Male student panics because of exam pressure

Hanoi: The pressure of passing the university entrance exam caused an 18-year-old male student to panic, manifesting as feelings of fear, heart pain, and sudden chest pain.

On June 12, Dr. Tran Thi Hong Thu, Deputy Director of Mai Huong Daytime Psychiatric Hospital, said that the patient came to the clinic in early June with prolonged fatigue, decreased concentration, occasional hand and foot tremors, dizziness, poor appetite, and little sleep.

According to his family, he is currently focusing on studying for the entrance exam to Hanoi Medical University. He has a tight schedule, often staying up until 2am to study, and waking up at 6am to go to school. Despite lack of sleep, the male student cannot sleep, always worrying about the exam.

In the past month, the fatigue and headaches have increased, especially the patient often has sudden attacks of fear, starting with rapid heartbeat, dizziness, chest pain, lasting for several minutes. Fearing that his parents will be disappointed, he does not share, becomes withdrawn, lives in isolation, and has little communication with people around him.

Through examination and testing, Dr. Thu diagnosed the male student with anxiety disorder and depression, caused by exam pressure activating the disease or worsening a pre-existing underlying condition. The patient was supported with psychotherapy and medication, and the symptoms have now decreased.

The above case is just one of many patients that Dr. Thu has treated or provided counseling support for recently. Most of them are students about to take important exams, showing signs of fatigue, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, insomnia, and difficulty controlling emotions.

In addition, the patient may have gastric ulcers, which are manifested by abdominal pain above the navel or around the navel, nausea, vomiting, belching, and heartburn. On June 8, Bach Mai Hospital admitted a 15-year-old male student who was preparing for the 10th grade entrance exam with a high fever, a painful stomach that was as stiff as wood, and doctors discovered a perforated duodenum due to irregular eating and academic pressure.

Family members said that he used to have a duodenal ulcer and had been treated many times. Recently, he often stayed up until 1-2am to study for exams, took many extra classes a day, and his daily schedule was disrupted. Due to the pressure of studying, he was worried, stressed, ate poorly, slept little, and was often angry for no reason. Five days ago, after an evening extra class, he had a severe stomachache and high fever, and his family took him to the emergency room. The male student had an endoscopy to suture the puncture wound and was discharged after 5 days of treatment, but still took medication and had follow-up visits.

According to Dr. Thu, to reduce the negative impact of exams, children should maintain a balanced lifestyle such as taking care of themselves, eating healthily, exercising regularly and having a reasonable schedule between studying and resting. Families need to pay more attention to their children by sharing, understanding and confiding. Parents should not impose too high standards or have an attitude of giving up on their children's efforts. Children should be prepared to face failure and should not be too stressed about any exam.

Children with abnormal moods, irritability, prolonged loss or loss of interest in previously favorite recreational activities; avoiding going to school; declining academic performance, complaints of lack of concentration, forgetfulness... need to be examined by a doctor, receive psychological counseling early, and receive timely treatment.

Thuy Quynh

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