Hypnotherapy., Has anyone tried it for nerves/stage fright? Options

[Bing]

Thankyou everyone for your considered replies. (Also for the PMs people sent. If I haven't replied yet. I will do so a.sa.p).

Bing you got it - hysteria, shakes, going at it 3 x as fast, or not at all. All that's missing are the fainting fits. I kick myself I really do. It is indeed a spiral that needs to be broken.

I think I've pretty much made up my mind to give hypnotherapy a go - through a GP (just to make sure I don't end up playing like a chicken (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) ) and if it does fail - well -I'll have tried. Beta blockers will be next on the list.

Thankyou again,
Iona

(As an afterthought - I do suffer from migraines and once an attack is over I find myself in a completely 'phased out' state. Usually for 24 hours or so. That's when I play at my best. There's obviously something chemical going on there, and I've often thought that if I could, I'd bottle whatever it is and store it 'til needed.)

Just as an aside - the beta-blockers that the doctor prescribed for me, are also prescribed for migraine!

[Dulciana]

What you're getting when you suffer these sympoms is a fight or flight type reaction. This is great in a survival situation, as the extra adrenalin is needed for an instinctive reponse, but can be disastrous when what you actually need to do is calm down and concentrate on subtleties and technicalities. If you imagine a graph with adrenalin on the x axis, and performance on the y axis, the curve will reach a peak at a certain level of adrenalin, after which it rapidly dips. Beta-blockers will simply ensure that you don't get so far past this peak that you start experiencing the physical panic symptoms that you describe. Don't think of them as an absolute last resort; as long as your doctor is happy to prescribe them for you (there are contra-indications for asthmatics, for example) they are wonderful - a lot less hassle than hypnotherapy, and a lot less expensive! I still have some in the cupboard from the time when I was exactly like you, but have not felt the need to use them for some time now, as they actually showed me that there is no reason why I can't do in public what I can do in private. I have said this before in a response to another thread some time ago, but I'm saying it again in case you didn't read it! I whittled (sp?) myself down to half a 10mg tablet per performance or church service, and first attempted to do it without any when my chemist friend told me that the effect of this amount would be totally negligible. It had done its job when I was taking two tablets, and I was by that stage unknowingly managing without.

[Bing]

Isn't it frustrating though. I really hoped I'd grow out of it - I didn't. I've tried all the non-medicated suggestions, and they just don't work for me. I've read every book on managing performance stress as well.

I did read that Horowitz's wife used to have to push him out onto the stage to perform, because he suffered so badly from nerves. I don't know if that makes me feel better (that someone of that level suffered) or worse (that performing regularly is NOT going to necessarily help!).

[Dulciana]

If I have two performances close to each other, the second is usually good! It's probably because I'm kicking myself for the first and adopt the attitude that things can only get better - and also because other people are much less critical than one's self; I'm often pleasntly surprised when something goes down well that I felt was well under power due to nerves. So if something important is coming up, it's a good idea to try to press-gang a preliminary audience for yourself, even if it's only in your own house. It's also a good way to test-drive the effects of hypnotherapy/beta-blockers/whatever.

[AmandaL]

Isn't it frustrating though. I really hoped I'd grow out of it - I didn't. I've tried all the non-medicated suggestions, and they just don't work for me. I've read every book on managing performance stress as well.

Same here. The more solos I had to perform - especially at music college exam recitals - the worse my nerves would affect me. In the end the frustration it caused was too much to bear. I'd come out of the room thinking what a twit I was to have been so wound up. I knew the works I was playing inside out and yet having to stand in front of three examiners reduced me to a quivering lump of jelly who struggled to hold the bow let alone play the notes. I had to resort to bete-blockers in the end and will still use them if I've been summond to dep in a chamber work. As far as solos are concerned, I avoid such events like the plague. Only a very large cheque would persuade me to do otherwise...and I'd probably need an entire box of beta-blockers to get me through it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Don't know about anyone else who's written on this thread, but I find it more intimidating to play in front of other musicians, especially if they are string players of top-notch soloist quality!

[Heitorvillalobos]

Good morning Heitor. I thought Stravinsky was very unfair about you and I hope you didn't take it personally (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

What - because I ripped off his music? It's all derivative you know - besides, I know where he lives! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[pizza1512]

Oh dear... it all seems a bit mad... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[bobifier]

I think it's been good for my nerves singing with a barbershop chorus, having compteted in front of 2000 people. At the time I could hide behind fifty odd other men, and so I got used to the experience.

Basically, it comes down, as all my singing posts seem to do, to sing barbershop... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

[SomePianist]

I suppose the topic header says it all really. I'd be interested to hear from anyone who may have tried it, or anything else. Experiences or other suggestions all gratefully received. I'm struggling at the moment to get the nerves under control.

You are not alone. Even experienced professionals still suffer from nerves. I don't know of anyone who has tried hypnotherapy, but like all natural remedies, it will work for some and not for others. I would think you need to "believe" in hypnosis to start with - I know for certain I'd be impossible to hypnotise because I'm very strong willed and wouldn't be open to the mental influence of others.

Some people suggest that eating a banana can help calm nerves, but I did a bit of research on exactly what's in a banana. There's lots of potassium which is very good for pepping up the energy reserves, but no calming ingredient in them whatsoever, so again, it's most likely to be a mental thing - if you believe something calms you down, it often will.

I believe bananas contain tryptophan which is converted into serotonin. This gives a relaxing effect. They also contain B-complex vitamins which are said to calm the nervous system. Try extending your research by typing "calming bananas" or "banana nerves" into Google (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Regarding your comments on Hypnosis, this is something of a myth. It is not about the strength of your will, rather factors such as your strength of imagination come into play. I've used it to lower my own general stress levels (for example) and found that it worked a treat. In fact when I first started using it I stopped biting my nails more or less overnight, after countless years of trying.

Although I've never really suffered too badly from stage-fright, I had a self-hypnosis session before going on stage not too long ago and was staggered by my own level of calmness. My absence of nerves was commented on by members of the audience.

I'd urge anyone who suffers from stage-fright to try it.

[Soph15]

I know how you feel about being nervous before a performance, because I get nervous as well. I shake after as well which I dont understand.

What helps me is being reassured by friends, family and teachers... I know that they want me to do my best and that is what I try.

I have a performance coming up which I dont want to do for various reasons, but I hope you do well with yours (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Manek]

I guess the thing to do here is to echo the previous posts and let you know that "everybody feels nervous" - apparently!


I can also tell you, however, that gong baths are supposed to be very helpful!

[AmandaL]

gong baths are supposed to be very helpful!

Gong baths?????? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)