Artist Anxiety

While it may seem a bit ironic to consider that art is frequently a form of treatment for anxiety disorders, artists themselves may experience different forms of anxiety for an abundance of reasons. Creative people in general have minds that churn with possibility. Some artists are shy and reserved; others are exuberant and outgoing. Some are successful, others remain unknown. Whatever an artist experiences through his form of expression, underlying fears can temporarily lay claim to sanity and result in uncomfortable, sometimes painful physical symptoms.

Anxiety Manifests in Many Ways

• Fear is the underlying factor of all anxiety.

  The curtain is about to go up, and three of the 12 cast members tremble in place. The airplane is about to leave the gate, and one of the band members refuses to get on board. A sculptor about to unveil his latest interpretation of God is nowhere to be found. The press waits to view a new line of clothing, and the designer is red-faced and dripping sweat. These are just some of the scenarios artists might experience. It's the "Oh, no!" moment: the time when the work is about to be seen. And judged.

Causes

• Musicians, actors and dancers may feel performance anxiety.

  Anxiety is always about deeply rooted or blatantly in-your-face fear. The causes for this fear are many. Someone whose family has established a "name" over generations of acting may not feel certain he can live up to history. Peer pressure is another cause for fear: What will they think? Will the artist still be valued after revealing his talents?

  The press and reviewers bring a different challenge, as whatever they say will go public, and the artist has to accept whatever happens. An artist could experience fears regarding finances: Will his work earn enough money to live on, or will he have to do something more "commercial" to survive? Lack of confidence, embarrassment, fear of failure or the future, and other issues contribute to anxiety.

Symptoms

• Designers may feel anxious when exposing new work to viewers.

  Stomach cramps, itchy hands, hives, trembling, heavy sweating, sleeplessness, wringing hands, moist palms and headaches are common symptoms. Worse symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, heart palpitations, breathing difficulty, and an inability to concentrate or speak. Some people completely freeze up. Everything around the artist could feel extraordinarily large, or everything shrinks to black, where he is alone in a painful and dark emotional hole.

Where and When?

• Peaceful surroundings promote ease in the artist's life.

  Artists can suffer from anxious moments at any time, but the most common are just before a theatrical, film or gallery opening. Other typical stimuli include: the presence of close friends or family the artist wants to impress; signing a deal or receiving a deposit for work only to realize now he has to satisfy his end of the bargain; the board of directors wants approval of the work; the artist's husband has told all his friends at the office about her book release; the photographers are clicking away outside the hall; a TV crew wants comments before the unveiling; the actor is about to speak a monologue--it's "the big break" for his entire career and...will he remember his lines?

Management

• Fearlessness requires coming to grips with what really matters.

  Anxiety is completely manageable. The primary factor over which the artist must gain control is his thoughts--his mind. Learning to trust himself, to feel confident, to relax and let things be however they will be requires a state of total presence and awareness, and choosing the thoughts that make him feel good. Some methods for keeping relaxed and calm when stressors arise are: taking a walk or hot bath, meditating, exercise routines, listening to hypnotic tapes or soothing music; or slowly sipping a favorite drink. Doing these kinds of things routinely will reduce fear and help an artist maintain a stable mental state. Lie in the park and identify the clouds. It's all about respecting oneself enough to choose letting go of fear.

Medical Help

• Serious cases of anxiety warrant a consultation with a physician.

  Anyone suffering serious or advanced anxiety symptoms (especially those that are ongoing and do not dissipate with various attempts at relaxation, diet and mind training) will do well to seek medical attention. Though prescription medications come with their own list of problems, a doctor will be able to determine if something far more serious is happening and advise accordingly.

Release

• Artists can achieve total freedom from anxiety.

  Healing anxiety is a choice any artist can make, toward ultimately finding the balance between harmonious, self-affirming thoughts and how to let go of what simply isn't important enough to warrant fears. If artists genuinely ask themselves, "What's the worst thing that can happen?", and answer in all honesty, they will discern where their best interests lie--in time and in their creations. Bill Murray, as the character Tripper in the film "Meatballs," inspired his anxious campers with the chant, "It just doesn't matter. It just doesn't matter." And while it may not matter as much as they once thought, it is enough for them to let go. To jump for joy. And to create like nobody's watching.