I admit to not reading the responses to the OP question. Avoid the benzos. Low doses of common beta blockers are used to calm perfomance jitters. For some, a low dose of Benedryl may be effective (the liquid pediatric formula, 1/4-1/2 tsp). Whatever you try, please do it at home first.
Jane Savoie
I have never been that nervous about going in the ring – actually my biggest fears have to do with trailering, being on time, having everything. Once I’m on the horse I calm down.
That said, nothing helped my confidence as much as Jane Savoie and her lectures. I think part of the battle is thinking about WHY you’re so nervous – are you unprepared, are you showing a level above where you should be, are you worried about being laughed at or ridiculed, are you afraid you won’t be perfect? Jane uses some great images and a sense of humor to help. I loved one of her comments, that instead of worrying about all the people watching we should think, “Gee, I wish there were more people here so I could PERFORM!!!” I think that now when I get jitters. I also try to focus on my horse – that my job is to show off how wonderful my horse is, and I just have to let his natural talent shine – it’s all about him.
[quote=Kyzteke;5506723]
Seriously??:eek:
Wow…how depressing is that? They would probably be better off with weed, which is what most of my musician friends who went to Berklee used. However, I really don’t think they were using it for anxiety…I think they just used it for fun…[quote]
Uh, yeah, and just for the record, there are p-l-e-n-t-y of musicians, classical and otherwise, who neither take any sort of drugs nor tolerate illegal usage of them. :rolleyes:
I get very, very nervous when performing (both on horse and with music) to the point I shake and hold my breath. The main thing that helps me is simply performing as much as I can–the more often I do it, the more relaxed I am.
Of course, I haven’t shown in months, so who knows how it will go when greenie is ready . . . :eek:
This medication worked for my anxiety but made me a complete zombie. I would forget things I was doing and just had a drowsy I don’t care attitude. It got rid of my anxiety but interrupted my daily work routine because I couldn’t think to function. I would only recommend if you are having extreme jump out of your skin anxiety, otherwise try to do things naturally. I started taking vitamins and working out regularly and my anxiety has gone down at least 60%.
I used to have crippling show nerves. And by “crippling,” I mean my legs would turn to jelly and I had a hard time making them do anything. My heart rate would shoot through the roof, I’d get dizzy and unfocused, and I couldn’t concentrate on anything. I couldn’t breathe and felt as though I was about to pass out through most of the warmup and test. As a result, my horse would get tense and spooky and I was too disabled to do anything except hang on, and I could just barely do that.
I started with herbal remedies, then added a meditation CD that I listen to before my test. Over time, I’ve been able to discontinue the meds and just use the CD, and nowadays I can often eliminate that, too.
For those who say you should get over it, you clearly have never experienced this level of nerves. It definitely gets better with experience, but some of us need help not getting killed until that point.
As for not being able to do anything about horses who have the same problem, that’s just not true. I see people at shows all the time giving herbal remedies, Perfect Prep, l-tryptophan, etc. to take the edge of horses who become truly insane at shows.
[QUOTE=EqTrainer;5505891]
AWG, remember, people have different reactions to drugs. Ativan may knock you on your keister, the people I have seen take it dont have that reaction at all. They just dont experience debilitating anxiety. Could be the dose prescribed is much lower, too, and catered to the intended activity.[/QUOTE]
i An take 2 mg of ativan and it barely takes the edge off when im super hyper. I also take paxil. It can get bad where i cannot Calm down without the ativan
[QUOTE=NorCalDressage;5503810]
Are you asking because you feel you have a real problem with anxiety - or because you wonder if it will just give you an extra edge?
Hard to tell from your OP
I think it’s going to be a touchy issue - a bit like depression is. Some people who don’t have it, think people who do just need to “get over it” so to speak. Some people just think it’s a choice and can be worked out of, if that person just works on it/themself enough.
I do take daily meds for Generalized Anxiety though, and have a script for Xanax for particularly bad times/days.
I would feel fine to show on one or both of those.[/QUOTE]
Great post.
I’m on an antidepressant/anti-anxiety medication, and the first thing that any quality psychiatrist will tell you is that SSRIs are not going to fix the problem - there is no such thing as a happy pill. They will level out your brain chemistry, however without using methods such as CBT or other talk therapy, you are only putting a bandaid over a major wound.
Take that with a grain of salt as I believe that Xanax, Ativan, etc. have more physical effects than SSRIs, but I’m not a psychiatrist. And really, no one here is.
I would say go to a/your psychiatrist and talk to them about the issue at hand, and also hook up with a sports psychologist. An integrated approach is always the best way to go. Good luck.
Oh and if you ever feel a need to share, this post has revealed a variety of anxiety-sufferers so feel free. As NorCal Dressage said, people who have never suffered from anxiety/depression simply can not grasp the severity of it, to no fault of their own.
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This! Find an aerobic sport you love, or do yoga where you work on breathing. Being able to feel anxious and calm yourself by breathing does work. Then you have the best of both worlds - alertness and control.
