测ping值:克服焦虑的6个建议

Performance or test anxiety produces a variety of symptoms whenever you’re put on the spot, whether it’s giving a presentation, being on stage or taking a test. According to psychologist Lucy Jo Palladino, Ph.D, author of Find Your Focus Zone: An Effective New Plan to Defeat Distraction and Overload, these signs might include: procrastinating; being easily distracted or irritable; engaging in nervous habits like nail-biting; trouble sleeping, worrying about doing badly; and feeling paralyzed.

焦虑可能来自各方各面，可能是为了一场演讲、登台、或者是一次考试，越怕它来它越来。心理学家露茜博士在她的著作《找到你的关注区》中提到，有种新的方法可以避免焦虑，可以让你远离拖延、分心或急躁，还能让你避免因焦虑造成的失眠、无助、心情沮丧。

Here are six ideas on overcoming performance or test anxiety.

她提出了6项建议：

1. Identify your symptoms.

1. 确定症状

Like Palladino noted above, there are many signs of performance or test anxiety. Figure out your own set of symptoms. What physical sensations, thoughts or behaviors precipitate or perpetuate your anxiety?

正如露茜博士提到的，有很多由焦虑引发的症状，但为了克服焦虑，首先需要搞清楚你的症状，在焦虑时你有什么样的体征、想法或行为？

For instance, at work, you might habitually procrastinate on preparing for a presentation. Minutes before, you might feel jittery or faint while negative thoughts churn in your head. Or during an exam, you might look at other students to see what they’re doing and assume that they’re having a much easier time. Once you can identify these warning signs, you can work to minimize them.

举个例子，在工作中你必须准备一份演讲稿，但却由于害怕而故意拖延；或者你脑子里突然会冒出一些消极的想法，这让你出汗或感觉无力；又或者你在考试中会不由自主地观察其他同学的表现，认为别人比你轻松。一旦你真正识别了这些症状，就能针对这些作出预防。

2. Develop healthy strategies to stave off symptoms.

2. 制定方案缓解症状

Palladino suggested that readers turn to personal strategies to stop the above symptoms from flourishing. That’s why it’s so important to pinpoint the early signs of your anxiety, along with what’s behind your symptoms.

一旦确定了症状，就应该制定方案缓症状，这也是定位症状的重要性，顺着症状可以找到原因。

“The most effective strategies are those that identify and address the specific fear that underlies your anxiety,” Palladino said. For example, a perfectionist may be afraid of making mistakes. “Develop self-talk that gives you permission to be human,” she said. If you haven’t studied as much as you should, don’t judge or criticize yourself. Instead, face the problem and figure out a way to correct it, she said.

露茜博士认为，最有效的方法是找到恐惧或焦虑背后的原因。例如，完美主义者可能由于害怕犯错而焦虑。这可以通过自我对话来解决，不要批判自己，要直面问题并想办法克服它。

3. Use visualization techniques.

3. 心理暗示

“If you’re preparing or studying, visualize yourself taking the exam [or doing any kind of performance] in a relaxed alert state,” Palladino said. Doing this over and over “’exposes’ you to the ‘threat’ in a safe environment, which systematically desensitizes your midbrain so it no longer perceives danger.”

露茜博士建议，在学习或准备演讲的时候，想像自己状态很棒，不断地暗示自己，强化印象。能够持续不断地在一个相对安全、自如的情况下，把自己“暴露”在“威胁”下，让自己逐步适应这种“威胁”。

The midbrain is our body’s ancient fight-or-flight response system that kicks into survival mode whenever it perceives a threat. Whether the threat is real or imagined — someone following us in a dark alley or preparing to play baseball in front of hundreds of people — the midbrain starts pumping adrenaline, Palladino said. Some adrenaline is good because it can help sharpen our focus, she said. But too much adrenaline can drive us out of our focus zone and into anxiety and tension.

远古时的人类一旦遇到威胁就需要立即决定战斗或逃走，长久以来我们的脑也适应了这种模式。无论是真实的还是想像的威胁，脑肾上腺素都会开始发挥作用。适当的肾上腺素会帮助我们集中注意力，但过多的肾上腺素反而会让我们注意力分散，并感到紧张和焦虑。

4. Practice self-compassion.

4. 自我纾解

When you feel the pangs of anxiety, does your self-talk sound something like this: “I can’t believe that I’m nervous about something so small. Of course, I am. I’m weak, and I can’t do anything right. Why would this be any different?” Or like this: “I’m not smart enough, and I just know that I’m going to fail. It doesn’t matter how much I’ve prepared.”

当你感到焦虑和痛苦时，你是不是曾经这么对自己说过：“这么小的事儿还发愁，我可真弱，这都干不好”，或者“我不够聪明，这事儿没准儿会办砸，我再怎么拼命准备也没用”。

This negative self-talk only makes you feel worse and feeds your anxiety. Instead, be encouraging and supportive with yourself. Palladino suggested practicing positive self-talk such as “I’m proud of myself for being here, and challenging myself to do this.” What also can help is to “Think of people who believe in you, and recall past successes,” she added.

这些消极的自我对话于事无补，只能加剧你的焦虑，还会让事情变得更糟。露茜博士建议尝试积极的自我对话，激励和鼓励自己，比如“我能在这儿接受挑战就已经很棒了”，或者想想相信你、支持你的人，以及你以往的胜利。

(Here’s more on cultivating self-compassion.)

（这儿有更多的例子帮你自我纾解）

5. Reframe.

5. 重新界定

How we view a situation has the power to color our emotions and reactions. If you think that a work presentation will make or break your career (and that you’ll inevitability bomb), your anxiety will, not surprisingly, surge. “Reframe your experience as one more adventure in life, not an event that defines you as a winner or a loser,” Palladino said.

我们看待情况的视角决定我们的情绪和反应，如果我们觉得一份演讲稿会对自己的职业生涯产生重大影响，那无疑会感到紧张和焦虑。但如果仅仅把这份经历作为生命中的一次冒险，而不是决定你的失败或成功，那你的感觉就会完全不同，你的反应也会很不一样。

6. Seek help.

6. 寻求帮助

If you’re having a difficult time working through your anxiety on your own, don’t hesitate to see a therapist who specializes in anxiety disorders. Performance and test anxiety are highly treatable, and you can absolutely get better! (You can search for therapists in your area with Psych Central’s therapist finder.)

如果你在焦虑中痛苦挣扎、无力自拔，还是去找一位有经验的治疗师吧。焦虑是可治愈的，别担心，你肯定能恢复到好的状态。（可以通过这个链接寻找你周边的治疗师）

Additional Information

更多信息

Many universities offer excellent resources for test anxiety. These pages from The George Washington University and the University at Buffalo are especially helpful. Also, if public speaking makes you panicked, here’s a piece that might help, too.

许多大学关于焦虑提供了很好的课程资源，华盛顿大学和布法罗大学提供了很多论文。如果你对面对公众发言感到困难，也可以从这里获得帮助。