Performance Anxiety
By Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN
updated on 11/19/2007 at 03:03PM
On The Stage
Performance anxiety can affect any of us, from the seasoned actor, to the newest performer. And it can create self-fulfilling negative self-talk such as "I will mess this up," or "everyone is going to laugh at me." Performance anxiety can range from mildly upsetting to completely paralyzing. And it can defeat even the most qualified performer.It usually begins with a minor distraction. As we lose more and more of our concentration, self-destructive thoughts are allowed to enter our minds. Before we know it, we are nervous, uncomfortable, forgetful, and convinced that we will fail if we perform.
Managing Performance Anxiety
In order to control this type of performance anxiety, you need to control the negative self-thoughts before they are allowed to become a problem. Practice is crucial. Just as you would practice your dialogue or your instrument over and over again until your performance is flawless, you must also practice controlling your fears. Here are a few tips that you can use both before and during your performance to control performance anxiety.- Practice Positive Self-Talk: The premise here is simple. Negative self-talk can be upsetting and debilitating. And positive self-talk can have the opposite effect, helping you to reaffirm your skills and boost your confidence.
- Learn To Breathe: Oh sure, we all think we know how to breathe. We would pass out if we didn't right? Wrong! Poor posture and daily stresses have forced most of us to develop the habit of taking shallow breaths that only fill the upper portion of our chest cavity, this kind of breathing gets the job done as far as bringing oxygen into the body, but it does nothing to relax the body or clear the mind. Practice talking deep, slow, controlled breaths that fill your tummy first, followed by your lower chest and then your upper chest. Breathing in this kind of controlled, conscious manner can help you calm your body and your mind and clear negative thoughts.
- Accept Your Thoughts and Shift Your Focus: It’s very natural to become anxious or distressed during a performance. Especially if you allow your mind to wander and then dwell on negative thoughts. But instead of trying to simply push negative thoughts out of your mind, accept them and move on to a less frightening image. For example, if you notice a man and woman whispering in the front row, you may begin to think that they are laughing at your disheveled hair or the quality of your performance. But instead of focusing on this negative thought, accept it non-judgmentally, and then move on. Think to yourself, "That couple is laughing at something, and what an interesting dress that woman is wearing."
- Enjoy Your Performance: Stay in the moment. Don’t judge what has happened in the past or what your think might happen in the future. Rather, allow yourself the opportunity to really enjoy your performance and leave the responses to the audience.
In The Bedroom
Performance anxiety can also describe the fears associated with sexual performance in the bedroom. This type of anxiety can affect a person's sexuality in several ways. It can put strain on a relationship, damage a person's self-esteem, and cause lowered self-esteem and sexual dysfunction. Similar to performance anxiety that occurs on stage, one who experiences performance anxiety in the bedroom tends to have negative self-talk that becomes self-filling. If one is completely preoccupied with being a good and responsive lover, they are likely to become too focused on the details of lovemaking, destroying an enjoyment for themselves or their partner. The memory of one failure then usually arouses the same anxiety the next time around. One who suffers from this kind of performance anxiety may avoid sexual encounters all together.
Men who suffer from erectile dysfunction, even temporarily, may develop sexual performance anxiety as a side effect of their physical condition. It’s not uncommon for a man to occasionally have difficulty getting an erection. Stress, illness, and over consumption of alcohol can all result in a temporary erectile dysfunction. However, most men become so distressed when this happens that it tends to affect their future lovemaking ability. Some men experience negative thoughts and doubts that actually interfere with their ability to get and keep an erection.
Sexual performance anxiety is not limited to men. Women too may develop worries over the amount of vaginal lubrication attained or the quality of their lovemaking. Fears of sexual performance are very common and can usually be easily resolved, especially with the support of a loving caring relationship. If necessary, the advice of a counselor or health care professional can help to break the cycle of performance anxiety.
Learn more about stress, anxiety, depression and the newest natural remedies at www.stress-anxiety-depression.org.
