Pressure after success

Pohela Boishakh morning in Mohammadpur. Neel’s mother, in a red and white saree, is straightening the collar of his panjabi while his Khalu eats panta-ilish at the table. Neel, 24, wrote a song about a girl on a rickshaw in the rain; a year ago it was everywhere, on every phone and at every holud. Tonight he is playing it on a big stage at Rabindra Sarobar.

“So when is the next one coming?” says Khalu. “My whole office keeps asking.”

“Khalu, songs don’t arrive like a ride on an app,” says Neel, and his mother laughs so hard she has to start again.

That evening, behind the stage, his hands shake so much he cannot tune. His heart pounds, his mouth is dry, and he is sick behind the generator. He plays the song well. Then he goes home and deletes another demo, the ninth this year, because it is not as good as the first.

An illustration drawn from common experience. The person is invented; the pattern is not.

Understanding pressure after success

Performance anxiety is intense fear before or during a performance, with physical symptoms such as a racing heart, shaking, nausea and a dry mouth, and the thought that everyone will see you fail. After sudden success it often joins a second fear: that the first hit was luck, and every new piece will be compared to it. For some people this is part of social anxiety disorder or generalised anxiety disorder, or it comes with low mood and perfectionism that stop new work being finished.

How common it is

There is no Bangladeshi figure; the evidence comes from elsewhere. A systematic review of 43 studies of professional musicians found that music performance anxiety affected between 16.5% and 60% of them, depending on the study. More women than men were affected, and musicians older than about 45 to 50 reported less of it than younger ones.

Signs worth noticing

• Shaking, nausea or a pounding heart before going on stage
• Sleeping badly for days before a performance or a release
• Starting songs and abandoning them because they are not good enough
• Avoiding shows, collaborations or interviews you once wanted
• Using alcohol or tablets to get through performances

How care helps

In the review of professional musicians, cognitive behavioural therapy was among the most studied treatments, with beneficial results, though the authors call for better-controlled trials. CBT works on the predictions behind the fear, and uses gradual practice in front of others. WHO also notes that relaxation and mindfulness skills can help with anxiety. Beta-blockers, medicines that calm the physical symptoms, have been studied in musicians; whether they are safe and suitable for you is a decision for a doctor who knows your health. A psychiatrist will also look for depression, an anxiety disorder, alcohol use and sleep problems.

What getting better can look like

In Neel’s case it might be a shaky but tuned guitar at the next show, and a rule with himself that a demo stays for a week before he can delete it. Maybe the second song is not about rain at all.

Common questions about pressure after success

What is the treatment for stage fright?

Cognitive behavioural therapy is one of the most studied treatments for performance anxiety, and it helps people practise performing while learning to handle the fear. Some performers are prescribed medicines for the physical symptoms, but only after a doctor has checked that they are safe for them.

Why do I feel anxious after success?

Success can raise the stakes: people expect more, and you may fear that the first achievement was luck. This kind of pressure can follow any sudden success, and creative work is no exception. If anxiety is stopping you from working or performing, it is treatable.

When to see a psychiatrist

If fear before performing is making you ill, stopping you from finishing work, or leading you to drink or take tablets to cope, please book an appointment.

Care here is personal: built around your history, your health and what you want to change, and reviewed with you as it goes.

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.

Sources

• Fernholz et al., Psychological Medicine, 2019 (PMID 31474244)
• WHO, Anxiety disorders fact sheet, 15 September 2026