Stage Fright – Stage Fear

Stage fright is exaggerated anxiety in situations requiring the person to present in front of a group of people. Stage anxiety, repetitive thoughts about a presentation, or about having to stand in front of a forum of people soon, all of these might cause insomnia, a paralyzing fear, and a feeling of illness, accompanied by symptoms such as:

• Cold sweat.
• Accelerated pulse accompanied by pressure in the chest.
• Uncontrollable tremor.
• Headaches and stomachaches.

When presenting at work or when having to read out loud in front of the whole class, we feel:

• A blackout.
• Heat floods our faces and leads to blushing.
• Confusion and lack of concentration might sometimes lead to mistakes and embarrassment.
• Fear of the audience’s looks and their thoughts about me and my abilities.

The pressure and anxiety overwhelm us even before the event takes place. Merely thinking about the task and about having to meet the audience causes chain reactions and a massive desire to avoid this task.

In what ways does stage fright affect us?

• It diminishes our academic achievements.
• It stops us from getting promoted at work to a position that requires standing in front of an audience and presenting.
• It reduces our chances of being selected for work following professional evaluation processes.
• It stops us from taking on commanding roles in the military or management positions in the job market.