Handling stage fright: a protocol before, during and after

What stage fright is

An acute stress reaction: adrenaline released, heart racing, shallow breathing, damp hands, dry mouth, shaking legs, racing thoughts.

That reaction is not a malfunction. It is a mobilisation of resources: more blood to the muscles, more attention available, more vigilance. The body is preparing you for a situation that matters.

The problem is never the activation. The problem is the interpretation you put on it.

Reappraisal: the only genuinely robust intervention

Two people feel exactly the same physical sensations. One tells themselves I am terrified, the other I am alert, I am ready. The second performs better, and it is documented.

This is called cognitive reappraisal, and it is by far the best-established intervention for stage fright.

What does not work: calm down, relax. Trying to move from high activation to low activation is difficult and generally fails.