The fear of public speaking is rated by "The Book of Lists" as the number one fear among Americans. It is ranked even higher than the fear of death. So it's no surprise that those who'd rather be six feet under than speak in front of a group might think that show biz folk have it easier—after all, they've chosen to be in the spotlight. One of the most confusing things about stage fright, however, is that even a true love of the theatrical profession, great talent, peer respect, and years of fear-free success don't inoculate you against the possibility of developing stage fright or performance anxiety.
Whether you're working in front of an audience or behind the scenes, Back Stage has assembled the latest information from experts in the field of anxiety treatment to help you develop your own coping strategy. Since these experts tell us the mind/body connection is a key factor in developing relaxation tools, we've also gathered techniques from a respected physician whose medical practice specializes in using this more integrative mind/body approach. Finally, Back Stage wants you to know there is help and support out there, so we've also included a separate contact section (see sidebar) to help get you started.
Taming The Tension
Whether actor or audience member, most of us have experienced what we think of as stage fright. Perhaps you've only had mild symptoms: "cotton mouth," "butterflies" fluttering in your stomach, clammy hands, or knees that shake. You may feel comfortable performing in front of hundreds of people, and trouble only comes when you have to go through the dreaded audition process. For those behind the scenes, you may fear presenting your designs, being on panel discussions, or being asked to be a teacher/lecturer. There's a big distinction, however, between people who can use what they can control (being well prepared, rested, and rehearsed) to cope with their fears, and those who experience emotional and sometimes physical terror doing things they've done effortlessly in the past.
Stress is the way we respond to the changes in our lives. It causes our bodies to react: physically, cognitively, emotionally, and behaviorally. Positive as well as negative change can constitute stress. The tension stress causes—even when you know the fear that triggers it is irrational—begins to make you take shorter, shallower breaths, which only make use of your upper chest and cause your diaphragm to become rigid. As you start to feel oxygen deprived, you begin breathing even quicker. Your fearful thoughts trigger your sympathetic nervous system to believe you're under a threat; they release a flood of chemicals, including adrenaline, which tells your body to be on guard and feel afraid. (They can also tell your face to flush, your body to sweat, and your heart to race.) This is known as the "Fight or Flight" response, and shows the immense power of our thoughts and the mind/body connection. "Fight or Flight" can be very helpful and important when a situation holds potential danger—like hunting lions—but very difficult to cope with when all you want to do is audition for "The Lion King." To switch off your sympathetic nervous system, you must switch on what your body uses to sooth itself—your parasympathetic system. You can actually do this for yourself by consciously slowing down your breathing, which will also lower your heart rate and help you feel more relaxed. And while that's very easy to write, it may be hard to imagine by anyone who has experienced some form of stage fright or performance anxiety.
Triumph Over Fear
Jerilyn Ross, M.A., L.I.C.S.W., wants you to know there is both help and hope for people with stage fright, anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias. Ross is the president of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA), and the director of The Ross Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders in Washington, D.C. The ADAA, established in 1980, is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated exclusively to the early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of anxiety disorders. Ross is one of the country's leading authorities on anxiety disorders and has been featured on "Nightline," "The Today Show" (Willard Scott credits Ross for helping him overcome his own phobias), "20/20," and "Oprah Winfrey." To better understand her approach, Back Stage spoke to Ross. Our first question, naturally, was if there's a difference between treating performers and those outside the entertainment field.
"For business people, public speaking is part of their job; they do it because they have to," Ross observes. "Actors love and are passionate about their work, and truly want to perform, but it's still the same treatment approach." She adds, "Some performance anxiety is healthy. It helps to motivate and energize you. In most cases, people will develop their own ways of making themselves comfortable with social anxiety disorder [also known as social phobia]. It is the fear of the fear that one day triggers a panic attack. That's when all your thoughts are now focused on the problem from the moment you wake up in the morning."
Ross believes education, understanding, and acceptance of what's happening are keys to freeing yourself. "We use cognitive therapy to identify the fear and explore what is the worst people think will happen—and then modify that thinking. For example, many of my clients are afraid that, as their anxiety increases, their blood pressure will go up and they'll pass out. It's important to educate yourself and learn as much as you can to understand physically what's happening. When you pass out, your blood pressure would be down, not up. It's important to challenge catastrophic 'what if' thinking, and you do that one thought at a time."
