Anxiety impacts millions of people across the globe in different ways. For some people, fears and worries tend to worsen when they have to perform. While we tend to think of performance anxiety as something people experience before singing, acting, or dancing in front of a large crowd, it can affect you on a much smaller scale, too. Performance anxiety is the debilitating fear of having the attention on you when it’s time to do anything from giving a speech to “performing” in the bedroom. Whenever you feel like the pressure is on you to do something exceedingly well, those fears can creep in.
Unfortunately, performance anxiety can keep you from doing what you want and even things you enjoy. You might give up on certain things because you already know you might experience crippling fear if you give them a shot. So, what can you do to keep that from happening? How can you prevent performance anxiety from holding you back?
Understand the Symptoms
You can experience performance anxiety from public speaking, “performing” in the bedroom, or even taking a test! Unfortunately, far too many people try to play off their symptoms as nothing more than butterflies or nerves. However, the real symptoms of performance anxiety are often far more crippling. They include:
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Accelerated heart rate
- Dry mouth
- Tunnel vision
- Nausea
- Chest pains
You might also find that you’re easily irritable and have trouble focusing on the task at hand because your thoughts are consumed with worries and fears.
The more you understand the symptoms of this type of anxiety, the easier it will be to determine what’s really going on. That’s when you can start to get the help you need and prevent performance fear from holding you back.
Understand Your Triggers
In addition to knowing the symptoms of performance anxiety, it’s just as crucial to know what makes you fearful.
Maybe you don’t have a problem speaking in front of people, but you feel paralyzed when you have to take a test. Maybe you’re not worried about your performance with your partner, but you’re overcome with fear when you have to give a presentation for work.
Understanding your triggers will make it easier to get to your performance anxiety’s “root cause.” It will also enable you to develop a strategy to either avoid those triggers or learn how to handle them.
Be Prepared
Another way to combat performance anxiety is to prepare and practice. You might not be able to plan ahead for everything, but the more you prepare for something, the more confident you’ll feel. That will help to make your fearful voices quieter and less overwhelming.
As you prepare for whatever is to come, try to focus on how well things will go. Your anxious thoughts will try to make you consider everything that could possibly go wrong. That will fuel your fear and make you even more anxious about stepping on the stage, taking a test, or speaking at work.
When you prepare your mind for an upcoming performance of any kind, you’re telling your anxiety that you’re taking ownership of your thoughts.
Reach Out for Help
Of course, you don’t have to go through any of this independently.
Anxiety isn’t just the most common mental health condition. It’s also one of the most manageable. However, it often requires the support or help of a professional. You can absolutely overcome performance anxiety, and therapy can help.
Whether you’re struggling to perform in front of others or just in front of your partner, it’s important to learn everyday skills that can help and why your anxiety developed in the first place.
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If you’re ready to fight back against fear, feel free to Contact us for information or to set up a free 15 minute consultation and work with one of our highly skilled therapists. Serenity Experiential Family Therapy Center offers therapy services in Colorado. You can also learn more about Sex Therapy.