How to handle stage fear and stop being anxious while facing the audience?

Question

Hello doctor,

I became very nervous, lost confidence, and started sweating profusely while facing the audience. I was very embarrassed and depressed. I suffer from stage fear since my childhood. How to handle such situations in the future?

Please help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I went through your query and understood your concern.

It is performance anxiety. Your body responds to fear about future performance. The anxiety in our body and mind is there for a reason. It protects us from danger. But sometimes, it backfires as you experienced. It can be dealt with using CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) techniques. So, I suggest you read a book called “feeling good”, the yellow book. Knowing more about anxiety and how to cope can help break the anxiety cycle. I also suggest you learn some relaxation and grounding techniques to relieve the symptoms.

I hope this has helped you.

Thanks and regards.