To you after the college entrance examination, this psychological adjustment guide states | psychology | college entrance examination
After the exam, the "heart" bag is actively moving towards the future——
This psychological adjustment guide is for you after the college entrance examination
Guangming Daily reporter Yue Jiayi
As the final exam bell rings, from high tension to sudden relaxation, the psychological state of college students will undergo significant changes compared to before the exam. In the eyes of many people, the end of the college entrance examination means "liberation", but for candidates who still need to go through score checks, volunteer applications, and other admissions, the psychological test they face during the "post college entrance examination period" is no less than before the exam.
In the near future, the scores of the college entrance examination will be announced one after another in various regions. In the gap between hope and disappointment, candidates are prone to psychological states such as anxiety, confusion, and irritability. Under multiple stress conditions, if not adjusted properly, various psychological, behavioral, and emotional changes and other "adaptability disorders" may occur. How should candidates and parents adjust? Experts remind candidates and parents to learn to break free from the busy and tense college entrance examination and not fall into another state of anxiety, from being nervous before the exam to worrying about exam results. Candidates and parents should objectively treat the results of the college entrance examination and regulate their life and psychological state after the exam.
On June 9th, at Changsha No.1 Middle School, candidates celebrated after the college entrance examination. Shen Jizhong
Some people are happy while others are worried, and emotional internal friction is not advisable
In 2023, the number of applicants for the national college entrance examination reached 12.91 million, an increase of 980000 from last year, setting a new historical high. Among them, it is inevitable that there will be students who perform poorly. A netizen left a message saying, "I made several simple mistakes. My region is facing college entrance examination reform, and repeating courses lacks competitiveness. I have completely lost confidence and have been feeling very uncomfortable lately."
Another more subtle manifestation is that some candidates with poor grades do not experience typical sadness and anxiety, but instead fall into a brief period of indifference and numbness. "This is essentially an avoidance behavior of not daring to face real emotions, and numbness after stress events is a dangerous phenomenon that may indicate more serious psychological problems in the future. This requires us to invest more care and pay attention to their emotional experiences," said Han Zhuo, a professor at the Psychology Department of Beijing Normal University.
No matter how you perform, when facing exam failures, the fundamental state reflected is similar: things that have been worked hard for a long time have not achieved the expected results, as if the entire life has become gray. In Han Zhuo's view, the reason for this phenomenon is that candidates are prone to falling into a wrong cognitive triangle model - through the college entrance examination, they feel that they are poor, the world they have to face is getting worse, and their future is definitely hopeless. "But when you calm down, is this really the case? This idea is obviously wrong."
In addition, there are also candidates whose grades exceed expectations, but behind the joy, they will also face some problems. Some students tend to excessively indulge themselves, busy with meals, staying up all night online, playing games, etc. every day, resulting in sleep disorders, mental excitement, insomnia, and other phenomena. Some candidates may develop negative psychological states such as complacency, pride, and indulgence as a result. Some students are at a loss due to losing their goals after the college entrance examination, and feel bored or bored in everything they do, falling into a pure emptiness and confusion.
Fluctuations in grades are normal, and one must have the courage not to avoid them
"After scoring, it's often a matter of joy and sorrow for several families, and it's impossible for all students to perform perfectly." Teacher Liu, a homeroom teacher at a high school in Beijing, believes that "the college entrance examination score may know you better than you do.". The solid mastery of knowledge may vary in the college entrance examination room. Faced with the increasingly flexible trend of proposition and the ever-changing "shell" of knowledge core, if the knowledge points are not solid, it is easy to "mess up the formation" in the exam room. "For example, when encountering a change in question type, even if you did it correctly the previous time, there is still a possibility of errors this time. Looking deeper, it is actually difficult to consider this as a 'mistake'."
The college entrance examination score is ultimately a manifestation of multiple factors, but many candidates cannot accept it psychologically, resulting in various emotions. "We should know that all factors are a part of the college entrance examination, and fluctuations in grades within a certain range are normal phenomena. Realizing this can help to stay away from addiction, anxiety, and excessive regret," said Teacher Liu.
For candidates with less than ideal exam results, many simple and specific methods can help them relieve their emotions on their own. As suggested by Shen Chenyu, the attending physician of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology at Yuquan Hospital of Tsinghua University, exercising in the sunlight and consuming vitamin D can help improve mood. In addition, some team sports can increase interpersonal interaction and effectively avoid the concept of rumination or anxiety compulsion.
"Immersing oneself in the natural environment can also improve emotions. It is recommended that candidates try to change their surroundings and enjoy the tranquility and comfort brought by nature in parks, gardens, forests, etc. At the same time, techniques such as deep breathing, muscle relaxation, meditation, and yoga can be used to help alleviate stress and anxiety." In response to the above issues, Yan Xiaohua, a psychology teacher at a certain university's mental health service center, suggested.
Candidates with relatively ideal grades can mostly calm down on their own after experiencing short-term excitement. However, experts also remind individual candidates to avoid falling into long-term mental excitement and excitement. After joy, they should calm down and focus on specific matters in reality, adjust to a normal life track in a timely manner, and make some plans and preparations for the upcoming college life.
