Nicole Kidman has said “Every time I star in a film, I think I cannot act. I’ve tried to pull out of almost every one I’ve done because of sheer terror.”[Reuters news story in 2003].
Here, we see the incomparable Barbra Streisand talking about her anxiety and stage fright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEmUfSDDWnk
Performers such as Kristen Bell, Johnny Depp, Kate Moss, Emma Stone, Demi Lovato, John Cleese, Anthony Hopkins, Jennifer Lawrence, Lena Dunham and many others suffer from anxiety, depression, OCD and other mental health conditions. I myself have been victim to what is often referred to as “the enemy of art”. I have woken up in fear and, at times, my anxiety has been so crippling I could not leave my house.
Here’s the thing: anxiety, fear, OCD, depression and “trying to be perfect” is NORMAL. Especially if you are a performer of any kind. And yes, sometimes it can seem as if everyone else is bursting with confidence, happy, in love, “perfect”…. in particular, it seems this way with celebrities. However, anxiety and other mental disorders don’t work like that. They can affect anyone at anytime no matter how famous or “perfect”.
So, what are some ways to combat anxiety as a performer? Firstly, delete/turn off your social media or set times when you can access it. There is a reason that people in rehab or counselling are encouraged to surrender their phones and go on a social media ban. In my opinion, social media is a plague on our existence. It is impossible not to compare ourselves to others when everyone is presenting a “perfect version’ of themselves on social media. We are all filtered, reshaped, edited and face-tuned. Social media is not reality. It can lead to all sort of insecurities and can trigger anxiety. If you are a performer, this is heightened ten fold as we are literally selling ourselves every day. We are our commodity.
Entering counselling is another way to help battle performance anxiety and fear. Read up on anxiety, depression and OCD. My suggestion is to try a number of different ways to help yourself before resorting to medication. In my personal experience, medication can just lead to further complications. Meditation, yoga, exercise, essential oils and holistic healing can also be very beneficial. Talk to people about how you’re feeling. It will help remove the stigma around mental disorders.
Learn to say no. Many performers are people pleasers. Learning to say no can be extremely liberating and release you from the pressure of being perfect. It can help you find yourself again and reconnect to your passion. Remind yourself of why you wanted to perform in the first place. Focus on what is important. Focus on getting the help you need and finding peace within. Stop trying to get validation from others and be honest with yourself.
Finally, release yourself from the chore of trying to be perfect both in life and in performance. The desire to be perfect can ironically lead you to unhappiness. We are “only human”, as the saying goes, therefore we are bound to make errors. Learn from your mistakes - they can teach you how to be stronger. We need to remind ourselves that the goal isn't to emulate perfection, but to embrace the imperfection. Then the opportunities are endless.
The only perfection is in being present, yet the perfectionist is never present.
