stagefright is so bad....

A real test of your stagefright might be to compare your symptoms with others. Here is a list of symptoms that have been reported
by speakers in college classes. (If you've got one to add, please email me at dale.cyphert@uni.edu.) Whether you have a lot of stagefright
symptoms or just a few, the real question is what to do about them. For a complete understanding, take a look at Managing Stagefright.
For a quicker fix, try this handy Symptom Control Chart.

heart beating rapidly
itchy skin
tight jaw
nicotine craving
can't eat
voice lowers
heavy chest
room is spinning
hard to make eye contact
nausea
feeling faint
terror
dizziness
loss of memory
insomnia
butterflies in stomach
lump in throat
dry mouth
need to urinate
drop things
muscle cramps

pulsating veins
facial tics
stammering
flat voice
hysterical pitch
quavering voice
nervous cough
shortness of breath
knocking knees
trembling hands
clammy palms
sweaty brow
sweaty armpits
sweaty palms
sweaty feet
hot flashes
nervous laugh
quivering hip
extreme fatigue
salivating
nervous gestures
loss of vocabulary

tongue tied
choking voice
tearfulness
crying jags
hives
rashes
blushing
stuttering
legs and arms move by themselves
grouchy and irritable
quivering lip
loss of balance
buckling knees
suicidal tendencies
self-consciousness
feeling exposed
stabbing feeling in stomach
forgetfulness
can't stop smiling
drop the class that requires a speech
astagmus (eyes move quickly from side to side)

giggles
can't hear
can't smile
no expression at all
things sound far away
stomach growls
keep touching face
lose peripheral vision
talk very fast
vocalized pauses
death grip on something nearby
tunnel vision
compulstion to tell jokes
blank out
physical disorientation
ringing in ears
pacing
need to check zipper
out of body experience
cold
feelings of insecurity
leave words of of sentences

The best method of relieving stagefright is not to control it, but to seek tranquility--"a state of energetic calmness, an attitude of vibrant
composure, calmness impregnated with enthusiam." The aim is to guide physical energy rather than to stifle it. The speaker must
become comfortable with stress sensations; trying to eliminate the body's normal reactions is a losing battle. This quick guide to symptoms
is designed to make the stagefright management right now. For more permanent solutions, refer to Managing Stagefright.

Stagefright Symptom Cluster	Physiological Cause	Quick Cures and Preventions
nausea butterflies	The digestive system is "on hold" to channel energy to the more necessary organs like the heart and lungs.	Avoid having undigested food in your system when giving a speech. Complete proteins and animal fats need a full 12 hours to digest.
feeling faint dizziness lack of concentration forgetfulness depression anxiety	Low blood sugar results when quick energy production takes all that is available. Vitamin B and calcium, in particular, are used during stress times, resulting in symptoms of deficiency.	Eat complex carbohydrates (bread, pasta, Mexican food) for steady, optimal blood sugar levels. Take stress tabs if vitamin levels are low.
lump in throat dry throat dry mouth nervous cough choking voice	The digestive system is "on hold" but the body's temperature is rising with the increased blood flow. A person starts breathing through the mouth to increase air intake.	Drink water before and during the event (and plan on a last-minute visit to the restroom to accommodate the added fluids.) Spread Vasiline inside the lower lip. Avoid antihistimines and smoking.
pounding heart pulsating veins clammy palms sweaty brow sweaty armpits hot flashes blushing	Small blood vessels constrict to keep blood in the vital organs of the body's trunk. Blood pressure thus elevates, but perspiration is occurs to cool the system.	Wear loose, comfortable clothing and carry a cloth handkerchief. Use antiperspirant, not just a deodorant. Use it where you sweat!! Avoid the sticky kind on your palms if you will need to shake hands. The dry sticks are better.
facial tics trembling hands quivering hip buckling knees extreme fatigue	Muscles tense to prepare for "flight or fight". The tight muscles are then over-controlled by the speaker, leading to the quivering.	Use relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, imagery, or yoga. Channel energy into gestures, or exercise prior to the speech in order to relax the large muscles.