Regarding the psychological state of emptiness and boredom among some candidates, Yan Xiaohua believes that the most important thing to do at this time is to set a new goal to divert attention, actively learn a new skill that interests oneself, and participate in more social activities. This can effectively help students find a sense of self-worth.
As the child's closest family member, parents also play an important role during this period. Han Zhuo reminds that due to the high contagiousness of emotions, parents must first achieve emotional stability. "Due to concerns about the child's emotional abnormalities, being overly sensitive and exploring every emotional and behavioral clue of the child, constantly asking and analyzing, can cause additional pressure on the child. It is important to avoid turning emotional communication into forced questioning or emotional violence."
In addition, parents and candidates should also work together to provide psychological support. Professor Chen Zhiyan from the Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences believes that "it is normal to have a positive attitude, but parents still need to help candidates establish a psychological guarantee of the 'up, middle, and down' three strategies. If they do well in exams, what kind of choice and path is it; if they do moderately, what should they do; if they do poorly, what should they do. Multiple coping strategies can effectively help children reduce psychological stress and play an important role in stabilizing their psychological state."
"To cultivate an attitude and courage that cannot be avoided, the source of this courage is that even if I do not achieve particularly good grades, teachers and parents will not despise or dislike me because of it." Shen Chenyu suggested, "This requires the joint efforts and care of family and society."
Too much pressure? You might as well try the "Health Coach"
"Whether it's joy, sadness, or confusion, they are all normal phenomena. When you find that you cannot return to a stable state through self-regulation, you can use external efforts to adjust instead of suppressing or stopping your emotions," said Han Zhuo.
For college entrance examination candidates, if they experience low mood, unwillingness to communicate, unfounded facial expressions, fear, body tremors, or irritability, loss of appetite, sudden overeating, sleep disorders, and even emotional numbness, loss of interest, and continue for a certain period of time after the exam, they need to seek professional psychological help.
From Shen Chenyu's work experience, the true peak of medical treatment is still before the exam. "Many candidates' psychological problems do not arise suddenly from the stimulation after the exam, but accumulate during their school years. If signs of psychological problems are found in daily life, they can first seek diagnosis from a psychologist to assess the level of risk, determine whether medication is needed, whether clinical treatment is needed, etc. If there are non pathological psychological disorders that have not yet reached clinical level, they can also seek help from professional psychological counselors."
It is undeniable that some candidates may subconsciously ignore or resist psychological counseling. "Am I having a problem? Am I not good enough? Am I too fragile to need extra help from others?" Many similar questions lingered in their hearts. At the same time, the lack of understanding from many parents has exacerbated the occurrence of such behavior.
The first thing to overcome in psychological counseling is this sense of shame. Han Zhuo vividly compares psychological counseling to a "mental gym.". "We usually use fitness to strengthen our physical fitness, and we also need to exercise psychologically. If necessary, we can also find professionals to 'guide' you. Psychological counselors or doctors can become your 'health coaches'."
A good psychological state can help children establish confidence and a sense of social responsibility, enabling them to participate in social life more actively, smoothly, and independently in the future. "The important significance of early effective intervention is to avoid affecting many social functions in the later stage, including making it less difficult to face more complex work, making friends, and other events in the future," said Shen Chenyu.
Wear psychological armor to enhance resilience in practice
The Interannual Evolution of Adolescent Mental Health Status in 2009 and 2020 by the Institute of Psychology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences shows that as grades increase, the detection rate of depression in adolescents shows an upward trend. The high school stage is significantly higher than primary and middle school, but there is no significant difference between the three grades. Stress events can amplify the risk of developing psychological problems. When adolescence hits the big test of life, the sensitive sparks generated by the collision are a significant challenge for teenagers aged seventeen or eighteen. When it is found that some objective conditions are difficult to improve in a short period of time, one should try to build a strong psychological "armor" for oneself as much as possible.
Adolescents with comprehensive development should possess certain psychological adjustment skills, including emotional regulation skills, stress coping skills, and interpersonal communication skills, and be able to apply them in real life in a timely manner. "For example, in the face of failure, how to adjust one's emotions, how to confide in friends, etc. These are all things that need to be constantly practiced in the process of growth." Chen Zhiyan said, "We need to constantly enhance our ability to resist setbacks in practice."
Teenagers nowadays are enthusiastic about exploring their own meaning in life. "We encourage prospective college students to try to understand and develop their personal strengths after exams and during their college years, experience the outside world more, and find their true love in different experiences. Whether facing specific setbacks or fighting against emptiness, this special life experience will become a powerful spiritual force for you in the future after being honed." Han Zhuo said.
The college entrance examination is important, but life ahead is even more important. "At that time, I didn't want to admit my true level, so I always used to play out of order to avoid problems." Xiao Wang, a recent college entrance examination student 10 years ago, shared his feelings with reporters, "After the college entrance examination, a lot of things happened in my life. I bravely chose a major that was not favored but I loved. Later, I went through postgraduate examination, studying abroad, and so on, step by step towards a better future. Entering the workplace, I will find that it is very different from campus life, and it is a piece of Xintiandi waiting for me in the front."
Indeed, the college entrance examination is only the first stop towards the future. The scenery has always been on the way, come on, with a brave and optimistic heart, set off again towards the future!