Ross also does what she calls "in vivo" (real life) work, which is part of what makes her program unique—going with people to help them face situations they fear in order to help desensitize them. As with all therapy, Ross' clients' privacy is always protected. But because performer Donny Osmond has written about his own experience coping with social phobia in his book, "Life Is Just What You Make It," Ross offers her work with Osmond as an example of "in vivo." Social phobia is an extreme fear of public embarrassment and being judged by others. The condition can affect 13 out of every 100 Americans at some point in their lives, according to the ADAA. Ross went backstage to be with Osmond while he performed. (The symptoms he's written about include the ultimate actor's nightmare of not being able to remember words, which he faced while on stage in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.") She also went with Osmond to the store to help him face his concerns over being scrutinized and judged offstage as well.
Ross believes many suffering from stage fright or even an anxiety disorder have been able to achieve significant relief on their own by following a self-help program in book or tape form. Her case experience—derived from 22 years of working with patients as well as from overcoming her own phobia—is presented in her book, "Triumph Over Fear." The book also includes a complete self–help manual offering the same tools she gives patients in her 12-week therapy groups. There is a section on the important role that diaphragmic breathing plays in relaxation (which may already be a familiar tool to voice students or singers), and another on body relaxation techniques. She also presents what therapy can offer: utilizing new advances in medications (there are a number of drugs being used successfully, including beta blockers and anti-anxiety medications), finding support groups, setting goals, using daily task sheets, and improving communication with family, friends, and colleagues.
We asked Ross for some tools readers could use right away. For example, how do her performing clients deal with dry mouth? Ross asked one singer, "What makes you salivate?" The client thought of lemons, and so Ross had the client visualize lemons whenever she felt dry, which proved very successful. Ross also offers an eight-point plan—which she has her clients carry on a wallet size card—"as a portable tool box to manage panic attacks anytime, anywhere." These eight points are featured in Ross's "Freedom From Anxiety" audio/video program and workbook, which allow you to learn at your own pace while in the privacy of your own home.
The Eight Points—Freedom From Anxiety
1.) Expect, allow, and accept that fear will arise.
2.) When fear comes, stop, wait, and let it be.
3.) Focus on the present and do manageable things in the present.
4.) Label your level of fear from 0-10. (Watch it go up and down.)
5.) Ask yourself, "What am I really afraid of?"
6.) Ask yourself, "What is actually happening?" (Compare it to your fear.)
7.) Function with fear—be proud of your achievement.
8.) Expect, allow, and accept that fear will reappear.
Learning By Doing
Performer Madeline Valencia has her own successful tip for desensitizing herself from the fear film and commercial cold readings can bring, especially when you don't have a teacher or class to work with. When she knows she's got an audition coming, whether she gets a copy of the sides in advance or not, she will "ask another actor, or even a non-performing friend, to spend some time reading along with me [before the audition]. This gets me physically used to the feeling of doing a cold reading. If I get nervous the day of the audition, I can remind myself, 'I've done it before and I can do it again.' "
For Jordan Knight, former lead singer for New Kids On the Block and now a solo recording artist, anxiety almost ended his career. (His older brother, Jonathan, had to leave the group due to severe performance anxiety.) In a recent Oprah broadcast, Knight credited his use of a piano bar to desensitize himself. He told Oprah's audience, "I would go incognito at first. What I did was go and just watch, and then I got enough courage to actually go up and sing a song. The next week, I would take my glasses off. Then the next week, I would take my hat off." In this way, he desensitized in a non-professional environment. Since there are many piano bars that actually encourage singers from the audience, this is an easily accessible way to train yourself and work through audition nerves without putting a job on the line.
Knight also credits using books about anxiety and meditation, confiding, "Some of the tips were to go into a meditative state to face your fears. Doing [meditation] daily puts you in the moment. The best thing to do is to try to be in the moment, to breathe, to take it all in. I wasn't able to do that before."
