Can you write an accommodation letter for extended time on tests due to anxiety and panic disorder?

Hello Austin!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding testing accommodations. It is a great question to ask. It is not uncommon for individuals to experience anxiousness and discomfort when facing an exam or test. Test anxiety can be overwhelming and sometimes impact how individuals perform. There are several things that you can do to help alleviate the panic symptoms that you are experiencing that I'd like to discuss; however, lets begin by addressing your initial question.

     Initially, it is important to understand what level of academia you are in. Assuming you are a college student, it is imperative that you reach out to the department that handles students with disabilities. Most colleges provide support for individuals that have diagnosed mental health or disabilities and offer testing accommodations. They usually require documentation from your therapist, psychiatrist or physician. The school can provide you steps to follow in order to access accommodations for testing. If you are in high school, you can access testing accommodation through the support of an IEP (Individual Educational Plan) or a 504, which is similiar. This can be addressed by reaching out, once again, through your school counselor or administration. In addition to the above- It never hurts to discuss your concerns with your educator - directly. Sometimes, they have the avilibility to work with you directly and may not require a lot of formalities. Whatever the scenario, your mental health provider can walk you through this and provide the necessary documentation to back up your diagnosis.

     All that said, it is super important to stay dedicated to your self care plan. This includes doing mindfulness practices, such as deep breathing, meditation and making sure you are getting rest and eating well.  Being a student during this time is challenging, for sure. If you are taking prescribed meds, make sure that you are staying on top of those and sharing with your doc that you are still experiencing panic symptoms. It always helps the day of the test to do some meditation and visualization! Take a few moments to do a visual of you taking the test and feeling great! It really helps. When you go in, breathe! Remind yourself that you are fine and that all your hard work is going to pay off. 

     I hope that this was helpful and I wish you great success and that you get the support that you are seeking for academically, 

Sincerely,

Stephanie Stavinoga, LPC-MHSP