What Is Performance Anxiety? And Tips for Coping

Performance anxiety is sometimes called “stage fright.” But it’s not limited to “performances” in the literal sense.

You’re called on in a meeting to present about your department’s recent successes. And suddenly, your voice is trembling.

It’s the bottom of the ninth. The bases are loaded. The pitch is right down the middle of the plate. But your kid can’t get the bat off their shoulder.

You show up for that blind date that you’ve been looking forward to. But that pit in your stomach keeps you from touching your dinner. And, wait ... did you just say “supposably”? Welp, there goes a second date.

Performance anxiety can keep you from making that good impression you’re hoping for. Because when anxiety comes on too strong, it can be tough to bring your best self.

We talked with licensed independent social worker Theresa Callard-Moore, PhD, about performance anxiety. Why does it happen? And what can you do about it?

What is performance anxiety?

“Performance anxiety” is the term given to outsized feelings of fear, nervousness and dread that surround completing specific tasks, aka “stage fright.”

And while it’s common for stage fright to bubble up before performing on an actual stage, it can often be a more metaphorical stage that triggers performance anxiety. Like the spotlight of being called on to answer a question in class. Or the pressure of completing an important project at work.

It’s a common mental health concern, but not a diagnosable condition.

“Performance anxiety falls under the umbrellas of anxiety disorders — like social anxiety, separation anxiety and generalized anxiety disorder,” Dr. Callard-Moore shares. “They all cause a heightened stress response that leads to feelings like intense fear and embarrassment or feeling overwhelmed.”

Anxiety can be beneficial for us, but only up to a certain point. A healthy amount of anxiety is that voice in your head that tells you to slow down when you’re driving on an icy road. Or keeps you from jumping into the deep end of the pool if you can’t swim.

But there’s a downside to that reaction. Because anxiety can cross the line. Rather than helping you stay safe, it can make it harder for you to deal with the situation at hand.

“If we didn’t have anxiety at all, we’d put ourselves in a lot of dangerous situations,” Dr. Callard-Moore reflects. “I think about rating anxiety on a scale of zero to ten. We never want to be at zero. But if we go over a five, our brain switches over, and we’re not responding in a logical way anymore.”

And when logic goes out the window, it can become increasingly difficult to focus and do your best. So, the next time you’re called on to “perform” in that situation, the anxiety can be even more intense, as you worry about the last time. And so the cycle repeats itself. You lose confidence. And become increasingly anxious about your ability to succeed.

What causes performance anxiety?

Performance anxiety can surround any situation that calls on you to do a task successfully.

“Think about any time you’re trying to do something well. You want to be socially appropriate. You want to make a connection with someone. You want to excel at a task. You want to be safe,” Dr. Callard-Moore illustrates. “These are all good things. But performance anxiety amps up the volume on all that and can be paralyzing.”

For example, some people may experience performance anxiety in situations like:

• Completing a project at work.
• Public speaking.
• Performing on stage, such as singing, acting or dancing.
• Driving or parallel parking.
• Engaging in sex.
• Playing sports.
• Taking a test.

And countless other situations.

“Often, people will face performance anxiety in addition to other forms of anxiety,”she notes. “If you already have some social anxiety, then you may also have performance anxiety when speaking in front of a crowd. Or if you have a more generalized anxiety surrounding your job, you may be more prone to experiencing performance anxiety when your boss gives you a big project.”

Symptoms of performance anxiety

If you’re feeling a little nervous before a job interview or feel like you need to take a deep breath before singing karaoke, that’s not the same as performance anxiety. It’s “normal” for a touch of anxiety to pop up from time to time. It’s a natural human emotion.

But performance anxiety goes beyond usual jitters or nerves. It’s a heightened anxiety response that’s caused by your sympathetic nervous system overreacting to moments of stress.

Stressful situations trigger your fight-or-flight response to take over. In addition to causing anxious feelings, a cascade of physical changes can take place, too:

• Your heart rate can go up.
• Your hands, legs and voice can shake.
• You may sweat.
• You may feel colder than usual.
• Your muscles can become tense.
• You may feel short of breath.
• Your mouth may feel dry.
• You may feel nauseous or even vomit.

How to treat performance anxiety

There are some tactics that may help you calm your system in the moment. Or as, Dr. Collard-Moore says, “discharge the tension.”

“An anxiety response is like a pressure cooker. And we can use certain techniques to turn down that built-up pressure,” she shares.

Some people find that taking a beta-blocker can help to lower situational anxiety and stage fright. But there are plenty of medication-free strategies to relax in the moment.

Here are a few of Dr. Collard-Moore's suggestions:

• Exercise: Moving your body releases feel-good chemicals called endorphins. They can help override your stress response. Try going for a jog, taking a walk or doing a few jumping jacks to get the juices flowing in tense moments.
• Shake it off (literally): Giving your whole body a big wiggle can help release built-up anxiety. Really let it go (if your body permits) — flail your arms, shrug your shoulders, shake your head, hop around. It’s a signal to your body that you’re safe.
• Butterfly hug: Cross your arms in front of your chest, bringing each hand to the space just below your collarbone. Gently tap your left hand and then your right in a consistent rhythm. Continue for a few minutes. Why does it work? “Our central nervous system is divided in half. So, it’s one way to tell your nervous system that you’re OK,” explains Dr. Collard-Moore. It’s a common eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) technique, similar to EFT tapping. (Bonus: It’s almost like giving yourself a little hug, which we can all use sometimes.)
• Breathwork: When your body tenses up with stress and anxiety, it’s common to forget to breathe. But your brain needs oxygen to help calm you down. So, taking a few deep diaphragm breaths, or trying something like box breathing or 4-7-8 breathing can help to get your brain to focus on something other than your nerves.

Closing the curtain

If anxiety is affecting your self-confidence, your ability to do your job or go about your day-to-day life, talking with a mental health professional can help. They can work with you to get to the cause of your anxiety and find strategies to cope.