Actor and writer Michel Philip Del Rio, who was most recently seen on the NYC stage in "Da Spanish Mob," and has been a principal in many commercials and films, says he has a handle on stage fright. "At auditions, I do my homework. Too many performers use auditions as a social hour. I separate myself, go over copy, stretch, and use the time to relax, not talk. That way, when I go in, I'm ready, and can really focus.
Making Fear Center Stage
Back Stage learned about Janet E. Esposito, M.S.W, and her book, "In The Spotlight—Overcome Your Fear Of Public Speaking And Performing," from the organization Freedom From Fear, a national not-for-profit mental health advocacy association founded in 1984. Its mission is to aid and counsel individuals and their families who suffer from anxiety and depressive illnesses. Connecticut-based Esposito is the president of In The Spotlight, LLC, a company devoted to helping people overcome stage fright. She has also overcome phobias herself, and treats actors as well as people from all over the country. She has recently been featured in the pages of McCall's, Marie-Claire, and First for Women.
When considering differences between performers and other clients, Esposito can sympathize: "It's especially hard for performers, who, unlike someone giving a business presentation, feel an even stronger need for perfection in word and musical tone, with what they perceive as no room for error." She observes, "I find performers feel it's easier once they're in a role or can hide behind the material. In an audition, they have to be themselves, vulnerable, and it's more about proving themselves than performing. In a fearful state, we gravitate toward fearful thoughts. There's a feeling of lost control—fearful thinking that we are powerless and helpless and don't want anyone to see us like that. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy that disempowers. We need to redirect the focus of attention, to learn you can control your fear level and stop the panic cycle." She goes on to stress, "The lay person thinks it's a lack of self confidence, esteem, or assertiveness, but it has nothing to do with that. I called my book 'In The Spotlight' because that's what it feels like, that all eyes are on you, you're separate and alone."
How do you know if your symptoms are manageable by using a self-help program, or if it's better to seek professional help? Esposito offers, "Some of the clues are: developing avoidance behaviors where you avoid performing or avoid being prepared so you won't be able to audition; self-medicating with food, drugs, alcohol; preoccupation; and lack of sleep. Avoidance, although it relieves immediate stress, actually reinforces the fear cycle and makes things worse over time." She advised that if you are experiencing feelings that have graduated to panic, it's best to seek professional help.
From her list of "Top 10 Tips For Reducing Stage Fright," Esposito adds, "People with this fear get self-absorbed. Take the focus off yourself and your fear and put it on your true purpose, which is to contribute something of value to your audience. Focus on contribution and it's not about you anymore. Practice methods to calm your mind and relax your body, including deep breathing, yoga, and relaxation exercises. Practice healthy eating and lifestyle habits, and visualize your success." In her "No More Stage Fright" workshops, Esposito's exclusive focus is on addressing the client's fear rather than teaching presentation skills because she believes many performers often have those skills already.
Healing From Within—Begin with Breath Work
You've already read that the experts Back Stage interviewed recommend breathing exercises and exploring relaxation techniques such as breath work, yoga, and meditation. To better understand how the mind/body connection can influence the body and ease stress, Back Stage enlisted the guidance of Dr. Lawrence B. Palevsky. He is currently in practice at NYC's The Continuum Center for Health and Healing (a new initiative of NYC's Beth Israel Medical Center, providing integrative care that employs conventional and complementary therapies). Dr. Palevsky's success using an integrative medicine approach in his medical practice, including the use of yoga and nutrition, has recently been featured in the pages of Self, New Age, the New York Daily News, and on NBC's "Live at Five," as well as "The CBS Evening News with Dan Rather." Dr. Palevsky graduated from NYU School of Medicine, and his past experience includes nine years in pediatric emergency and intensive care, having also served as chief of the Pediatric Acute Care Unit at Lenox Hill Hospital for three years. He is a board certified pediatrician treating children to young adults, but his approach to medicine encompasses working with and educating the whole family to empower all to have more treatment and wellness options.
