Sweating, shaking hands, and a rapid heartbeat. Your stomach is flip-flopping like it’s going to come into your chest. Why does it always feel like this before a big exam? Or perhaps it hits you when you are about to go on stage to perform or play an important sporting event. Statistics show that approximately 80% of U.S. workers experience “productivity anxiety”, a common form of performance anxiety.
Performance anxiety, a type of anxiety that can appear in people during a big task or event, is one of the most common forms of anxiety that most people will experience at some point in their lives. In this blog post, we will uncover the underlying causes of performance anxiety and provide strategies for effective relief.
Recognize The Symptoms Of Performance Anxiety
The most recognizable physical symptoms of performance anxiety are the rapid heart rate, sweating, and trembling you may notice right away. You may feel dizziness and nausea or “butterflies” in your stomach, as well. These symptoms can be very frustrating when you have to focus on your performance. You may also experience some cognitive symptoms, such as racing thoughts, difficulty concentrating, and brain freeze.
Emotional symptoms include intense fear, dread, and self-doubt. Some people experience these physical and emotional symptoms so intensely that it can impact their performance. You may feel as though you can’t go on and finish the task or event.
Uncover The Causes Of Performance Anxiety
There is a wide range of underlying causes of performance anxiety. You may have several causes that you are dealing with, or just a few. As you read through the list of common causes below, try writing down each one that resonates with you so that you can find a solution that works for you.
- Fear of failure. The fear of failure stems from “what if” thinking. “What if I fail? What if I let others down?”. These are questions we often ask ourselves that cause us to focus on what could go wrong, instead of focusing on what we need to do to perform well.
- Negative self-talk. Do you tend to talk to yourself or about yourself negatively? Saying things such as you aren’t good enough or criticizing your appearance or performance for example. When you tell yourself these critical or negative words, you can create an expectation that your performance will not go well, leading to fear of failure and lack of confidence.
- Perfectionism and unrealistic expectations. Perfectionism often leads to unrealistic expectations. We may judge ourselves too harshly, which can create performance anxiety.
- Lack of confidence. Having a lack of confidence can cause us to become stuck and expect failure. It can also lead to an unwillingness to try.
- Past negative experiences. If you have had past negative experiences where you felt that you failed at a performance, it’s natural for those memories to pop up and bring fear of failing again.
- Pressure from the audience. You may feel pressure from your boss or clients if your performance anxiety is related to your job. This is also common for sporting events, as you don’t want to let your team and audience down if your actions cause a lost game.
Finding Effective Relief
We can learn effective ways to manage performance anxiety from others who have had success in this area. Ksenia has been dancing on stage since she was six years old. Her practical tips to overcome performance anxiety include preparing and practicing, taking good care of yourself, and visualizing a successful performance.
In times you feel the performance anxiety rearing its ugly head, it may help you to remember the acronym: SEGA.
- Stop (and slow down)
- Exhale (twice as much as you inhale)
- Greet your emotion (speak to the fear and tell it to leave)
- Awareness/acknowledgment (recognize this is a normal processing of emotions)
Other ways to find relief and manage your symptoms of performance anxiety are Cognitive Behavioral Technique (CBT). A professional mental health specialist can help you learn to reframe your thoughts and ease anxiety. Practicing mindfulness and meditation can help with grounding your mind. Breathing exercises and physical exercise can also help calm the anxious feelings and boost your feel-good endorphins.
Remind yourself that you are doing what you love. Learn to accept that mistakes may happen, but they don’t define you. The important thing is not the mistake, but how you pull yourself back up and grow from the experience.
Conclusion
One of the goals of finding relief from performance anxiety is to turn it into a motivational force, rather than a hindrance. When you learn to recognize the root cause of your performance anxiety, you can find effective ways to relieve the symptoms and make it work to your benefit.
If your performance anxiety is impacting your daily life or job, recognize that there is help available to you. Find the support and compassionate care you deserve with Becoming Behavioral Health & Wellness. We offer convenient online counseling appointments so you can speak with a mental health specialist from the comfort of your own home. We use an integrative approach to treatment for performance anxiety that includes CBT. To learn more, call 708-441-9240 today!
