Stage Fright Essay, Research Paper

It grabs your gut and makes your hands shake. It hijacks your saliva glands when you need them the most. It reduces you to a child, scared to death that the boogieman lurks somewhere beyond the stage lights. Stage Fright.

?According to the Book of Lists, stage fright is most people?s number one fear, next to fear of height, insects, deep water, illnesses and death.?

This doesn?t necessarily mean people would rather die than do presentations or perform. By nature death is an once-in-a-lifetime ordeal, which allows it to be easily put down on the list. But public speaking or performing, and all the jitters that come with it, is something everyone has to deal with. Those who don?t learn how to control their fear risk becoming boring ineffective speakers or performers; or worse, keeping themselves from promotions I both the business and entertainment field. But those who do conquer stage fright tend to see their career options broaden, their financial pockets deepen, and their job satisfaction soar. Fear of stage fright can ruin your professional life if you let it. But stage fright can be controlled; all it takes is sincere willingness to work on the problem and a solid understanding of what you?re trying to overcome.

The first thing to understand about the anxiety associated with public speaking, or performing is that it is a perfectly unnatural situation. Physiologically, the response works like this: The moment a threat is perceived, an alarm goes off in your brain, triggering secretions of tow essential and very effective stimulants, adrenaline and cortisol. As these stimulants course through your body, they increase your heart rate and raise your body temperature, preparing your body to defend itself. Extra blood goes to your hands, legs and brain, priming your muscles and nervous system fro action, and causing your palms and forehead to sweat. Because the stomach organs are vulnerable to attacks by sharp-toothed beasts, blood immediately leaves the area, causing ?butterflies? and cramping.

To get more oxygen to your muscles and brain, you breathe faster. Your mind, flooded with blood and oxygen, begins to ?race?, simultaneously formulating a battle pan and looking for an escape route. As the fear intensifies and the impending threat gets closer, thinking becomes a hindrance, because hesitation at this point could mean death. So in self-defense, the rational functions of the brain shut down, allowing the body to react instinctively in whichever way it deems most appropriate.

Ralph Behnke, Ph.D., a speech communication professor at Texas Christian University, has found that the highest point of anxiety for public speakers comes in the moment they?re expected to start talking. But another never shattering high comes when they?re first assigned the speech, and this is where Behnke suggests that people start fighting stage fright. He recommends trying the obvious but painful: volunteering to take public speech classes and speak in public more often. ?Once you have a chance to work on your presentation,? he explained, ? anxiety drops down.?

The fear of public speaking is by far the most prevalent social anxiety, affecting many people whom are not the least bit shy in other settings. Researchers say that stage fright is the same ancient anxiety that hits all creatures when they are in full view of potential predators. Many of us freeze up even before a group of trusted friends. Shyness author Bernardo Carducci says is because of the psychological rule of ?salient objects.? It is human nature, according to this principle, to scrutinize the most noticeable person in the room far more critically than those who blend into the background. And standing in front of a crowd makes us the ?Salient object,? so that we become only too conscious of each gesture and phrase.

Famous People Who Suffer from Stage Fright

Since the release of Brandy?s hot new second album, Never Say Never, her loyal followers probably can hardly wait for her to go on tour. If that?s the case, unless the luminous young actress-singer gets over her extreme case of stage fright, a tour isn?t likely. The ?Moesha? star told the newspaper that her stage fright surfaced two years ago. When she attended a show for the group, Silk, she says she was called onstage. Though brandy performed with her brother, actor-singer Ray-J, during the special, Ray-J & Brandy in Concert, she said the experience was by no means easy. The 19-year old, which is known as a ?good girl? by many, believes that her fear stems from the fact that ?I have this fear that people are not going to accept me because of my image.? Just because she doesn?t foresee a tour for now, Never Say Never. She hopes to rise above her fear. Says the spunky star with her signature braided hair, ?I?m going to beat this thing, and I can?t let my fans down.

Stage fright even goes as far back as Greek mythology. Isocrates (436-339 BC), was a great Greek writer and teacher. A weak voice and stage fright kept him from making public appearances as a speaker. But he wrote and published many great speeches in pamphlet form. His career continued to flourish even though he didn?t speak in public, which was rare during those times.

Overcoming Stage Fright

Indeed, say the pros, you can do all the breathing exercises and positive visualization you want but the best way to beat the presentation jitters is to virtually make a religion out of the Boy Scout motto, ?Be Prepared.? ?The reason people can overcome stage fright, as opposed to other fears, is the human beings can change their perception of a situation, ?Scott Sindelar president of the Arizona Speakers Association and a licensed psychologist who counsels professionals with pubic-speaking anxiety problems. Some other ways to overcome stage fright are common everyday things. Like, schedule short practice sessions. You can calm fears by rehearsing but not overdoing it. After you nail the performance once or twice, call it a day. Too many run-throughs in a row can make you tired, which will lead to mistakes and increased nervousness. Another way would be to focus on fun. Know that the point of performing is having a good time. And avoid comparing yourself too others. You could also teach yourself relaxation techniques. Learn how to take a few deep breaths before a performance and calm down. Or close your eyes and thing of you favorite activity. The final way to overcome stage fright is to face your fear. If you?re reluctant to step in front of an audience, try to persuade yourself by reasoning yourself that you know the lines.

Conclusion

Stage fright can be a problem that could cause you to reduce yourself to lower forms, such as a child. But fear not, you can conquer this fear and achieve all the goals necessary in life. Just remember to ?Be Prepared,? like the Boy Scout motto and you can?t go wrong. Everyday people are the only ones who suffer from stage fright, so do famous people, but everyone can conquer this fear, you just have to be willing to put in the work and effort to make it all possible.