Running Head: Project 3: Case Study Analysis Final Submission 1

Project 3: Case Study Analysis Final Submission

Mason Holle

Pasadena City College

Project 3
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In this case study, Katya is a freshman in college who is struggling from severe anxiety

and lacks self confidence. She currently has a 3.0 GPA, studies extremely hard for her exams but

when it is time to take an exam she finds herself having high levels of anxiety. This anxiety

causes her to not do well on her exams which leads to even more anxiety and a lack of self

esteem. The end of the semester is right around the corner and Katya has an important chemistry

exam that she must do well on or the school will take away her scholarship. The pressure is

intensifying which is causing her to have more anxiety than ever leading to a panic attack just

two days before her big chemistry exam. Katyas anxiety got the best of her and with just two

days until her exam she needs help.

Personally, I have always had an issue with giving presentations or speeches in front of

people. In college, I would get extremely nervous before giving a presentation, my hands would

get sweated and Id start stumbling over my words. It was extremely frustrating for me because

no matter how much I prepared myself I always got nervous which affected my presentation

leading to poor grades on these assignments. A friend recommend I take a shot or two of alcohol

thirty minutes before giving a presentation to help calm my nerves. I was reluctant at first

because I did not want to use alcohol or some prescription drug to help me with my problem.

After some thought I decided to try to do it just once. I found that it really helped relax me and

allowed me to focus more on my presentation than the people in the audience. I used this

technique a few more time to give me some confidence and practice in front of an audience.

After that I tried giving a presentation without taking a couple shots of alcohol and I had no

problems at all during the presentation. This technique helped give me the real life experience

and confidence to speak in front of an audience. I do not think this could work for everyone
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because alcohol can lead to addiction but it worked for me. Alcohol calmed my nerves, gave me

confidence and allowed me to overcome my fear in front of an audience.

If I was in Katyas situation I would turn to my friends or my professors for help, I would

find a healthy way to decrease my anxiety and I would set realistic expectations for myself.

Katya should talk to her friends or family member about her struggles before seeking

professional help. According to Karahan, Yalcin and Erbas, article The Beliefs, Attitudes and

Views of University Students about Anger and the Effects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-

Oriented Anger Control and Anxiety Management Programs on Their Anger Management Skill

Levels, most students prefer to cope with their anger or anxiety by talking about the situation

with a respected and close friend who can keep secrets(2014). Talking to a trusted friend can

bring someone a sense of relief or well being due to the trust they have built with that specific

person.

Katya also needs to decrease her anxiety and increase her self esteem to overcome her

problem with taking exams. To decrease her anxiety Katya can do several things such as using a

calming visualization, focusing on controlling her breathing and being accepting of her anxiety

so she can overcome it (2016). To increase her self esteem Katya can, stop comparing herself to

others, explore yourself, and exercise more (2011). If Katya can put in the work to apply these

ideas and practices to her everyday life she will find herself feeling more confident and less

anxious.

Overall, Katya and college students every where struggle with anxiety and self esteem

issues every day. Katya and other college students should set realistic expectations for herself

when preparing for exams. By setting realistic expectations, participating in healthier activities,
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and talking to people we trust, students can relieve themselves from some of the pressures they

are feeling and perform better on their exams.

References

Grohol, J. M. (2011, October 25). 6 Tips to Improve Your Self-Esteem. Retrieved

February 15, 2017, from https://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2011/10/30/6-tips-to-improve-
your-self-esteem/
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Karahan, T. F., Yalin, B. M., & Erba, M. M. (2015). The Beliefs, Attitudes and Views of
University Students about Anger and the Effects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Oriented
Anger Control and Anxiety Management Programs on Their Anger Management Skill Levels.
Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice. doi:10.12738/estp.2014.6.2314

Tartakovsky, M. (2016, July 17). 9 Ways to Reduce Anxiety Right Here, Right Now.
Retrieved February 15, 2017, from https://psychcentral.com/lib/9-ways-to-reduce-anxiety-right-
here-right-now/