Performance Anxiety

Do you suffer from Performance Anxiety? Exactly what is this unpleasant malady? Performance anxiety, commonly known as stage fright, is a very normal human reaction. There are simple ways to assess if you suffer from this debilitating condition. Do you get an immediate rush of fear when you learn you have to give a class presentation? Would you rather be the person giving the eulogy at a funeral or be the corpse in the coffin?

Some of the symptoms associated with performance anxiety include repetitive thoughts, dry mouth, sweaty hands, cold hands, shaky hands, blushing, tight throat, nausea, nervousness, fast pulse, shaky knees, trembling lips, rapid heart beat, dizziness, tunnel vision, panicky feelings, a stomach ache, fear of losing control, feelings of embarrassment, chest tightness and the unpleasant realization of things going to hell real fast.

There are all kinds of remedies to treat performance anxiety such as relaxation exercises, preparation training, hypnosis and prescription medications. About thirty years ago, the drug of choice to treat stage fright included a Benzodiazepine called Diazepam, also known as Valium. Today, a blood pressure medication classified as a Beta Blocker called Propranolol, known as Inderal is favored. A half tablet of a 10mg dose of Inderal can be swallowed thirty minutes prior to the scheduled performance to alleviate anxiety symptoms. In recent surveys, over twenty-five percent of professional musicians across the nation take Inderal to enable them to perform and can attest to the effectiveness of the drug.

Performance anxiety is addressed in two excellent books. In the first, A Soprano On Her Head, Eloise Ristad offers wonderful techniques to improve performance. In the other, Confident Music Performance, Barbara Schneiderman discusses various methods of performance preparation. For any person who wants to pursue a career in a performance, you really need to read one of these two books. For someone who suffers from performance anxiety, reading these two books could be indispensable.