Audience Anxiety

Some people thrive on stage. Others get a bit nervous but learn to use the adrenaline to boost their performance. Still others are nearly paralyzed by fear. Audience anxiety, a social phobia of public speaking, is not the end of the world, although it may feel like it if you are suffering from it on stage.

Fear

• Fear is the major feeling behind audience anxiety, according to Wrong Diagnosis. Those affected fear they will mess up their performance, become wholly embarrassed or humiliated and judged harshly by everyone in the room. Their self-consciousness and terror are the emotional side of audience anxiety. They also suffer physical symptoms.

Physical Symptoms

• Nervousness, a shaky voice and trembling hands are a few of the physical symptoms of audience anxiety noted by Dr. Daniel K. Hall-Flavin. Wrong Diagnosis points out some others that crop up once you're in front of an audience. These include shortness of breath, sweating, a racing pulse and heartbeat, dizziness and nausea. Others include vomiting and even loss of bladder or bowel control.

Complications

• Avoiding public speaking altogether will not help the situation. In fact, it can make it worse. Wrong Diagnosis says people who continuously duck a situation that fills them with dread often suffer from a lack of self-esteem. They sometimes start to feel like a coward, weak and useless. If avoiding the situation continues, mild depression can kick in, as can turning to drugs and alcohol to quell the depression and uncomfortable feelings.

Preparation

• With enough practice and work towards getting over audience anxiety, Dr. Daniel K. Hall-Flavin says it is definitely possible. He offers a few tips to get over the fear, such as being well-versed in your material, using visual and audio props and continually practicing your presentation in front of a mirror or people you know. He says to focus on the information you're presenting rather than the audience and to relax. Take deep breaths prior to your presentation while you imagine succeeding in it.

Other Solutions

• Doctors can prescribe a calming medication to help quell your anxiety for a performance, Hall-Flavin notes, but he warns to test the drug before using it on stage. Wrong Diagnosis adds a number of alternative solutions can work, such as exercise, meditation, yoga and self-affirmations to stave off the anxiety. Aromatherapy, especially with a soothing fragrance like lavender oil, can also quiet frazzled nerves. Desensitization therapy, acupuncture and hypnosis are a few other potential solutions.