Almost everyone knows this feeling: the insecurity, the self-doubt, the suspicion of failure, the trembling knees - or the nervous fingers when they write texts, complete tasks, tick boxes.

Standing next to yourself before exams is no exception.

But unlike the uncomfortable feelings experienced during an exam, the potential consequences of these fears are little-known territory.

They can be substantial.

Many feel alone

Uwe Marx

Editor in Business.

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After surveying 1,600 people between the ages of 16 and 65 about their fears in exams, the International University (IU), headquartered in Erfurt, with locations in 30 German cities and a total of 100,000 students, presented figures.

They read menacingly.

And they affect a lot of people.

Almost 87 of those surveyed stated that they had suffered from test anxiety at one time or another.

The unshakable, the self-confident, the self-contained are a small minority.

Fear breaks out in many places: at school or during your studies (65 percent), in an application process (47 percent) or in vocational training (46 percent).

And although so many people know about exam anxiety and probably suffer from it, only a few seek help and support, namely just 14 percent.

Just over half spoke to family members or friends, and almost 40 percent to psychotherapists.

The fact that almost half of those surveyed (46 percent) did not feel that their fears were taken seriously should increase the stress even more.

It is not a vague fear that affects most, but a very concrete one with a clear motive.

54 percent said that they had too high demands on themselves.

Anna Paulin Horwedel from the IU site in Mannheim is not surprised.

There is no other generation that compares itself as much as Generation Z, she says.

They see themselves in constant competition with others.

This also increases the inhibition threshold to get help against the fears - because others obviously didn't need this help either.

What, however, fails to recognize that the need for help is not always recognizable and that so many people have already experienced exam anxiety.

Beware of a blackout

Almost 50 percent believe their anxiety isn't bad enough to need help.

40 percent want to manage their fear on their own.

It is important to get help early on.

The sooner the better, says Horwedel.

Feeling left alone in such a situation leads to emotional stress and can increase the risk of a mental block, i.e. a real blackout in exams.