Coping with results day
A Surrey anxiety specialist offers advice to students and teachers ahead of the dreaded results day
Next Thursday will see thousands of students across the country open that envelope containing their A-level results.
It's a time in which nerves are extremely high as the contents of that envelope could change student's university prospects.
However before then, Dr Jo Gee, who is a psychotherapist that specialises in anxiety based in Guildford offers advice for both students and parents at such a nervy time.
Dr Jo Gee says that during this time of year she has a significant uptick in people asking for help with anxiety in the lead up to results season.
"We have a number of people who suddenly want to seek support because they've been worried or quite low for quite a while before getting their results. So often we see anxiety and depression requirements there increase.
I also think it's a really difficult time with regards to emotions like disappointment"
Dr Jo Gee also added that results day is largely a transition period, and a lot of people just need help until September, when someone's next chapter will begin.
"I think we forget that results is also a transition period, so people might be really unsure what they want to do with their results.
We get a high number of people who might want some long term support or some really short term support just to help them through this period and to our next September."
For parents in the lead up
Dr Jo Gee says that there's signs that a parent can look out for in their child do in order to tell that they're struggling
"A number of things. So we really want to look for any changes in these young people. Any sudden changes in mood that might be shown with isolation, spending more time away from family or friends.
A lack of interesting things that they would usually find enjoyable. Things like sudden angry outbursts, which are unusual for the young person. Any particular change that isn't characteristic"
However, Dr Jo Gee said that the best option for parents was to keep an 'open-door policy' to avoid pushing an agenda.
"I think an open door policy is really important so that any point a young person can come and speak to them about anything we don't want to push the agenda too much.
So I think there's sometimes an urge within a parent to keep bringing up the topic of stress or what they've noticed, and that can make things worse. So the open door policy where the young person comes to them is important"
The night before
During the Wednesday when nerves can be at an all time high, Dr Jo Gee offered advice on how to cope as best as possible the day before the results.
"We don't want to go into complete avoidance, but actually doing something with a young person, going out somewhere the night before can be really key. Talking through the results. If they want to and if they fear about the next day, but not too much.
We can also if we are the parent and we're worried about anxiety and stress for the young person, we can share our emotion. We can share that we were scared when we did those exams or that we're anxious too."
Dr Jo Gee also warned that a lot of the emotion and anxiety in the lead up to the day can come from a fear of disappointing someone else.
"I think what we get a lot of is disappointment and whether that's from a young person or it's from the parent themselves. So a lot of the fear around the results is actually a fear of disappointing someone.
Try not to get caught up before the results day with our worry of disappointing people or ourselves."