Not sure I agree with #2. Bringing a friend would increase anxiety for me. As for playing more it is debatable as I have never found it overcome the hand shake bit. I guess much of it comes down to ones own feelings of confidence - with me, to sing - I like nerves - possibly I do better with the voice changes that occur when I am nervous, to thrash a few chords out on guitar (mostly all I do with one), no problem but to try to play triplets in jigs and reels with a shakey hand - no way and have not overcome it.

The only thing I have found that helps me there is having a solid player with me but sadly, most of the people I have played with have blown it worse than me (this includes people who don't regularly drink as much as me turning up in worse states than me) and rather than the saftey net, I have found myself trying to pull some semblance of music together.

Re the beta blockers which I and rich have mentioned, I knew a player using them and alcohol. They are prescribed, as far as I know have no mind altering qualities and are not addictive but I fear I would end up using and abusing both and abusing the beta blockers scares me more than alcohol.

Jon