Strategies for Coping With Stage Fright

Why?

Fear triggers a "fight or flight" reaction: extra adrenalin is pumped, one's nerves and muscles become taut, and the heart rate increases. These reactions are part of a survival response and prepare the body to either "meet the enemy" or run for safety. Unfortunately, our bodies do not know the difference between real or perceived danger. So, even though we know, on a logical, cognitive level that we are in no danger of being physically harmed, we have sent our brains the message that something fearful is looming.

Since stage fright involves both the mind and the body, both components need to be dealt with. Fear begins by allowing ourselves to believe that danger is present, so we must learn to feed our brains more positive, nonthreatening ideas, thus diminishing the fight or flight reaction. Second, we must prepare our bodies to deal more effectively with stress-reaction changes by getting plenty of rest, eating well and avoiding stimulants.

Changing what is going on in one's mind can be a daunting task, but it's definitely achievable, and self-talk is a great place to begin. Feeding oneself positive images of the upcoming event counters the mind's image of failure and embarrassment. Effective messages might include: This will be fun. I know how to do this. I'm good at what I do. The audience is on my side.

It also helps to familiarize oneself with the location of the performance. If this is not physically possible, just imagining the venue can be helpful. Another aid to controlling the mind is relaxation and/or meditation, which allows us to clear our minds, making it easier to replace nonproductive thinking with more positive thinking.

Stress reactions, whether based in reality or imagination, are very hard on the body. When we know we are facing stress, we need to be especially careful to treat the body well. This includes getting enough sleep, or if sleep is elusive, at least resting the body as much as possible. We need to eat well, while being careful not to overeat. Stress slows the digestive process, and overeating could lead to discomfort. Small, light, well-balanced meals leading up to performance time is the best idea. We should also avoid all stimulants: coffee, tea, alcohol or drugs. Finally, we need to drink a lot of water, since the stress reaction tends to dehydrate the body. However, we also need to limit our water immediately prior to the performance to avoid the discomfort caused by water overload.

Almost everyone in the public eye, from your teachers, to actors, singers and musicians, experience some level of stage fright. If they can overcome it, so can you. After all, the show must go on.