•  Performance Anxiety

•  Improve Performance - music, theatre, dance

•  Enhance Creative/Artistic Ability

•  Overcome Fear of Being in Front of a Camera

How Hypnotherapy can help

 

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Performance Anxiety

Performance anxiety falls under the umbrella of social phobias: unfortunately, unlike other phobias, symptoms of stage fright (such as shaking hands, quaking voice, and dry mouth) are on display to an audience, and can affect performances.

Public speaking and death are often ranked as the top 2 most frightening things people can face.  The physical response to stage fright can be at it's peak just before a performance, however the anxiety and stress can be present for days (or weeks) before.  There's nothing more frustrating and disheartening than spending hours, weeks, months of mental and physical energy rehearsing to perfection, and then letting stage fright get the best of you.  For any performer, the disappointment in themselves for letting the nerves get the best of them is devastating. 

Some nerves are beneficial in any type of performance, however, there is an optimal level, and once the nerves surpass that then it can have detrimental effects.  It's not always possible to channel excessive nervous energy (or fear!) into a flawless performance.  Everyone has a different threshold for nerves: to some, performing on stage is like "coming home" for others it's like facing the firing squad. 

Why are you nervous?  Because you care: which isn't a bad thing, but you're likely to be worried about things that are improbable - you put one foot in front of the other everyday of your life so the chance you will fall going on stage is slim; you've performed the same routine perfectly in rehearsals, so you know that you're capable of retaining the information.  Your main worry is most likely what other people think of your performance. You may not believe this, but the majority of the audience wants to see you do well, and they don't want to spend the evening cringing in the fear that you will make a mistake or have a breakdown... they want to feel comfortable and relaxed: which they will mirror from your behaviour and manner. 

Some Symptoms of Performance Anxiety

•  nausea

•  increased heart rate

•  shaky hands and/or knees

•  dry mouth

•  tight throat

•  sweaty hands

•  cold hands

•  sleep disturbances

•  anxiety

•  sense of foreboding

•  lack of objectivity and perspective

During (and just before) performance

•  avoid performance

  • e.g. feign illness, psychosomatic vomiting, make an excuse to cancel, walking off stage

•  urge to run away

•  self-sabotage

  • partying the night before, drinking too much

•  sense of paralysis "frozen to the spot"

•  fear/feeling of "going blank"

•  lack of concentration e.g. lose place in music, performance etc.

•  constant anxiety about performing poorly

•  expectation of failure

•  desperation to "get it over with"

  • e.g. rushing towards the end, leaving things out

Factors influencing performance anxiety

•  highly-skilled tasks performed in succession

•  reliance on memory and absolute concentration

•  divided team of actors/musicians

•  technically difficult material/routines

•  must be "on the ball" at all times

•  fear of "blanking"
•  fear of embarrassment/humiliation
•  judgment
  • you're worried how you appear to other musicians and the audience or critics, rather than the music/performance

Recurrent thoughts which exacerbate fear (which can originate from previous occasions)

•  fear of vomiting, falling, passing out, shaking (and affecting performance)

•  forgetting words

•  sudden need for bathroom break

•  losing voice or dropping instrument

•  panic

•  injuring self

•  fear of living up to expectations

Hypnotherapy can help you to:

•  remain in control of your pre-performance anxiety
•  manage your emotions and limiting beliefs
•  increase confidence in your abilities
•  overcome your fear of rejection and judgement
•  accept yourself and forgive yourself for any imperfections