Anxiety & Stress

What is Anxiety & Stress?

Anxiety is an emotion characterized by apprehension and somatic symptoms of tension in which an individual anticipates impending danger, catastrophe, or misfortune. The body often mobilizes itself to meet the perceived threat: Muscles become tense, breathing is faster, and the heart beats more rapidly. Anxiety may be distinguished from fear both conceptually and physiologically, although the two terms are often used interchangeably. Anxiety is considered a future-oriented, long-acting response broadly focused on a diffuse threat, whereas fear is an appropriate, present-oriented, and short-lived response to a clearly identifiable and specific threat. (American Psychological Association, 2026)

Stress is the physiological or psychological response to internal or external stressors. Stress involves changes affecting nearly every system of the body, influencing how people feel and behave. For example, it may be manifested by palpitations, sweating, dry mouth, shortness of breath, fidgeting, accelerated speech, augmentation of negative emotions (if already being experienced), and longer duration of stress fatigue. (American Psychological Association, 2026)

 

Overcoming Test Anxiety

It’s completely normal to experience some form of anxiety prior to a test or exam. However, anxiety becomes problematic if it gets to a point where it begins to negatively affect your performance. In case you find yourself getting caught in a test-related worry spiral, we’ve prepared some strategies to help you relax, prepare and focus on the task at hand.

What Causes Test Anxiety?

Although the root of test anxiety may seem self-explanatory (the obvious answer being, it’s a test!) according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), there are three primary causes of test-related anxiety:

  1. Fear of Failure: If your self-worth is tied to your test score the pressure to perform well may become unbearable. 
  2. Lack of Preparation: It’s easy to get anxious and overwhelmed if you wait until the last minute to study (or don’t study at all).
  3. Poor Test History: A negative mindset that stems from poor past results may influence how well you do on future tests.

Questions to Ask Before an Exam

  1. How many questions will be on the exam?
  2. What types of questions will be on the exam?
  3. What material will be covered?
  4. How much will the exam count toward the final grade?
  5. Will the questions come primarily from the notes or the text?
  6. Will partial credit be awarded for some answers?
  7. How much time will we have for the exam?
  8. Will there be any extra credit?
  9. What materials (books, notes, calculators, and so on) will we be able to use?
  10. What outside material (handouts, readings, and so on) will be included on the
    exams?
  11. Do you have a review or example of the questions?

Overcoming Writing Anxiety/Writer's Block

What are writing anxiety and writer’s block?

“Writing anxiety” and “writer’s block” are informal terms for a wide variety of apprehensive and pessimistic feelings about writing. These feelings may not be pervasive in a person’s writing life. For example, you might feel perfectly fine writing a biology lab report but apprehensive about writing a paper on a novel. You may confidently tackle a paper about the sociology of gender but delete and start over twenty times when composing an email to a cute classmate to suggest a coffee date. In other words, writing anxiety and writer’s block are situational (Hjortshoj 7). These terms do NOT describe psychological attributes. People aren’t born
anxious writers; rather, they become anxious or blocked through negative or difficult experiences with writing. (University of N Carolina @ Chapel Hill Writing Center).

Contact an HCC Counselor

HCC Counselors are licensed professionals with master's or doctoral degrees who offer free, time-limited, short-term counseling to currently enrolled students. Students with documented disability may also qualify for accommodations at HCC.

Panic Attacks

A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause. Panic attacks can be very frightening. When panic attacks occur, you might think you're losing control, having a heart attack or even dying.

Many people have just one or two panic attacks in their lifetimes, and the problem goes away, perhaps when a stressful situation ends. But if you've had recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and spent long periods in constant fear of another attack, you may have a condition called panic disorder.

Although panic attacks themselves aren't life-threatening, they can be frightening and significantly affect your quality of life. However, treatment can be very effective. (Mayo Clinic Overview)

("What is a Panic Attack" Youtube by Pysch Hub)

Prevention (Mayo Clinic)

There's no sure way to prevent panic attacks or panic disorder. However, these recommendations may help.

  • Get treatment for panic attacks as soon as possible to help stop them from getting worse or becoming more frequent.
  • Stick with your treatment plan to help prevent relapses or worsening of panic attack symptoms.
  • Get regular physical activity, which may play a role in protecting against anxiety.

