they are at present. It believes that nothing will ever change.
Favorite Expression:: "I can't." "I'll never be able to."
Examples:: The Victim will say such things as: "I'll never be able to do that, so what's the point in even trying?" "I feel physically drained today - why bother doing anything?" "Maybe I could have done it if I'd had more initiative ten years ago - but it's too late now."

4. The Perfectionist (promotes chronic stress and burnout)

Characteristics:: The Perfectionist is a close cousin of the Critic, but its concern is less to put you down than to push and goad you to do better. It generates anxiety by constantly telling you that your efforts aren't good enough, that you should be working harder, that you should always have everything under control, should always be competent, should always be pleasing, should always be _____ (fill in whatever you keep telling yourself that you "should" do or be). The Perfectionist is the hard-driving part of you that wants to be best and is intolerant of mistakes or setbacks. It has a tendency to try to convince you that your self-worth is dependent on externals such as vocational achievement, money and status, acceptance by others, being loved, or your consistent ability to be pleasing and nice to others regardless of what they do. The Perfectionist isn't convinced by any notions of your inherent self-worth, but instead pushes you into stress, exhaustion, and burnout in pursuit of its goals. It likes to ignore warning signals from your body.
Favorite Expressions:: "I should." "I have to." "I must."
Examples:: The Perfectionist may provide such instructions as "I should always be on top of things." "I should always be considerate and unselfish," "I should always be pleasant and nice," "I have to (get this job, make this amount of money, receive _____'s approval, etc) or I'm not worth much." (See the discussion of "should statements" at the end of the next section.)

Exercise: What Are Your Subpersonalities Telling You?

Take some time to think about how each of the above subpersonalities plays a role in your thinking, feelings, and behavior. First, estimate how much each one affects you by rating its degree of influence from "not at all" to "very much" on a six-point scale. Which subpersonality is strongest and which is weakest for your? Then think about what each subpersonality is saying to you to create or aggravate anxiety in each of four different situations.

Work (in other words, on your job, at school, or in other performance situations)
Personal Relationships (with your spouse or partner, parents, children, and/or friends)
Anxiety Symptoms (on occasions where you experience panic, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive symptoms)
Phobic Situations (either in advance of facing a phobia or while actually confronting the phobic situation)

The Worrier

Work:: "What if my boss finds out that I have agoraphobia? Will I get fired?"
Relationships:: "My husband is getting tired of having to take me places. What if he refuses? What if he leaves me?"
Anxiety Symptoms:: "What if they see me panic? What if they think I'm weird?"
Phobic Situation:: "What if I get into an accident the first time I drive on the freeway?"

Many of you will find that the Worrier's self-talk in the latter two situations is by far the most common source of your anxiety. If you have panic attacks, the Worrier is prone to create anxiety about when and where your next one might occur. Should the bodily symptoms of panic actually start to come on, the Worrier will magnify them into something dangerous, which only creates more panic. Many of the coping strategies described in Chapter 6 (in particular, the use of positive coping statements) are designed to help you deal with the Worrier during a panic attack.

If you have phobias, the Worrier is typically busy telling you about all kinds of things which might happen if you were to actually face your fear. As a result, you often experience "anticipatory anxiety" (anxiety in advance of facing a phobia) and try to avoid dealing with whatever your phobia may be. You'll find it helpful to do a separate analysis of what your Worrier is telling you (in other words, your what-ifs) for each of your specific phobias. Ask yourself what you're afraid could happen if you faced each phobia.

The Critic

Work:: "I'm incompetent because of my condition."
Relationships:: "I'm a burden to my husband."
Anxiety Symptoms:: "I'm such a weakling - I go to pieces when I panic."
Phobic Situation:: "Everybody else can drive - I feel like a loser."

The Victim

Work:: "My situation at work is hopeless - sooner or later I'll be fired."
Relationships:: "My parents really messed me up" or "I can't make it without my boyfriend."
Anxiety Symptoms": "I'll never get over these panic attacks - there must be something very wrong with me."
Phobic Situation:: "It's useless going on any more job interviews. No one's going to hire me when they see that I'm so anxious."

The Perfectionist

Work:: "I should be able to make sales like I used to no matter how anxious I feel."
Relationships:: "I shouldn't need to depend on my husband or anyone else to take me places."
Anxiety Symptoms:: "I have to be able to stop these thoughts from from going through my mind."
Phobic Situations:: "I have to learn to drive like anyone else."

