What is performance anxiety?
Performance anxiety is essentially a strong fear response that stops you performing at your best. It can be extremely debiliating. It is typically triggered when we have to perform a task in which we perceive we will be evaluated by others. Sometimes performance anxiety is the result of our own negative evaluations of our perfromance or our abilities. Some performance anxiety is the result of constant and ongoing criticisms or unsuccessful events. In either case, whether it is because we are being scrutinized or we are being too hard on ourselves performance anxiety can stop us performing at our best and in some cases it can stop us performing at all.
The symptoms of performance anxiety are being unable to concentrate, worry about your performance, losing focus, sweating, tightness in the mouth and throat, rapid breathing. In very bad episodes performance anxiety can cause shaking, rapid breathing, nausea and even vomitting. But don’t worry it can be treated effectively.
What causes it?
There are many causes of performance anxiety ranging from critical parenting, through to unrealistic social expectations. In any each the result is you develop a heightened reaction to normal situations when we perceive that we are being evaluated.
How do you treat it?
Treatment begins with an understanding of what it is and what is happenning to you when you have an episode, what triggers it and what goes through your mind when it kicks in. Then we look at using a range of modern psychological strategies to eliminate it. These strategies include, psychological education, mapping out and changing the anxiety cycle, re-education of our perceptions, and retraining of our physical responses. These strategies work, will often get quick results and they are effective.
What are the results?
Results using this type of approach to performance anxiety are excellent. Most sufferers will get very quick results with lasting outcomes.
What do I do next?
If you think you could be helped by a performance anxiety treatment program simply call 02 9420 0788 book an appointment and lets get started.
Locations
We have an office in Sydney’s CBD, in Macquarie Street opposite the Royal Botanic Gardens.
For Help with Performance Anxiety Call 02 9420 0788