Anxiety/Stress
Health and wellbeing
Health and Wellbeing
Anxiety is a very common issue, affecting many students. It is common to try to deal with anxiety by avoiding the situations that feel like they are causing these feelings. Avoidance may feel like it gives temporary relief, but in fact it makes the problem worse.
It's always advisable to let your personal tutor or course leader know if you are having difficulties affecting your studies – they are there to help, and can offer useful advice and support. It's also worth talking to friends or other students to see if they can offer support e.g. by going to classes together.
You can also learn skills to help you deal better with anxiety, and there is a lot of other support available.
Library books
The University library has copies of the following books which could be useful:
- Forsyth, JP & Eifert, GH – The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety – 616.8914/FOR
- Greenberger, D & Padesky, C A – Mind over Mood - 616.89142/GRE
- Harris, R – The Confidence Gap – 150.198/HAR
- Jeffers, S – Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway – 158.2/JEF
- Kennerley, H – Overcoming Anxiety – 616.85220651/KEN
- Meares, K – Overcoming Worry – 616.890651/MEA
- Orsillo, S M & Roemer, L – The Mindful Way through Anxiety – 616.8914/ORS
- Williams, C, Dr – Overcoming anxiety, stress, and panic: a five areas approach – 616.852206/WIL
Other Books that may be useful:
- Acres, D – Passing Exams Without Anxiety – Find it on Amazon
Other resources
If you would like to research more around the topic of anxiety, the Student Wellbeing Service can recommend the following self help resources including information on exam stress:
CBT self-help workbooks
From a well-regarded Australian site, these popular downloadable CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) workbooks provide clear, easy to read information along with short exercises and activities to learn and apply skills for tackling common issues. Many students have found these materials helpful. Choose from:
- What me, worry? for mastering generalised anxiety
- Shy no longer for coping with social anxiety
- Panic stations for coping with panic attacks
- Helping health anxiety for health-focused anxiety
NHS Booklets on anxiety
This page links to a series of excellent booklets providing information and self-help activities to learn skills for common issues, including stress, anxiety, panic, obsessions and compulsions, sleep, anger and health anxiety.
How to cope with exam stress
This MIND leaflet outlines useful ways to prepare for exams, plus minimising and managing stress effectively. It explains how having a mental health problem can impact upon you, and suggests ways of coping and where to go for support.
Other self-help resources
Take a look at our other self-help resources.