Confessions of a psychoanalyst
As part of my conflict about performing, there’s a deeper underlying issue for me than anxiety and that is dread of shame over exposing my anxiety. Perhaps the title, “Confessions of a Psychoanalyst” provided a clue. Shame is the primary indicator of not belonging to oneself. In shame, you belong to other people’s eyes. You don’t matter — other people’s eyes matter. As I get more anxious, I feel shame, and I make myself matter less and less because the audience’s eyes become more important. So stage fright for me is all about shame over exposing anxiety. Not only am I not supposed to show off in any way, but if I do, I’m supposed to do it flawlessly and fearlessly.
(Huffington Post)