The problem Riya is talking about is known as Palpitation or tachycardia or "panic attack" in medical terminology. It is due to Adrenaline surge in the blood in response to fear or anticipation of it and is often accompanied by tremors, sweating, wide eyes and a sense of death. Its not a big issue and its not a disease, its just an over-reaction by certain nerves, adrenal glands and eventually the abnormal electrical impulses in the heart. Our heart rate also increases when we run, or do exercise or see a bad dream or propose to someone for marriage but that is physiological tachycardia and natural in origin.
Heart beats greater than 100 beats per minute without any physiological activity is known as palpitations.
There are drugs available for it like Inderal (propranolol), Xanax (Alprazolam), Lexatonil(Benzodiazepine) etc but the safe initial prescription is Inderal 20 mg tablets, one tablet or even half of it to be taken one or two hours before the anxiety situation.
Like take the tablet one hour before going inside the examination hall, or facing your teacher in viva voce or going on stage to make a speech, or facing your dad about bad result, or whatever situation causes your heart to beat more than required.
On a more positive note, do healthy walks in the park, listen to music, give more time to prayers and stay optimistic and avoid caffein (coffee).
Nowadays stress is our greatest enemy and most people take it for granted. According to latest reserch 6 people out of 10 in every family are mentally abnormal but does not know it and the rest of the four are under their influence. Mental diseases are increasing due to our stressful, competitive and complicated life-styles.
Everyday in all newspapers and on every news channel there are reports of murders, rapes, disputes, domestic violence, suicides etc and guess we like such news and like to talk and make debates out of them. What does all that reflect? What's the difference between us and those who are involved in that violence. Though not knowing but such incidents and news leave long lasting ill-effects on our psyche.
So dear students, start taking care of yourselves because nobody else will.