[QUOTE=marlena21;6001730]
This medication worked for my anxiety but made me a complete zombie. I would forget things I was doing and just had a drowsy I don’t care attitude. It got rid of my anxiety but interrupted my daily work routine because I couldn’t think to function. I would only recommend if you are having extreme jump out of your skin anxiety, otherwise try to do things naturally. I started taking vitamins and working out regularly and my anxiety has gone down at least 60%.[/QUOTE]
I may have already posted, since this is an old thread, but my go-to med for show nerves is Buspar – very mild, non-addictive, and the generic is not too expensive. Please note that I have life-long mild, “anxious depression” so this is something I take every day anyway, but my psychiatrist says I can take an extra pill on an “as-needed” basis, and shows often create the need.
Breathing is also super-important. I’ve done entire tests with hopefully not too unsightly mouth-breathing, and also know a few people who hum very softly during a test as there is no way to hum without breathing.
There’s definitely a divided line between taking anything and not and I’m not addressing what you should or should not do. I just want to share my experiences.
I’ve taken a .5 of Xanax before and it relaxed my muscles too that I did poorly in a hunt class. I’ve also taken a .5 of Ativan and it helped tremendously in a hunter class. I think people may react differently but Ativan never relaxed my mind or my body much noticeably but made me think a little slower. Not slowly, but a little slower because I’m the type of oerson who ruminates and has 100 thoughts speeding around at once.
I’ve also taken an Ativan for a jumpers classic and it was disastrous. I didn’t react fast enough and felt too slow in the mind.
So I guess my point to all this is IF you have decided to take it, look at how the drug affects you and your motor skills and what sport you are competing in. If I go back to Hunters, I’m definitely taking Ativan again but you have miles between each jump and you go all the way to the end of the ring and back. But jumpers you do not have that luxury so for me, it slowed my mind way too much.
[QUOTE=flaxenmane;5503326]
I know that musicians often use beta blockers for performance anxiety.
Thoughts? Experiences?[/QUOTE]
I use propranolol, the beta blocked to which you’re referring to being prescribed for stage fright, for migraine prophylaxis. I can only mention that the low dose has produced no negative side effects, which I was concerned about since I don’t have high blood pressure to begin with.
[QUOTE=Samigator;5503696] (As to the beta blocker comment, I wouldn’t think that would be a good idea either since they slow your heart rate and prevent it from raising normally. That would interfere with any athlete’s exercise tolerence, even an equestrian.
Not appropriate. Just my opinion.[/QUOTE]
I edited for length. You had plenty of positive suggestions, but specifically in response to your comment on beta blockers interfering with exercise tolerance, that has not been my experience. Obviously the OP’s mileage may vary. I suspect PLENTY of adult riders utilize blood pressure meds and do fine.
[QUOTE=dressurpferd01;5503728]I hope I didn’t come off as an ass in my first post, didn’t mean to if I did.
Having said that, I would not want to be in a warm up ring with anyone under the influence of benzos. What if something sets off your horse and you’re half a second too late to respond? You could injure yourself or someone else. [/QUOTE]
Yikes! I know it’s already been said, but I’m also flummoxed by this comment. I don’t think you meant to imply that folks treating their illness with appropriate medications should be banned from showing or riding in groups, but that’s what your comment boils down to.
You never know who you’re riding with anyway. I’d much rather ride with someone an antipsychotics or benzodiazepines than someone sleep deprived and distracted, for example. It’s like driving; ride defensively and pay attention.
Bravo.
^^^ perfect.
[QUOTE=Hampton Bay;5507970]
To everyone saying you should never ride when on benzos, have you ever taken them regularly? Or just very rarely for some kind of procedure where the goal was to all but knock you out?
Yes, benzos can be used to pretty much sedate someone. I was given IV Valium when I had my wisdom teeth pulled. BUT, they are not always prescribed in those doses!
Seriously, I was on a good bit of Klonipin for about 6 months. That’s what kept me functioning at all (that and the Neurontin, and a couple other things). I still rode, usually 3 horses a day. I drove. I was FINE to be on a horse, and my doctor agreed. If you adjust the dose before climbing into the car or onto the horse, it’s not something that’s forbidden! The vast majority of drugs have some kind of warning about not driving before you know how the drug will affect you. Would you sit at home on your couch because you took a Benadryl?
Some people do have very real anxiety issues. They might not be crippled by their anxiety, but to tell them to just not show because of some nerves, when maybe a physician-prescribed med, in a small and safe dose, would allow them to do something they enjoy, without the performance anxiety, seems kinda callous. Doctors prescribe these drugs for uses other than crippling anxiety, and used responsibly they are very effective.[/QUOTE]
This.
I take Klonopin PRN. It doesn’t slow me down at ALL. The most it does is take the edge off. If I am in the midst of a really severe anxiety attack, at best it takes a tiny bit of the panic off. I would say that I am far safer to the people around me (while driving, for instance) if I’m taking Klonopin for a severe issue than I am when I’m off it and in the throes of panic.
