4 Ways Counseling Can Help An Athlete Who Has Performance Anxiety

Whether you’re a professional athlete, a college athlete, or you play for a local sports team, there can be a lot of pressure to win. Beyond that, you might feel a lot of personal pressure to perform well, especially if you’re considered one of the top talents of your team. 

While plenty of athletes thrive under pressure and tend to use it as motivation, that doesn’t mean it isn’t nerve-wracking. 

As a result, it’s not uncommon for athletes of all abilities and levels to deal with performance anxiety. Unfortunately, that kind of anxiety can create problems within your sport and your mental well-being. 

Thankfully, counseling can help if you’re willing to take the leap (no pun intended) and give it a try. Not convinced? Let’s take a look at a few different ways counseling can help an athlete dealing with performance anxiety.

1. It Can Help Identify Triggers

It’s not always easy for an athlete to know exactly what makes them feel anxious before a big game. You might have specific triggers that need to be addressed, like knowing certain people are watching, or certain conditions that make you self-conscious and doubting. 

You might even have superstitions that could end up becoming triggers. It’s not uncommon for athletes to deal with superstitions and rituals, but when they start to cause performance anxiety, it’s a problem.

2. It Can Help to Develop a Game Plan

Athletes respond well to plans and strategies, and counseling can help with that when it comes to dealing with performance anxiety. 

Your counselor can help you develop a game plan that keeps you focused during your event. The plan should be short and to the point, and something that’s easy to remember so it utilizes all of your concentration. It should be something you can learn quickly and repeat to yourself when it's time to perform. When you’re focused on your game plan, you’re less likely to be anxious about your performance.

3. It Reduces Everyday Stress

Anxiety comes from stress. It also creates stress. It’s like a vicious cycle that feeds off of itself until you feel like you’re completely out of control. 

If you find that you’re stressed about a big game or event days before it actually happens, your performance anxiety is likely to kick in early. On the big day, you might be so anxious about your performance that it’s hard to focus on anything. 

Counseling can make it easier to manage and lower your stress levels every day — not just on game days. The less stressed you are, overall, the less likely it is for anxiety to completely take over. 

Common stress-reducing techniques like mindfulness, deep breathing exercises, and meditation are great ways to calm yourself before a game or event, and a counselor can help you make the most of them. They’ll teach you techniques you can use as often as necessary to combat the stress threatening to control your thoughts.

4. It Boosts Positivity

Performance anxiety, especially as an athlete, can impact your self-esteem. Confidence is so important for athletes, and when you lose it, you’ll be even more anxious about your ability to perform. 

Counseling can help you maintain a positive attitude about yourself, your abilities, and the sport you play. That kind of attitude boosts your confidence and can help you overcome the effects of performance anxiety by changing your perspective on the game and your abilities. 

Don’t let things like stigma, pride, or stereotyping get in the way of getting the help you deserve. You wouldn’t ignore your physical training, and maintaining your mental health is just as important. If you’re struggling with performance anxiety, consider reaching out for help to learn more about sports counseling.