Imagine for a moment that you are chosen to give a big presentation to the stakeholders at a business meeting. Your heart beats a mile a minute out of your chest, your palms are sweaty, and you feel sick to your stomach. You might think there is no way you can walk into that room and give your presentation without embarrassing yourself and your company. You might even wonder if this is an anxiety or panic attack. What you are probably experiencing is performance anxiety. Performance anxiety is a common type of anxiety that many people experience at some point in their lifetime. Let’s explore ways to unleash your confidence so performance anxiety doesn’t have to disrupt your life.
What Is Performance Anxiety?
Performance anxiety is a type of anxiety that occurs in people before or during a big task or event, resulting in impaired performance. It’s also commonly referred to as “stage fright”. The most common situations in which people experience performance anxiety are public speaking, job interviews, and sports or music performances. Research shows that 10% to 40% of students experience performance anxiety regarding test taking. It also affects approximately 40% of adults in the U.S.
Performance anxiety is a set of emotions that can be beneficial at times. You may feel this way because you care deeply about the success of your performance. You don’t want to let others down, and you may feel a sense of pressure. For many, these feelings usually subside once the performance starts, or after it is finished. But for many others, performance anxiety can be debilitating. It may keep them from pursuing their passions and career goals. If this is what you are experiencing, it’s important to seek support.
What Are The Symptoms Of Performance Anxiety?
While there are a wide range of symptoms of performance anxiety, some of the most common symptoms may include:
- Physical Symptoms – increased heart rate, sweating, shaking and trembling, shortness of breath, and gastrointestinal issues.
- Emotional Symptoms – fear, worry, self-doubt, lack of confidence, and embarrassment.
- Cognitive Symptoms – self-criticism, unrealistic expectations, extreme worry, and a heightened focus on failure.
- Behavioral Symptoms – dreading the performance, avoiding situations that trigger performance anxiety, withdrawing from social interactions, and experiencing impaired performance.
What Are The Common Causes Of Performance Anxiety?
The amygdala is a part of the brain that triggers the fear function. It sets off a chemical reaction that releases adrenaline. It triggers the “fight or flight” response that prepares the body to be alert and prepared for a potential threat. This is why people most commonly experience the physical symptoms of increased heart rate, sweating, nausea, and more. But what emotional causes trigger this physical response in the body?
- Lack of confidence – We all carry some limiting beliefs from time to time. It can become a problem when we get stuck in those beliefs and assume that we will not experience success. Whether it’s imposter syndrome or you feel that you don’t measure up to others, these limiting beliefs can cause you to doubt your ability to do well in what you set out to do.
- Fear of failure – This happens when we focus too much on what could go wrong instead of what could go right. Ruminating on the “what ifs” can cause anxiety to the point where you freeze up and want to give up before you even try.
- Unrealistic expectations – Perfectionism leads to setting unrealistic expectations of ourselves, our abilities, and our performance. We may judge ourselves too harshly and then feel let down if we don’t measure up to those expectations.
Strategies To Conquer Performance Anxiety
There are a wide variety of cognitive, behavioral, and lifestyle strategies you can incorporate when you experience performance anxiety.
- Practice self-compassion – Give yourself grace. Remind yourself that it’s ok if you make a mistake or stumble over your words during your performance.
- Focus on the preparation and practice – You will build confidence the more you practice and prepare for the performance.
- Give yourself a pep talk – Remind yourself of how much you practiced and prepared for the performance. Tell yourself positive affirmations of all of the things you are good at and why you will experience success.
- Focus on the performance, not the audience – Visualize yourself doing well and focus on the task at hand. Try not to dwell on who is watching or what they might think of your performance.
- Implement healthy habits – Avoid caffeine and try to get enough sleep the night before your performance to minimize anxiety. Eating healthy meals can help reduce your chances of nausea and gastrointestinal discomfort. Exercise can help get that “nervous energy” out of your body.
While these strategies are an excellent start to unleashing your confidence and conquering performance anxiety, sometimes additional support is needed. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), psychotherapy, and counseling can help provide more long-term relief and calm anxiety. These types of treatment can help you understand the root causes of your performance anxiety, and help you to find strategies that work best for you.
Find the support and compassionate care you deserve with Becoming Behavioral Health & Wellness. We offer convenient online counseling appointments so you can talk to a mental health specialist from the comfort of your own home. We use an integrative approach to treatment that includes CBT, as well as plant-based supplements, herbs, and essential oils alongside or instead of psychotropic medications. To learn more, call 708-441-9240 today!
