Severe performance anxiety?

Post Reply New Topic

Ever since I can remember I have had severe performance anxiety. Things that I am competent at and can do easily I become quite bad at when under stress/pressure. It usually involves a meltdown of some sort. Along with this I have a bad time when people watch me do anything. Does anyone else have issues like this? Is this a usual trait? What is the cause and is there a remedy?

Yes. I do. Not with everything, but many things. Things I am excellent at I often can't do well at all if being watched.

I think it's partially caused by anxiety in general. But I think a large part is caused by distraction. I need to be able to focus, and someone sitting over my shoulder so to speak is tremendously distracting. I need my space.

There are some medications that can help with performance anxiety including beta-blockers & benzodiazepines

That's true, but benzos can be addicting and should be taken only when necessary, not on a regular basis.

That's right.

I have performance anxieties when being observed. I don't know why. When I teach my classes, I have to spend hours to get it down to a 'schpiel' and demonstration. I get very frustrated when things go off track. And, it's getting to where I get knots in my stomach and feel truly nauseous when I have to leave the house and deal with people and do my job. I just need a job where I can be treated like a mushroom. Kept in the dark and fed crap. But, yeah, I too am good at my job. But as soon as people come by to observe, it really throws me.

That's really funny

Teaching does sound as if it could cause a lot of anxiety. I'm not sure I could teach a large group of people.

I was in teaching, and survived it quite well for about a decade and a half. Then the management became very keen on 'staff appraisal', which involved a lot of lesson observation, and that blew me to bits. I think it hastened the 'burnout' factor, and shortly afterwards I was on my way out of the profession. It was either that or the psychiatric ward, I think.

Actually, I am lucky in that regard.
1) It's never a large group. I teach 3D graphics in continuing education.
2) I've been teaching the same subject since 2000. So, that helps, but it's the preparation for the actual class and trying to reach the younger and younger people that's wearing me out. I just cannot connect with them.
While we don't do the staff appraisal, I'm hitting that same time marking and the management has made things very difficult. They really treat us like crap. I'm actually thinking of trying to go to work at a museum somewhere doing graphics and displays. I could combine several of my special interests into one job. Paleontology, Dinos, Sciences, model building, etc. At least I hope that the opportunity would be for a quiet job, out of the way. Little interaction with people.

I'm on beta blockers and was addicted to benzos for many years. Beta blockers seem interfere with cardio in any cardio intensive sport.