· symptoms of panic before or during a presentation or performance, such as heart palpitations; rapid breathing or shortness of breath; shaking or trembling; sweating; feeling dizzy, unsteady or lightheaded; feelings of nausea or abdominal distress; feelings of detachment; and feeling a loss of control over oneself
· a lot of inner turmoil or missed opportunities
The fear of public speaking or performing strongly affects an individual’s professional life and possibilities for career advancement. Some people quit school, leave a job, or pass up a promotional opportunity if it calls for more public speaking or performing. Many others suffer a silent terror as they push themselves to speak or perform despite the intense fear and dread.
Those in higher level positions who have this fear often delegate speaking assignments to those they manage or supervise to avoid the possibility of exposing themselves to being “found out”.
Many who have this fear are accomplished and successful people and they are often confident and outgoing. These are the people who you would never imagine suffer from this fear. Others are more timid and shy, and may suffer from more general social anxiety as well. Many who suffer from performance anxiety consider themselves perfectionists and have exceedingly high expectations for themselves, and sometimes for others. They are often uncomfortable with the idea of exposing any flaws or vulnerability to others. They often feel they have to be strong and in control and become very anxious at the thought of showing any weakness.
This fear takes a big toll on the person’s self-confidence and self-esteem, as many people feel embarrassed and ashamed to have such a fear. Many people keep their fear a secret from others and some have not even shared this with their spouse, friends, or family. Many people are especially fearful that their symptoms of panic will be detected by others and they are fearful of what others will think. They often fear negative evaluation and judgment by others. They may look at those who seem comfortable speaking or performing in public and feel bad about the level of fear and discomfort they have, relative to what they perceive others experience. They know that their terror is “irrational” but they can’t seem to get control over their emotions when it comes to speaking or performing. This often leaves them feeling confused and frustrated and they are often very angry and disappointed with themselves over it.
