There are many different types of anxiety. One type of anxiety which is common in school settings, is performance anxiety. As the name implies, performance anxiety is the anxiety of not performing well, or failing. This can regard many different things, such as homework, exams, oral examinations,.... People with performance anxiety often have an unreal anxiety about failing. They are such perfectionists that only the highest marks are good enough. Even if they then know the answers during a test or exam, they are still worried about failing and not complying with their high expectations. This anxiety is overwhelming and can even lead to failing the subjects or stopping university studies.
Performance anxiety: the symptoms
The symptoms of performance anxiety are similar to the general symptoms of anxiety disorders and hyperventilation. People with performance anxiety namely have a constant preoccupation regarding possible failure. They are constantly thinking about this. When studying they will keep studying even though they already know all the material, because they believe they will otherwise fail. In some cases, the students even stop with their studies because they are fully convinced that they are going to fail. When preparing or during tests, exams and such, it can thus often happen that people with performance anxiety are overwhelmed by panic and start hyperventilating. At those times you start sweating and your heart rate increases. It can also be so that you do not feel like you have any feeling left in your body or are not in touch with reality anymore. These are typical symptoms of a hyperventilation attack, These moments can occur with everyday tasks, such as going to a store or having a difficult conversation with someone. Then it can be so that people with performance anxiety feel like they can fail with even this. This only happens in far-developed performance anxiety. Originally, performance anxiety keeps to situations in which people really must prove themselves, such as in exams or tests.
Performance anxiety: in other places than school
Even people who are no longer in school can suffer from performance anxiety. For example, you might suffer performance anxiety at work. That you have to give a presentation, but are constantly worried that it will not go well. As mentioned before, performance anxiety can also occur in other situations. performance anxiety can namely develop so far that it even starts to influence other aspects of your life. Because of negative experiences with performance, you really do not want to lose a friendly football match with your team. That would mean that you are bad at everything. In extreme stages of performance anxiety, it can thus also affect your hobbies or family, because these people are often looking for situations which can re-build their self-esteem.
Performance anxiety: the treatment
Performance anxiety, like other anxiety disorders, often regards unreal anxieties or at least influence your performance in daily life. Breathing exercises can help during hyperventilation attacks. In preventing such attacks, breathing exercises can help too. It also is useful to look for help to get rid of your unreal thoughts, so that you can learn to deal with difficult situations in a different way, which will lead to more success and a more peaceful life. '15Minutes4Me.com' is an online self-help program, which is based on solution focused and cognitive therapy. These therapies have the goal to challenge unreal thoughts and to look for solutions for dealing with difficult situations more efficiently from own sources of power. You get daily videos, questions, and exercises which can help you to break out of the negative spiral of performance anxiety, which means you can once again energetically do the things which your performance anxiety told you that you could not do.
Performance anxiety: the free self-test
'15Minutes4Me.com' offers a free anxiety test, which can measure your levels of anxiety. After filling out the test, you integrally end up on a page with your personal scores and possible solutions.
