DUBAI // A suffocating fear of failure and anxiety that would build as exams approached led “Emma” to seek professional help.

The UAE student would stay up through the night poring over revision books, leading to a disturbed sleeping pattern and irregular eating.

It also meant exhaustion during the school day, preventing Emma from learning as clearly as she would with proper sleep.

“She was feeling tired all the time during the day at school and missed some days due to feeling unwell,” said Clare Smart, a mental health consultant at LifeWorks Personal Development Training Centre in Dubai.

“This added to her anxiety that she had missed important work and she furiously tried to catch up.”

Emma had earlier received a disappointing mark in an exam and it was believed that this, along with the fear of failing her high-achieving father, contributed to her developing anxiety.

She visited LifeWorks and sought Ms Smart’s help after feeling overwhelmed with stress.

“After Emma was educated about what anxiety is and how it can become a problem, we identified the unhelpful thinking styles that she was experiencing and worked on changing these thoughts for more realistic and positive ones, so she didn’t have the same level of anxiety,” Ms Smart said.

“We also worked on specific relaxation strategies including breathing, mindfulness and visualisation to help her to cope with anxiety symptoms.”

Other strategies including revision techniques and organisation helped her to study more effectively, Ms Smart said.

jbell@thenational.ae