Shooting Related Anxiety

[joshdub84]

Not sure if this is the best place for this topic but I'm curious if anyone else has the same circumstances as me:

 

In my day to day life, I'm fairly filled with anxiety from the moment I wake up.  I've been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder - years ago it was bad enough to be medicated and I spent some time learning techniques to work through panic attacks.  Thankfully, as I've gotten a bit older, the attacks have mainly subsided.  I'll still occasionally have one pop-up but we're talking one every three months at most vs. several times a day previously.

 

I hate being out in a crowd, I hate standing in lines if someone is behind me, I'm typically socially-awkward, and I generally over-think most situations.

 

But - when it comes to competitive shooting, I don't have those issues.  A lot of people talk about how they get nervous once they're in the "make ready" process or they get nervous thinking about people watching them shoot.  I just don't have those issues - I'm excited to shoot a stage and I'll question if my stage plan will work but it's never to the point of messing up my day.  I still have mental errors that pop up (missed a popper or something and suddenly the whole stage plan goes to s#!t) but I have a complete lack of anxiety on a stage.

 

I also find it easy to communicate with people I've never met before (going to a brand new club or meeting shooters I've not squadded with before) - in real life, that is 100% not the case.

 

In the end, I just think this is a bit interesting.  I wish I could replicate my mindset during a competition and apply it to the rest of my time but so far, I haven't had any luck with that.

 

Does anyone else have a similar experience?  Or am I just that weird?

[NMBOpen]

Possibly a higher level of trust among people engaged in a defined activity where you feel confident about your abilities.  Fewer unknowns than in general life activities.

[jsoupene]

I am not for sure if this will help any or not but thought I would share since you did .  I actually have the exact opposite problem. I overall have a very outgoing personality and do not experience much anxiety in normal, everyday life BUT when I shoot a stage I struggle with anxiety before I shoot.  After the first couple of stages, it tends to get better, but I still experience it.  Last year I noticed I was overly concerned about my performance and was not having as much fun as I did in the beginning, so I decided to make having more fun my goal for the year.  Over the course of the year, I focused on trying to have fun and not care as much on how I placed through varies methods.  I am still not quite where I want to be, but I am doing much better at this.  One thing I have noticed is I do not experience as much anxiety now as I used to before I shoot a stage.  I think that is because I am not as focused on my performance OR what people think of me or how I shoot.  This silly thing is no one really cares how I perform except me but for some reason I subconsciously think that.   I say all that to say I wonder if it’s possible that some of the anxiety your experience in normal life is due to you being to focused on your performance or caring too much about what other people think about you.  I may be way off but just food for thought.  Once again, thanks for your honesty!

[Reds_Dot]

On 4/28/2021 at 10:23 AM, joshdub84 said:

I also find it easy to communicate with people I've never met before (going to a brand new club or meeting shooters I've not squadded with before) - in real life, that is 100% not the case.

 

In the end, I just think this is a bit interesting.  I wish I could replicate my mindset during a competition and apply it to the rest of my time but so far, I haven't had any luck with that.

 

Does anyone else have a similar experience?  Or am I just that weird?

 

You're definitely NOT weird. I tend to be an introvert. In big crowds or at most larger social gatherings. I find myself in the corner or away from other people. I enjoy observing people in that sort of environment but NOT interacting with people. Usually after something like that I get home EXHAUSTED. 

When I go to the range for a match it's a complete 180. I am comfortable and even energized. I am a total social butterfly. I talk to tons of people and even interact with new folks as well. Every time I go to a major match the day before to recon stages the guys I am with roll their eyes at me because I stop to talk to everyone I know and oddly, that is a large number of folks. So, on the range I go from an introvert to complete extrovert. So I get that. 

Also, no. I haven't figured out how to make that happen in other places in my life either. 

[JFlowers]

Its all about connections.  In general life you are dealing with people you have no connection with and you feel uneasy about trying to create a person to person connection out of thin air.  At a match, the connection already exists, everyone is there to shoot, enjoys shooting, so you find it much easier to connect with them person to person via that general preset connection.

 

I think everyone feels that way to some degree, with extroverts and introverts at opposite ends of the spectrum and lots of us in-between.  One of the reasons things like Talking about the Weather to strangers have become cliche is that they are a very general preset connection, we all experience the weather.

 

For me personally, my shooting anxiety is personal.  Match Day morning, my stomach is a roiling knot.  Then I pull the trigger for the first time and its like by hindmind suddenly goes "Oh Yeah, we know how to do this" and the anxiety settles out. 

 

[BillChunn]

My solution to pre-match nerves is to clean / pack / setup everything needed the night before.  Take the time to think through what will be needed for tomorrow's match.  Sunscreen, bug repellant, tool kit, what clothes could be needed, rain gear, ammunition, magazines, backup gun(s), cart, belt rig, cooler, drinks and food.  Either load it up in the truck or have it sitting by the door. 