Since Dr. Palevsky also has a performance background in musical theatre and, while in practice, has continued to perform in NYC, his was a case of "physician, heal thyself" when it came to stage fright. His own ongoing relaxation strategy involves much of the same advice he gives patients and families. He uses yoga, meditation, aromatherapy, reflexology, massage, exercise (he recommends swimming), and healthy nutrition. (As with our other experts, he advises skipping caffeine and alcohol. He also avoids not only added white sugar, but also foods naturally high in sugar, which can produce mucus and raise insulin, causing changing moods.)
Of the mind/body connection, Dr. Palevsky observes, "There is an amazing restorative power in us that goes untapped. Using yoga and meditation [and] observing the power of breath lowers stress and creates a world of new information we can use. The mere power of being aware of how we're breathing can change the production of nerve chemicals, cause a slower heart rate, a reduction of inflammatory chemicals, and a relaxation of the diaphragm."
Performer Kevin Perez knows first-hand how important a relaxed diaphragm can be during performance. As well as having performed at SoHo Rep and on "Guiding Light," he works frequently as an opera extra. Perez tells Back Stage he had never experienced stage fright until he was called on to substitute at the opera at the last minute, working in someone else's full armor while sharing a scene with Luciano Pavarotti. Sensing that he needed to take a deep breath to calm down, Perez realized part of the problem was that he was laced so tightly into his costume, he couldn't expand his diaphragm and take a deep breath. His solution was to move around and thus release some of the tension and adrenaline he was feeling. While keeping in character and working within the scene, he took stage poses that allowed him to be as physically open as possible. Now he is a firm believer in the benefits of deep breathing for relaxation, both before auditions and on stage.
The Benefits of Yoga
Breath work is also an important component of yoga, which, while it may be a buzz word this season, with many performers singing its praises, is actually an ancient Eastern concept whose name means unity or oneness. To further explain why he recommends this time tested practice, Dr. Palevsky offers: "For centuries, adults have reaped the physical and mental benefits of yoga. It encourages a person to stay more connected to their breathing, provides specific moves to relax the diaphragm, and opens the rib cage and lungs. Besides providing relaxation, this helps maximize your speaking and singing potential. When you are anxious and tense, you can forget to breathe. The very act of being frightened means you are no longer in touch with how you are breathing. Yoga encourages you to stay connected to what's happening with your body and your breath. I learned that if I stay more connected to my breath, I feel a powerful surge of energy, strength, stamina, and security. Yoga positions help you discover where you have restriction and tightness in your body and how you can open those areas. Being able to do that for yourself gives a great sense of strength and freedom, which carries over into all areas of your life."
Yoga as a powerful treatment tool is now being acknowledged in many areas of the medical community, including the Journal of the American Medical Association. If you thought you had to be able to tie yourself into a pretzel or do a handstand, be deeply spiritual, change your religious beliefs, or buy a lot of gear, think again. Mainstream libraries have a diverse array of books to borrow. Bookstores, health and health food stores, and related web sites all have inexpensive books, magazines, and videos exploring yoga techniques. You can just learn the basics, or seek out more challenging skill levels. One respected resource is Yoga Journal Magazine, which also produces a number of videos. No matter how little time you have or how few poses you do, anyone can reap the relaxing benefits. For building technique and supportive camaraderie, many yoga studios offer classes on an individual pay basis. If you're already a gym member, you may even find yoga and relaxation classes offered where you work out. Even if you're pregnant, or limited in your health and movement to just sitting in a chair, you'll find there's some form of yoga practice designed for you.
One resource you can use if you have access to the Internet (there are also libraries with computers or copy centers and cafés with $10 hourly Internet rentals) is www.yogaeverywhere.com, a web site created by Megan Lurie McCarver, M.A., CMT. McCarver is a certified yoga instructor, and also provides information on yoga for the ivillage web site. Her no-cost site features an introduction to yoga and breathing, and her "keyboard yoga" lets you explore positions at your desk. This type of chair yoga can come in especially handy while you're sitting in a cramped dressing room, waiting in the wings, or find yourself with little personal space in an audition hallway. There are easy-to-understand instructions and clear photos to follow (or print out and save) for the relaxation of various parts of the body—including lower back and pelvis, neck and shoulder, and eyes—as well as self-massage and breath work. Dr. Palevsky tells us the gentle stretching of the neck found in yoga positions opens the "strap" muscles, which also helps to release tightness in the throat.
