Being able to speak confidently in public is a critical skill, and one that many of us struggle with. Whether you’re giving a presentation, speaking in front of a class, or even leading a Zoom call, confidence – and not worrying about the results of your work – is an important part of making sure you’re thriving.
Still, many of us feel anxiety in these situations. This “Stage Fright” can affect men and women of all ages, and when someone has performance anxiety, it can become a self-staining issue. Experience anxiety while you’re talking, you stumble, and that makes you experience more anxiety in the future. It’s something that needs to be addressed, and it’s something that benefits from therapy.
The Mix Between Anxiety and Stage Fright
Those that struggle with social anxiety may also struggle with stage fright, or they can be independent issues. During the experience of public speaking or performance, many people have similar symptoms, such as:
- Fear of Being Judged
- Fear of Being Embarrassed
- Fear of Being Shamed
Often, there are deeper issues at play. But to be fair, it can be hard to stand up in front of a big group. I’ve given public speeches often, and there can be some jitters even for those of us that are experienced when you have to be the center of attention in front of our peers.
There are also times when the anticipation is even more anxiety-inducing then the event itself. When you have to sit and think about what you’re about to do in the weeks, days, and hours leading up to the event, it’s normal to have some nervousness. But the real question is whether or not that nervousness is enough to hold you back, or cause you more lasting challenges.
If you have stage fright, the good news is that it tends to respond very well to mental health treatments. It’s just a matter of making sure you’re ready to commit, and working with someone that understands what stage fright is and what it can feel like.
How to Reduce Stage Fright on Your Own (and with a Professional)
If you have been experiencing public speaking or public performance anxiety, there are some things you can do on your own, and others that would benefit from working with a therapist that understands anxiety and its needs. For example:
- Name It
First and foremost, it is often better to be willing to speak to your stage fright out loud rather than try to hide it and pretend everything is okay. That doesn’t mean to begin the conversation with a lot of apologies (for example, don’t begin by saying “sorry if I mess up I’m nervous), but rather, if someone asks you “are you ready for your speech?” be open with saying “I feel anxiety.”
One reason for this is that, in an effort to give the appearance of being “Strong,” many of us actually make ourselves more nervous by trying to pretend nothing is wrong. The more you accept and name it, the easier it is to know that you’re on a path to getting through it.
- Exposure and Experience
Within the world of anxiety, there’s a phenomenon known as “habituation.” When we become used to something, it no longer is able to carry as much fear. You can do this using a strategy known as “exposure,” where you if you expose yourself to the things you fear, you fear them less.
Pretend you’re afraid of snakes. If you’re in a room with a snake, you’re likely to experience a LOT of anxiety. But, over time, when nothing happens to you, you become more and more used to it. Eventually, you will no longer fear that snake, and – if you continue to experience exposure, will eventually fear no snakes. Exposure reduces anxiety.
You can do this purposefully with public speaking anxiety. Imagine yourself doing it until it no longer causes you fear. Practice in front of people. Speak to progressively larger groups. There are a lot of ways to expose yourself, and all of them will help make the actual public speaking experience less anxious.
- Fake it to Make It
Though this doesn’t work for everyone, another strategy you can try is simply pretending to be someone that doesn’t have public speaking anxiety. Almost like an actor.
You imagine to yourself how someone without performance anxiety would act, and then you pretend to be that person.
Why would this work?
Because there is some evidence – although this varies by individual – that our mind/body connection is so pronounced that we can essentially trick ourselves to feel less anxious. A similar theory is the one where if you force yourself to smile, you feel happier. That literally fake smiling can improve your mood. We have the ability to trick our brains, and pretending to be someone that is confident as a public speaker can help.
- Embrace Your Friendships
Here is a fun one for you to try. Studies find that the closer you feel to your friends (the more you feel what’s known as “social support,”) the more likely you are to feel less anxiety, including social anxiety. The same is true for stage fright and performance anxiety. If you feel like you have very close connections with your friends, then you’re less likely to have anxiety on stage, because you are less likely to worry that a mistake will negatively affect your life or social standing.
So, if you needed an excuse to become truly immersed in your closest friendships, reducing your stage fright and social anxiety is a great reason to spend more time with those friends.
- Exercise
The benefits of exercise on mental health are well known, and yet they are often forgotten when people are looking for ways to improve their situational anxiety.
When you exercise, not only do you feel better about yourself, but you also have muscles that are more relaxed, have more “good feeling hormones,” and generally have a body that is better able to cope with the pressures of anxiety.
You are likely to still be anxious, but you may not experience as many symptoms, resulting in a much easier time speaking in front of others.
- Practice
Practice itself is not going to be a cure for stage fright. But when a person doesn’t practice enough, issues can still arise. For example, if you know in the back of your mind that you’re not necessarily ready – because you haven’t practiced enough – then you’re going to find yourself more anxious.
Similarly, if you haven’t practiced enough and you run into anxiety when you’re in front of people, you’re going to have a more difficult time finding your train of thought. The more you practice, the more you put yourself in a position where speaking in front of people feels natural, you know what you’re going to say, and you feel more confident doing it.
Professional Support for Anxiety
Still, as with most mental health related conditions, it is beneficial to work with someone that can help. Whether you call it stage fright or performance anxiety or social phobia or public speaking anxiety, they’re still all related to anxiety, and it helps to work with someone that can assist you both with stage fright and with your other mental health issues and struggles.
As part of my work here at Jung Psych Services, my role is to help you learn to cope with all anxiety while also supporting you through individual issues, like one you might experience with public speaking and other related phobias. My work as a coach also has helped prepare me for helping people through professional and personal roadblocks that may also stand in the way.
If you’re looking for help for anxiety, reach out to me today. I am based in Chandler, Arizona, but also able to serve clients remotely in Phoenix and throughout AZ and CA. Call today to get started.