Sports anxiety, a form of performance anxiety, can severely hinder your abilities while playing sports. When you feel as though you'll lose and are constantly second guessing your performance, you may not play to the best of your abilities. When it's affecting how you play, learning how to overcome and cope with your sports anxiety can help you feel more confident while participating in your sport. Getting over your negative thoughts and replacing them with realistic expectations can help you grab ahold of your anxiety so it doesn't affect your performance.
Step 1
Coach yourself with positive thoughts before a game, suggests sports psychologist John Murray in an issue of "Palm Beach Daily News." Imagine what it will be like if you win, and perform to the best of your abilities. Push negative thinking about your performance out of your thought,s and concentrate on the facts that you know: you have a good team, you'll do your best, and a losing outcome won't be the end of your sports career.
Step 2
Practice visualization exercises that can help you stay calm before a game. The Vanderbilt University Psychology Department suggests visualizing not only your win, but the steps you will take to achieve that win. For instance, a football player may visualize the perfect play, while a runner may visualize the best start possible.
Step 3
Keep your thoughts realistic while staying positive. Replace thoughts like "We'll never beat this team" with realistic thoughts like "I am a good player, and I'm a good match for my opponent," or "If we don't win this game we'll practice even harder for the next."
Step 4
Focus on relaxing each muscle group one by one, starting with your forehead, working down to your jaw, neck, shoulders, chest and so on, suggests the American Medical Students' Association. As you relax, try meditation or visualization to further calm yourself before a game or race.
Step 5
Schedule an appointment with your doctor if relaxation and visualization methods don't seem to control your sports anxiety. Your anxiety may actually be a form of social anxiety disorder, which can be treated via a combination of therapy and prescription medication to help you manage your symptoms while still playing the sport you love.