 

Next, plan out the travel route and make sure to determine what time to leave with plenty of time for the unexpected.  Traffic accidents and road construction happen.  If you don't allow time for those and you miss the registration deadline, your shooting day just might end very early.

 

Then get a good night's sleep.

 

Yes, after many years of competition, there are still "butterflies".  As mentioned, those leave when the first round goes downrange.

 

BC

[Artemas]

You are not alone. I deal with pretty much everything you describe. Once I get to a match it's like a weight being lifted off me for a few hours. If it's a very competitive match I do get a bit anxious before my first stage, but after the make ready it all disappears and I can just be me.

Even if I get moved to a squad where I don't know anyone I can quickly adapt and hold a conversation. Finding this sport when I did was literally life saving for me.

That doesn't mean I don't ever have a bad match or a squad I don't like. I still need a nap as soon as I get home and showered too, but even those days are still worth it.

 

I have noticed that I am more capable in the Mon-Friday world than I use to be,but it took several years to get here. I am still very much an introvert and all the baggage that comes with that, but I don't feel as much of an outcast as I use too.

 

[oghemalish]

95% of the population suffers from pyrophobia. It is characterized by an insurmountable fear of performing in front of a crowd of people. And it doesn't matter what scale these clusters are: a small working group or huge concert halls.

[MikeyScuba]

I'm going to suggest you try and take 2-3 tablespoons of high quality distilled fish oil per day.  Tablespoons, not pills.  And add theanine or simply drink green tea.

[gargoil66]

On 5/5/2022 at 12:33 AM, oghemalish said:

95% of the population suffers from pyrophobia. It is characterized by an insurmountable fear of performing in front of a crowd of people. And it doesn't matter what scale these clusters are: a small working group or huge concert halls.

OG:

 

Pyrophobia is a fear of fire.  

 

I think you are referring to Performance Anxiety? 

 

GG

[oghemalish]

95% of the population suffers from pyrophobia. It is characterized by an insurmountable fear of performing in front of a crowd of people. And it doesn't matter what scale these clusters are: a small working group or huge concert halls. By the way, people of artistic professions also have a similar phobia.In a glossophobe, the precursors of the disorder manifest themselves a few days before the upcoming performance. There is a sickening feeling of anxiety. Unreasonable doubts about the performance are born, the confidence that the event will not be crowned with success. You can ask for help from specialists at

[Russty]

Glossophobia , not pyrophobia.

[gargoil66]

11 hours ago, oghemalish said:

95% of the population suffers from pyrophobia. It is characterized by an insurmountable fear of performing in front of a crowd of people. And it doesn't matter what scale these clusters are: a small working group or huge concert halls. By the way, people of artistic professions also have a similar phobia.In a glossophobe, the precursors of the disorder manifest themselves a few days before the upcoming performance. There is a sickening feeling of anxiety. Unreasonable doubts about the performance are born, the confidence that the event will not be crowned with success. You can ask for help from specialists at fherehab.com.

 

Pyrophobia is a fear of fire. 

 

Glassophobia apparently relates to the anxiety that entertainers have prior to their performance.  

 

I can't recall reading anything in the Sports Psychology literature about athletes suffering from a fear of presenting some sort of artistic performance to a crowd.  

 

And 'therehab.com' seems to be focused on recovering from some sort of addiction like drugs or booze.

 

Something ain't right with this picture.

 

GG

 

 

 

 

[Kirk]

I also have general anxiety disorder and suffer through the things you mentioned, though medication has almost completely eliminated any anxiety attacks (I haven’t had one in over 18 months, knock on wood). I am jealous, though, as I still suffer from some performance anxiety prior to going live in a match lol. I really need to work on this and it is one of the many reasons I joined this forum. 

[flyinverted]

My last name starts with G. Often I'm 2nd or 3rd in the squad to shoot, sometimes first. I hated going first, just hated it. Something mentally clicked and when it's my turn to go, I'm ready.  It's like a HUGE anticipation is lifted once I get that first stage done, and especially if it's a clean run.  Even though I may feel ready, my dry hands instantly can sweat when the Make Ready command is given. Liquid chaulk fixes that. 

 

I still do prefer someone really good to go first, and I can learn from them. I've learned a lot by observing.

[floater]

I don't think I've shot a local, section, or area match that I wasn't the first shooter on the first stage of day one. It use to peak my anxiety, would rack up a mike or two and find a no shoot. Last two year for some reason at our section match, barely light, walk through done, the RO just getting ready to call the order jokingly I walk to the start, and as normal my name was called as first up. Not sure why, but this time it didn't bug me, ended the match winning my class/division. I just finely got to the point it is going to be what it's going to be, I'm not if the fight for the overall, just want to shoot my class or better. Once that clicked I've shot above my paper class and it has proved to me that classification is a good base to judge a shooters basic skill, but not the shooters true skill, that will show at level two and up matches.

[maur]

I don't have this experience, but its awesome that shooting gets you in your comfort zone.

Have you talked to your doctor? Try getting on some anxiety medication, it sounds like its affecting your day to day life pretty adversely.