Stage fright is a natural reaction that comes about as a result of psychological factors including self-esteem and our perception of someone else's determination of our worth. Stage performers aren't the only performers who experience this sensation. Folks who go into broadcast radio and television often experience the same thing before opening their microphone for the first time.
Stage fright can be conquered through time and experience. There is no cure for stage fright, and few professional performers ever completely get over it. Ways of dealing with the experience are varied and typically independent depending upon a person's situation.
One way of handling stage fright is to walk it off. If the opportunity presents itself, get up and walk around for a bit to try and wear off the nervousness before it is time for you to go up front. Walking and shaking off the tension can go a long way toward helping to calm the physical symptoms.
Other methods include pacing your breathing to a slow 'breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth' technique to bring down the heart rate and prevent hyperventilation. This can be done in combination with walking off the fear to help the entire body to relax.
If time permits, a modified form of meditation can also go a long way toward helping to settle the nerves as you prepare for your presentation. In this modified meditation the eyes are closed and the 'in through the nose, out through the mouth' breathing technique is employed. At the same time the mind is cleared in order to focus on the task at hand. Staying focused within and breathing in a steady pace will lend an easing of the nerves that rattle the performer, and help to maintain focus on what needs to be done.
Past advice for breaking the hold of stage fright focused on using your mind to change the situation to something you can laugh at or feel comfortable in. "Imagine your audience in their underwear," is a common line of advice from someone who is just as scared as you are. More often than not such a plan doesn't do much settling of the nerves, and can go so far as to cause you to lose control when you finally stand up in front of the crowd.
Stage fright is a physiological reaction to the pressures under which we place ourselves in performing for a group of people. Stage fright is experienced in different ways by different individuals, but there are no solid 'types' of stage fright that distinguish one from another. Stage fright can be your friend in that dealing with it can help you focus on your presentation. Another way to help shut down stage fright is to know and prepare your material thoroughly and use the confidence from that to quell the fear that develops. This method can be the most effective in allowing you to handle stage fright, as it is all within you, and knowing that it is in you and at the ready can calm the nerves.
Help for those who suffer with severe bouts of stage fright can be sought from an anxiety coach, hypnotherapy and other psychological techniques that focus on calming the body through calming the mind.