Anxiety before the annual, as well as competitive exams and during the wait for the results is taking a deadly toll of young lives. Tips on tackling the pressure of studies - Tips to De-Stress Preetam, (name changed) a bright 21-year-old engineering student, who aspired to get into one of the IIMs studied relentlessly. Bogged down by pressure from family and peers, he gave up and committed suicide, even before he could get into one of them. In his suicide note, he wrote, “I don’t blame anyone for what I am doing. I blame myself.”
Increase in adolescent suicide With the increase in the number of competitive exams that youngsters have to face these days, they are exposed to an enormous amount of stress both physically and mentally. India has recorded the highest number of suicide cases across the world. About 40 per cent of suicides in India are in the adolescent age group. One in every three suicides is  committed by individuals between Don’t let exam stress get you down the ages of 15 and 29 years. Most students are seen to commit suicide after failing exams, but lately, many students are committing suicide fearing bad results. This shows the fear of poor performance and anxiety related to exams taking its toll on young minds.
Inability to challenge shortcomings Most students take competitive exams as a make or break phase in their life, since these exams are the only way of making it to the top B-Schools or IITs. The failure to do so pushes them into an abyss of darkness and a feeling of hopelessness. Nearly 20 per cent of students suffer from anxiety disorders. They are  constantly worried about the outcome of their exams and this makes it even more difficult for them to concentrate on their studies. Anxiety can also lead to sleep disturbance which only compounds the problem resulting in physical fatigue and tiredness. Students suffering from depression also show behaviour such as nail biting and hair plucking.
The symptoms Depressive symptoms are seen in as many as half the students suffering from anxiety. Many go into a phase of low mood, low self-esteem, guilt of not meeting expectations of self and others and even take drastic steps like suicide.
The major problem lies in the fact that only 20 per cent of these depressed students actually seek help. Many students might not express the classical symptoms of depression like low mood and disinterest, but on the contrary show a g i t a t i o n , decrease in sleep, increase in appetite, destruction of others and self.
It is important that these symptoms are noticed early so that students get help at the right time. Resort to psychoact ive substances A new phenomenon called post-exam depression is seen in a fifth of students taking up competitive exams. Once the adrenaline rush of the exam fever settles down, most students are not able to cope with the sudden lull in activity and have a sense of doing nothing.
They find the waiting period between the exams and the results very distressing,something that can push as much as 15 per cent of students to indulge in psychoactive substance use. Use of tobacco and alcohol is seen as a way to get away from the stress and pain of exams and results; to keep them awake and stimulated. Even before one can realise it, the individual would have got into a vicious cycle of using drugs resulting in one addiction leading to another.
Other related conditions Most students develop physical symptoms of headaches and eye problems due to constant eye strain. Many students develop myopic changes of the eye due to improper seating and lighting of their study area. They also complain of gastritis or acidity because they don’t eat on time and have a disturbed sleeping pattern.
Hyper-secretion of acids in the stomach over a long duration can lead to acid peptic disease.
Chronic neck and lower back pain is another issue that as many as 40 per cent of students have to battle due to the bad posture they adapt while studying for long hours. Many  students suffer from weight loss and anaemia due to improper diet, while some students have a tendency to gain weight as they lack the time to exercise. They also become prone to infections due to lack of immunity. We cannot hold competitive exams responsible for such a grim situation. Rather, it is a case of students being the victim of their own ambition coupled with parental pressure to live up to the expectations of family and teachers.
Academic competition has grown by ten times in the last two decades. The only thing that we see increasing in geometric proportions is the number of students as opposed to the linear increase in educational institutions. Some tips for students to remain positive amidst pressure 
• Have open discussions with your parents and teachers regarding your field of interest
• Comparisons are bound to happen. Students need to learn to cope with this by finding their niche
• Students need to understand the value of time management. Exams are here to stay. So, learn to tackle them best
• Try to study in a group in a spirit of healthy competition
• Take frequent breaks from your study
• Seek help from family and friends when you are feeling low or depressed
• Eye exercises and stretching exercises help in relieving muscle tension
• Drink lots of water and eat a balanced meal on time
• Get a minimum of six hours of continuous and uninterrupted sleep
• Try to put in at least half an hour of your time in some leisure activity Advice to parents
• Look out for signs of distress in your child
• See that your child gets to sleep and eat well
• Try to find your child’s true potential so that he/she excels in what he/she actually likes
• Do not compare the capabilities of different children. An over inflated ego is as bad as a suppressed one
• Remember that all children are different — intellectually and emotionally
The presence of student help lines has made a small, but significant change in the stress level of students. The help lines are usually handled by trained professionals giving suitable advice to stressed and depressed students. Students must make use of these help lines, which can provide them the desired emotional support at the right time.