Performance Anxiety

Performance anxiety can occur with regards to any type of performance we experience anticipatory anxiety towards. It can be for public speaking; performing in some kind of event, audition or competition; and for sexual performance such as getting or maintaining an erection.

Performance anxiety can happen from a past traumatic experience (e.g. being humiliated while standing up and reading aloud when you were at school) which creates an aversion to any similar situation in the future. Therapy would involve 'de-traumatising' the original trauma, in much the same way as other standard phobia treatments, and usually takes 1-2 sessions.

Performance anxiety can occur from self-esteem issues - a deep seated doubt about one's ability which generalises to certain situations. In this case some additional self-esteem work may need to take place to foster self-trust.

Performance anxiety can occur from a normal glitch in performance that the individual then frets and worries about, creating an association of anticipatory anxiety with that performance. Therapy involves breaking this association and usually takes 1 session.

See also:  phobias & traumas; anxiety; panic attacks

For more information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Recommended Therapies: psychological therapy; NLP & clinical hypnosis

© 2011 – Felix Economakis, The Heath Mind Body Therapies