Meds are not to be trifled with (and I’m all for trying other alternatives first), but to suggest that one can’t ride with them or isn’t safe to be around because they’re “a half-tick slower” (not at all the case for me; if anything, I’m a half-tick less likely to OVERreact, which can be just as dangerous) is not a reflection of reality for all people. There are people in your lives who are on benzos on a daily, consistent basis-- for good reason-- and you’d never know it. And you’re better off, and safer (on the roads, or in a riding ring, or wherever) because they are.
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I use atavan when I show. Not my normal panic attack dose, but usually about 1/4 to 1/2 that. I usually only need to use it the first day of the fist show, after that I’m usually too tired to care. If I don’t use it I am frantic about everything…getting braided on time, changed in time, a tiny slobber spot on my breeches etc. I would probably end up getting on an hour before my class because I was in such a panic! Just a small dose allows me to remain myself. I do have a loooooong history of anxiety.
[QUOTE=alspharmd;5503714]
Take the benzos. Take a low dose. Try it out at home once or twice to see how it will affect you before you take it for a show.[/QUOTE]
I was going to say the opposite. Take a beta blocker and see how it effects you during a lesson to see if you can handle it. OP, I feel your pain. I like Angry Orchard hard cider before dressage…and cross country!!
[QUOTE=Samigator;5508277]
I don’t think anyone is saying NOT to show because of show nerves. I think more people are saying DO show, do what you can, and try to keep working through it. When you make it through the class, it builds confidence and gets easier the next time. If you rely on taking a drug to get you through it, what are you going to be thinking the next time you show? “Oh I need my - fill in the blank.” Then you will rely on that drug to help you get through your class, and I would bet it would be harder in the long run to ever overcome those show nerves without drugs.
To those saying that those of us against this are denying or minimizing other peoples’ anxiety is wrong. I experienced severe show nerves with my last horse. We showed a lot, and yes I was nervous, nauseated, and scared to go in the ring, but the more classes I rode in, the easier it got. I never turned to drugs or alcohol to help me cope- Tums? yes. I found the best way to help with those show nerves was to burn off some energy of my own (go for a run or ride a longer warm-up), change my routine a little (ie no big breakfast before showing) and keep showing. Now with my current horse, I have just a touch of the show nerves still, but I bet it would be a lot worse if I had relied on something to get me through that toughest time. [/QUOTE]
GAD person here
Gotta say, been there done that regarding the “do what you can, it will get better” philosophy. It didn’t, successful outings did NOT reduce the anxiety occurring. What did help? Good old liquid courage, not a benzo but used for the same purpose years before my official diagnosis with GAD. Pushing through the situation with anxiety strengthened the association of the situation with anxiety, it didn’t lessen it. Getting through the situation with reduced anxiety (alcohol) typically resulted in a little less anxiety the next outing.
There’s a difference between show nerves and anxiety, and anxiety is often self-reinforcing.
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Old thread but worth keeping going …
I am a therapist and in my clinical practice I treat anxiety frequently with good success. At the beginning of this month my trainer and I conducted a clinic for people struggling with fear or performance anxiety. It was such a powerful weekend! I use a form of cognitive behavioral therapy (acceptance and commitment therapy) in a coaching format where there is no attention paid to past emotional pain or traumas. It is a very different approach than basic sports psychology which always seemed to be missing something. The participants came away from the clinic different than they came in. It was so much fun for me to work with people that are so motivated and smart. They really GOT it.
I’m on a daily SSRI for anxiety and have a prescription for Ativan as needed. It’s rare that I need it, and I usually use it before sleep - not to put me to sleep, but to calm my mind down enough so I can lay down to sleep without feeling sick (my worst panic attacks occur when I am trying to fall asleep). However, I have taken it for panic attacks during the day, and even once during a panic attack at the barn. I have been able to ride without a problem. I would not hesitate to take it for show nerves if they were so severe that I could not function/was in a panicky state.
I have never taken Ativan the day of the show - once or twice the night before because I was too panicky to sleep. For me, Ativan only really works to banish panic attacks…it has never really been something I take for non-crippling anxiety.
I just wanted to add that if you struggle with anxiety in your daily life get your butt to a mental health therapist. Anxiety is so so treatable. 
I had to take Ativan for a period of time to relax my TMJ muscles. It relaxed my TMJ muscles, along with all the others. I found it difficult to be coordinated, so it’s something I would not take for a show (or during any activity for that matter - it made me too clumsy). That said, I will occasionally take a beta blocker (propanolol) when I get nervous. I do have MVP with an irregular beat, and sometimes when I get nervous I go into a weird rhythm, which is a really disconcerting feeling, I will take a propanolol as it slows my rhythm enough that it will be regular. I normally have a low bp, and I don’t find that it makes me sluggish or clumsy. If I didn’t have a heart rhythm disorder, I don’t think my doc would give me beta-blockers, and I don’t think horse show nerves would be something he would write a script for…
