What is Performance Anxiety
Interaction with an audience is most likely going to happen to almost everyone at some point in their social or professional lives. It might actually happen many times through the course of both for many people. It could be giving a toast at a friend's wedding, giving a presentation at work, giving a speech at some function socially or professionally but odds are it is going to happen some time. The fear of this sort of thing is called Performance Anxiety, or as it is most commonly known 'stage fright' even when there is no true stage involved. It is the most common fear in the world, too.
There is nothing to be ashamed of by being afraid to get up in front of groups of people no matter how large or small that group is.
The problem with performance anxiety comes when it prevents a person from obtaining their career or personal goals by preventing them from doing what is required to achieve those goals. Most cases of stage fright are fleeting and pass quickly for the person experiencing them. They are not a true blown phobia so much as a momentary anxiety that leaves the person nervous but able to function. When this has crossed the barrier of normal fear to full blown phobia it can have a devastatingly negative impact on one's career and social life.
When the performance anxiety has become so bad it interferes with work or life it is time to consider getting help dealing with it. It would be a true shame to allow something like stage fright to prevent one from achieving their goals, hopes, and dreams because it stood in the way. It might take time, hard work, effort and a lot of courage to overcome such an overwhelming fear but the rewards should make it more than worth it.
There is nothing to be embarrassed about if one suffers from performance anxiety.
It truly is the most common fear in the world. Not only has everyone, including famous actors, had to deal with this problem but they likely also know others who share the problem with them. Dealing with the problem head on will prevent a person from having this fear destroy otherwise promising careers or making them live with regrets for having passed on things they really wanted to do but were simply too afraid.