In a world full of numbers, feeling maths anxious can take its toll. It is important to recognise the effect that maths anxiety might have on a person’s mental health. For those who are confident with maths, maths anxiety can often seem like an alien concept, yet, for those who are maths anxious, it can be a very real and sometimes prolonged experience.
A little concern or nervousness around maths can often be normal, but repeated and heightened anxiety can be harmful. There are clear consequences to feeling highly maths anxious, from under-performing in maths tests to general avoidance of anything involving (or thought to involve) maths. Yet, there are some hidden, and sometimes little understood, effects of maths anxiety – effects that may niggle away at a person’s mental health more generally. For instance, impacting mood and self-esteem. Likewise, negative mood and maths attitudes are likely to contribute to feeling maths anxious, creating a vicious cycle that can be difficult to escape.
