For example, some simply do not know how much stress is involved in seemingly simple things, such as performing at odd hours continually. We highly recommend this article to all artists, to everyone who treats performing artists and to all other interested parties. Alternatively, when we speak to artists about the physiological effects of stress, we receive a different response. It takes very little effort on our part to illustrate how the psychological components of stress impact the body in such a way as to hinder the expression of the art. Even without an education in science, they grasp very quickly the connection between thoughts and biology.
Artists are an enthusiastic and highly motivated group.
But, most of all, they are enthusiastic about psychophysiology because they readily recognize their own experience of it on an almost daily basis. They recognize somatic symptoms, but are not used to talking about them for fear of being labeled by someone who may not understand. They come out of their closets in droves. As an example, we believe performance anxiety is a stress-related somatic problem. Think of this from any point of view you wish, but the physiological effects of anxiety make it incredibly difficult to perform convincingly.