Managing stage fright with drugs: a last resort

Back in the good old days, life was simpler, and stage fright was treated primarily with bourbon.  I doubt that it was very effective, but without the (very mixed) blessing called “modern medicine” performers just didn’t have access to the plethora of chemical options we have today.

Many people manage their stage fright with drugs that suppress the symptoms, chiefly “beta-blockers” that prevent the heart from going too fast.  Quickly, before we go on, I’d like to present the list of known side effects:

• Loss of Sexual Potency (wow, anything for the glory of the stage…)
• Trouble sleeping
• Baldness
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• and last but not least, Death (mostly if you are asthmatic)

Still interested?

Personally I have chosen to avoid the chemical options, and I’ve been pretty successful in learning how to cope with stage fright over the years, just through trial and error.  It’s not a religious issue for me.  But I do take some pride in my nerves of steel.  ☺

I will say that if you’re terrified of stage fright itself, this helps to prevent a nasty vicious circle where nervousness is triggered and leads to even more nervousness.  And I will admit that I know an awful lot of people who swear by these drugs.  I suspect the placebo effect is at work, at least partly.  I’ve never asked about their sex lives.

I will also say that since beta-blockers don’t seem to affect the performance itself, they are a more useful option than alcohol, pot or Valium, which do.  Then again if you’re in a rock band, the drugs might be an indispensable part of the act!

My advice if you're already hooked?  You probably don't need the drugs as much as you think you do.  Read the previous articles in this series and you will probably find a more sustainable, hassle-free way to get the same result.