Performance anxiety test
Feeling worried and having anxiety about different things is common. Here you can do a self-test to see if you have symptoms of performance anxiety.
Anxiety treatment steps to improve quality of life
We are all different and we all deal with anxiety differently. Therefore, it is important to understand your anxiety behaviour and process it as well as possible in collaboration with your therapist. However, you can already get an idea of what treating anxiety through talk therapy might look like. Here are the most common steps in an anxiety treatment:
- Exploring your problem
In the initial stage of treatment, your therapist will help you understand your specific anxiety condition. Therefore, together you will review the situations that provoke anxiety in you and identify the symptoms you experience. - Set your own goals
Once you have identified the problem, you and your therapist will work together to set clear and realistic goals for your therapy process. These can range from improving your general wellbeing to dealing effectively with specific triggers. - Changing your behaviour
This step relies on you actively working on your behaviour. You will therefore perform various exercises and use techniques designed to break the behavioural patterns that exacerbate your anxiety. - Closure
Once you have found your new behavioural patterns, you and your therapist will evaluate how close you have come to your goal. Even if you have finished therapy, your work on exercises and good habits often continues after treatment.
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What is performance anxiety?
Performance anxiety is a form of stress and anxiety that occurs when you feel you have to perform at a high level to be good enough or accepted. Whether it’s at school, work, sport or social situations, performance anxiety can lead you to set unreasonably high standards for yourself, which can cause stress, self-doubt and fear of failure.
Symptoms of performance anxiety can include:
- Thoughts of self-criticism, worrying about failing or never feeling good enough.
- Feelings of fear and worry.
- Behavioural symptoms such as putting off tasks, avoiding challenges or overworking until you become exhausted.
- Physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, tension, nausea or sleep problems.
While a certain level of performance focus can be good for motivation, too much performance anxiety can lead to stress and exhaustion. Understanding how performance anxiety affects you is an important step towards managing it better.
This test is not a diagnosis, but it can help you reflect on how performance anxiety affects you. If you recognise yourself in several of the questions, you may want to actively work on reducing the pressure on yourself and possibly seek support. The test takes about 5 minutes to complete.
What should I do if I have symptoms of performance anxiety?
If your symptoms are negatively affecting your everyday life or relationships, consider contacting a psychologist or therapist for professional help. Anxiety is a treatable condition and it is possible to feel better. At Lavendla, we have experienced psychologists and therapists who can help you. We make the difficult easier.