("What causes panic attacks, and how can you prevent them? - Cindy J. Aaronson", TED-ED YouTube Video)

How is panic disorder treated? (NIMH)

If you’re experiencing symptoms of panic disorder, talk to a healthcare provider. After discussing your history, a healthcare provider may conduct a physical exam to ensure that an unrelated physical problem is not causing your symptoms. A healthcare provider may refer you to a mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, or clinical social worker. The first step to effective treatment is to get a diagnosis, usually from a mental health professional.

Panic disorder is generally treated with psychotherapy (sometimes called “talk therapy”), medication, or both. Speak with a healthcare provider about the best treatment for you.

Psychotherapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a research-supported type of psychotherapy, is commonly used to treat panic disorder. CBT teaches you different ways of thinking, behaving, and reacting to the feelings that happen during or before a panic attack. The attacks can become less frequent once you learn to react differently to the physical sensations of anxiety and fear during a panic attack.

Exposure therapy is a common CBT method that focuses on confronting the fears and beliefs associated with panic disorder to help you engage in activities you have been avoiding. Exposure therapy is sometimes used along with relaxation exercises.

For more information on psychotherapy, visit the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) psychotherapies webpage.

Medication

Healthcare providers may prescribe medication to treat panic disorder. Different types of medication can be effective, including:

  • Antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
  • Beta-blockers
  • Anti-anxiety medications, such as benzodiazepines

SSRI and SNRI antidepressants are commonly used to treat depression, but they also can help treat the symptoms of panic disorder. They may take several weeks to start working. These medications also may cause side effects, such as headaches, nausea, or difficulty sleeping. These side effects are usually not severe, especially if the dose starts off low and is increased slowly over time. Talk to your healthcare provider about any side effects that you may experience.

Beta-blockers can help control some of the physical symptoms of panic disorder, such as rapid heart rate, sweating, and tremors. Although healthcare providers do not commonly prescribe beta-blockers for panic disorder, the medication may be helpful in certain situations that precede a panic attack.

Benzodiazepines, which are anti-anxiety sedative medications, can be very effective in rapidly decreasing panic attack symptoms. However, some people build up a tolerance to these medications and need higher and higher doses to get the same effect. Some people even become dependent on them. Therefore, a health care provider may prescribe them only for brief periods of time if you need them.

Both psychotherapy and medication can take some time to work. Many people try more than one medication before finding the best one for them. A healthcare provider can work with you to find the best medication, dose, and duration of treatment for you. A healthy lifestyle also can help combat panic disorder. Make sure to get enough sleep and exercise, eat a healthy diet, and turn to family and friends who you trust for support. To learn more ways to take care of your mental health, visit NIMH’s Caring for Your Mental Health webpage.

For more information about medications used to treat panic disorder, visit NIMH’s Mental Health Medications webpage. Visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website  for the latest warnings, patient medication guides, and information on newly approved medications.

If you need help signing up for health insurance, please visit the HCC Cares\Healthcare page.

Educate Yourself

A good way to help yourself or a loved one who may be struggling with panic attacks or panic disorder is to seek information. Research the warning signs, learn about treatment options, and keep up to date with current research.

Communicate

If you are experiencing panic disorder symptoms, have an honest conversation about how you’re feeling with someone you trust. If you think that a friend or family member may be struggling with panic disorder, set aside a time to talk with them to express your concern and reassure them of your support.

Know When to Seek Help

If your anxiety, or the anxiety of a loved one, starts to cause problems in everyday life—such as at school, at work, or with friends and family—it’s time to seek professional help. Talk to a healthcare provider about your mental health.

(NIMH)

  1. Name it: "This is a panic attack, and it will pass" (panic attack symptoms tend to peak at 10 minutes)
  2. Stay Calm
  3. Give them Space
  4. Offer a coping statement, like
    1. "You can handle these symptoms"
    2. "This will pass"
    3. "This will roll over you, like a wave

If on an HCC Campus, call HCC Police at 713.718.8888, Call 911, and/or notify the campus's Front Desk.

If you are outside of HCC, Call 911 or seek immediate medical treatment.

("How to help your friend during a panic attack - BBC", Youtube)

Anxiety & Stress Resources

Breathing exercises are a good way to lower stress and move your mind & body away from the fight/flight/freeze response.

Meditation

List of Activities to Destress:

  • Starling Minds provides free digital mental with programs for managing stress & anxiety from COVID-19.
  • To find support groups outside the U.S. go to Befrienders.
  • Calm App

Contact Us

HCC Cares

Director of Counseling and Ability Services

3100 Main Street , Houston, TX 77002