...Write down anxiety-provoking statements your subpersonalities are using in each of the above situations. You don't need to do this for all four subpersonalities or for all four types of situations in each case. Only include those subpersonalities and situations which you suspect are a problem for you.

Monitor what your subpersonalities are telling you for at least one week. Pay attention especially to occasions where you are feeling anxious (panicky), depressed, self-critical and ashamed, or otherwise upset. Look for the thoughts that were going through your mind that led you to feel the way you did. "I felt scared" is not a good example of self-talk because it doesn't indicate what you were thinking (telling yourself) that caused you to feel scared. On the other hand, the self- statement, "What if I panic on the job today?" is an example of a thought that could have led you to feel scared... When you've identified what you were telling yourself that provoked anxiety or caused you to feel upset, write it down...

Countering Negative Self-Talk

The most effective way to deal with the negative self-talk of you Worrier and other subpersonalities is to counter it with positive, supportive statements which directly refute or invalidate your negative self-talk. If you're creating anxiety and other upsetting emotional states through negative mental programming, you can begin to change the way you feel by substituting positive programming. Doing this well take some practice. You've had years to practice your negative self-talk and naturally have developed some very strong habits. Your Worrier and other subpersonalities are likely to be very well entrenched. By starting to notice when you're engaging in negativity, an d then countering it with positive, supportive statements to yourself, you'll begin to turn your thinking around. With practice and consistent effort, you'll change both the way you think and feel on an ongoing basis.

Sometimes countering comes naturally and easily. You are ready and willing to substitute positive, reasonable self- statements for ones that have been causing you anxiety and distress. You're more than ready to relinquish negative mental habits that aren't serving you. On the other hand, you may object to the idea of countering and say, "But what if what my Worrier (Critic, Victim, or Perfectionist) says is true? It's hard for me to believe otherwise." Or you may say, "How can I substitute positive self-statements for negative ones if I don't really believe them?"

Perhaps you're strongly attached to some of your negative self- talk. You've been telling yourself these things for years and it's difficult to give up both the habit and the belief. You're not someone who's easily persuaded. If that's the case, and you want to do something about your negative self-talk, it's important that you subject it to rational scrutiny. You can weaken the hold of your negative self-statements by exposing them to any of the following Socratic questions. (These questions are Socratic because like Socrates, they expose a negative argument to rational investigation.)

What is the evidence for this?
Is this always true?
Has this been true in the past?
What are the odds of this really happening (or being true?)
What is the very worst that could happen? What is so bad about that? What would I do if the worst happened?
Am I looking at the whole picture?
Am I being fully objective?

The validity of your negative self-statements has nothing to do with how attached you are to them or how ingrained they might be. Rather, it has to do with whether they stand up under careful, objective scrutiny. Consider the following examples:

Worrier:: "What if I have a heart attack the next time I panic?"
Questioning:: "What is the evidence that panic attacks cause heart attacks?" (Answer: None - see Chapter 6.)
Counterstatement:: "A panic attack, however uncomfortable, is not dangerous to my heart. I can let panic rise, fall, and pass, and my heart will be find."
Critic:: "You're weak and neurotic because of your stupid phobias."
Questioning:: "What is the evidence for this?" (Answer: Phobias are caused by a conditioning process that occurs in a high anxiety state - see Chapter 2. "Weak" and "neurotic" are pejorative labels which explain nothing.)
Counterstatement:: "My phobias developed because of a conditioning process that caused me to be sensitized to certain situations. I'm learning to overcome my phobias through a process of gradual exposure."
Victim:: "I'll never get over this problem. I'll be limited in my mobility for the rest of my life."
Questioning:: "What is the evidence that agoraphobia is a life-long condition? What other outcomes are possible?" (Answer: Ninety percent of agoraphobics recover with effective treatment.)
Counterstatement:: "My condition isn't hopeless. I can overcome it by establishing and committing myself to a program for recovery."
Perfectionist:: "I have to receive my parents' acceptance and approval or I'll be devastated."
Questioning:: "Am I being fully objective? Is it actually true that my parents' approval is absolutely necessary for my well-being? What is the worst that could happen?" (Answer: "I could still survive and have people who care for and support me even without my parents' approval.")
Counterstatement:: "I'm willing to go forward with my life and try to better myself regardless of what my parents think."

Edmund Bourne, 1995

The chapter continues with worksheets and more detailed information for specific phobias. Return to the beginning of this document for full title of the book.

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