I do know your feeling, actually, as I came to this same page because of concentration problems. What Moon wrote though is pretty much true I guess: much of the upload and obstacles/ways of being stuck are in our minds. Human brain is simply an amazing organ – the main problem often being that the energy and capability very often isn’t in full use – as we need to process so many things at the same time in our daily lives. (Think of autistic people: the amazing skills they often have might give a clue over the potential we all could have if much of the outer influences & mind wandering to those issues were shut off).

As said – I’m myself also stressed at the moment and came to this site to find something to help me concentrate. So no – it’s not an easy task to master the stress…!

First of all: keep in mind that you are here to live your life – and the only person you need to show off is yourself. You wrote that your family is all the time worried about your future, and this actually sounds like it could be a weight on your shoulders. Let it go. Your parents are grown ups and responsible over their happiness: you don’t need to handle this issue to make them feel safe. It might be a good thing to close these things out of your mind for a while: don’t let their emotions come to you. Protect yourself from other people’s stress, so to speak.

Now, face your stress. I do know how it feels – this constant feeling of being trapped. The time is ticking, there’s no room for failing, and at the same time, you already feel worn out carrying the weight of past mistakes. What you obviously should let go are the past failings – and also the huge pressure to succeed. (But this for sure isn’t the easy thing to do).

I suggest you to look for things, images and people that make you feel confident and good about yourself. Take some emotional distance to people who you feel you need to prove something to, or who is worried over you, and concentrate on people who support you and believe in you. The kind, who trust you and see you as someone skillful. This person might be yourself too: think of all the skills you have. And all the things you’ve already been able to do.

Think the amazing person you are. Do everything it takes to switch your mind on to positive things. And try to accept the level you are now: you can’t jump before you can walk. Stress often comes from the fact that we think of the outcome (huge thing to swallow) – when everything is built from a simple practices and small steps, eventually.

Accept that this is an important time in your life, and you have every right to concentrate on yourself. Give up pleasing others, and take the time to practice you need. And most of all: to get in to and to keep on to the mindset you need!

Eventually, try to reach the math as game or a mystery. Try to give up the previous images of struggling, and distance yourself a bit from the tasks ahead. Math is a language, actually, or a form of art. Behind all those symbols is a hidden beauty, a logical structure created to tell stories that would be too long to explain with natural sentences. Imagine yourself being someone who is determined to learn how to read and write in this language. Dive into it. For a while try reaching it as something neutral: not a life or dead issue, but as something having value and point in itself.

You know that brain is a bit like muscle too? It is formed by the way you use it – new neuropathways are created depending on your actions. And just as any muscle, also brain needs some rest and relaxation too, between practice. (By the way, exercise is a very good thing when it comes to learning – as it literally makes you ready to built new networks in your brain. It also relies stress). Best luck!