Mediating with Meditation
Meditation and breath work go hand in hand as well. And Dr. Palevsky recommends meditation for everyone, not just for his patients with anxiety issues. He offers, "There is no right or wrong way to do meditation. It's about being an observer of your own breath and thoughts without having to judge, manipulate, or change anything. Just being quiet and taking easy breaths can restore the balance of energy."
There are many different types of meditation. If focusing inward is difficult for you, some people look into the flame of a candle. For those who find even a few moments of stillness torture, you can start with a walking meditation. In 1968, a Harvard Medical School study by Dr. Herbert Benson showed that the physical effects that meditation produces on the body are the exact opposite of those produced by stress. Dr. Benson is the founding president of the Mind/Body Medical Institute at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. His research has been featured in many books, including "The Relaxation Response," and many regard him as the godfather of modern mind/body medicine. He has translated the ancient technique of meditating to simply counting "one" for each breath in and out. If your mind wanders, just bring it back without judgment, building up to 20 minutes twice a day.
On the subject of breath work, Dr. Palevsky counsels, "Most people, when breathing, pull their stomach in, but in fact the goal is to relax the stomach on the inhalation and pull back in on the exhalation." Another doctor who sees the benefits of breath work as a foundation of wellness is Dr. Andrew Weil, who is recognized worldwide as a leading exponent of alternative medicine. His many books detail his prescription for learning "relaxing breath"—which he advises as a powerful tool for managing stress and its related health problems—as does his no-cost website at www.drweil.com. Once there, look for the "ask the doctor" section, or go to the search page and enter the keyword "relaxation." You'll find his database features many articles outlining daily breath work based on yogic traditions. You can also search for articles on diverse relaxation techniques, including the power of guided imagery and biofeedback.
Essential Oils and Aromatherapy
Dr. Palevsky has had especially successful results in his own medical practice with the use of essential oils and aromatherapy for relaxation. While on a trip to Nepal, a colleague first introduced him to "its powerful medicinal values," recounts Palevsky. "I realized essential oils were concentrations of the foods and herbs we already eat every day. They are also much easier to use than medications." While each individual will have their own needs and reactions, Dr. Palevsky has found that, generally, "many of the citrus oils—including tangerine, orange, and mandarin—are very relaxing to the nervous system, and sometimes just inhaling their aroma is enough to bring relaxation."
Since each person's response is unique, it's always good to remember to give your new coping strategies a trial run at a time other than before an audition or performance situation. The doctor also reminds readers, "Essential oils should never be taken internally." The best method for using oils is to "first buy the best grade of 'organic' oil you can." Health and health food stores carry many brands, and there are also mail order and Internet companies who sell them. Since oils are concentrated, Dr. Palevsky advises, "Mix them with a carrier oil, like almond or avocado oil." For children, he uses "one drop of essential oil to one teaspoon of carrier oil." He does not recommend adults use oils directly on the skin without first combining them with a carrier oil. Applying oils to the feet is a good way to start (but best not to use oils on broken or irritated/sensitive skin without the guidance of a professional), and the back of the neck is another area to try.
Essential oils can also be used in tandem with massage. (Dr. Palevsky finds shiatsu especially helpful for anxiety issues.) Learning about foot and hand reflexology and acupressure will also give you more options for self-massage and relaxation. Oils are often used on acupressure points as well. Many health bookstores carry laminated wallet size diagrams for doing foot and hand reflexology (another easy practice to do while you're preparing to perform), as well as books and tapes. Large bookstores will often let you sit and read their latest health magazines, and you can always search the web. If getting regular massages is out of your price range, you can check to see if massage schools in your area have student-training nights (like many hair salons) where they offer clients a sizable discount. Even nail salons may offer shorthand massage to regular customers.
As all of our experts will tell you, it's important for readers to remember that general reference information—such as this article contains—is not intended as a substitute for consulting with a healthcare professional or physician. Still, there are numerous inexpensive ways for you to get started developing your own relaxation strategy, making your time in or around the spotlight as stress free as possible.