Too excited during live games?

I've noticed, that every time I play a game of chess online, (live/not correspondence) I become physiologically aroused around the 5th-6th move. My heart rate increases, I can't sit still, and I begin to sweat a little, I become slightly short of breath, etc. all despite playing in a comfortable setting within my own home. 

It's extremely obnoxious, because it makes calculating accurately more difficult. 

I imagine that I have this response because

a.) I haven't played many games yet (i'm a beginner, roughly 200 online games)

or

b.) This happens to everyone, and I have to learn to live with it.

Did you experience the same sort of physiological arousal when you first began? do you still experience it (even if the game means nothing)? did you grow out of it?

ps: I understand that everyone will become more physiologically aroused to some extent when they play, but I feel as though my reaction is more severe than what it should be.

thanks,

Jack

BOOOO!!!

You sound like the nervous type.

Even the highest caliber players have quite high blood pressure and pulse rates during critical junctures in their games.

I'd recommend playing lots of exciting games and develop skills to deal with your arousal.

Consider lots of cardio or a cold wet towel in your lap.

It sounds like anxiety. Most people experience some anxiety sometimes. For 17% of us it can become clinically significant and require treatment. But, be assured, it can be overcome or at least managed in almost all cases. 

I know for a fact that my blood pressure rises when I am playing chess!  And I'm only talking about turn-based.  Heaven only knows what I'd be like doing live chess.

Some people take blood pressure medication, like beta blockers, just before playing chess. Others do breathing or relaxation exercises. 

Unreal!  Makes you wonder whether this stuff is actually bad for us!  Play chess and improve your mind but destroy your body!

83% of us have little or no problem with anxiety. Chess is fun and keeps our minds sharp and our nerves are manageable. But for almost one in five of us it can be stressful enough to where treatment may be necessary at some point. The treatment is pretty safe and usually very effective. 

Have you considered trying music in the background while you play chess? 

I can tell you now, it isn't anxiety. It stems from the fact that I am extremely competitive. I'd rather take a crowbar to the nads than lose a game of chess. My question is if you guys have ever felt something similar or not.

You say it isn't anxiety. But it sounds just like anxiety and others have certainly felt something similar. Extremely competitive people can also be extremely anxious. It's not mutually exclusive. Anxiety attacks are confused with heart attacks every day. 

the arousal doesn't cause me physical pain. It simply clouds my judgement because I'm too excited, trying to find a good move, or simply because I'm playing chess. Ultimately i'm trying to see if something like this goes away with experience.

for example, the first time I stepped onto the field as a varsity soccer player in 9th grade, my heart was pounding through the whole match. by 12th grade, I could confidently step onto the pitch and play a cool-headed 90 minutes. 

I'm wondering if my soccer experience is analogous to my chess experience, or if everyone plays in the described (aroused) state. 

From what I can tell so far, no one has depicted symptoms too similar to mine, though some have, so at the moment I'm going to assume that it, much like in my soccer analogy, this arousal fades with experience.

Sorry for the confusion, it's a weird question.

Not weird at all. The additional information regarding the soccer experience makes it seem like manageable nerves that you have successfully dealt with in the past. Maybe you don't think of it as anxiety or you object to the word for some other reason. 

But it happens. And most people overcome it without outside help. If you can do that, then great. If not, help is available, especially in the Houston area. Even Earl Campbell had to deal with it. 

smoke a fat one bro

It's not terribly important, but are these in-person games or internet games? Are they at tournament time controls (ie, games last for hours) or quick (ie 5-30 minutes per game)?

The short answer is that you'll have to see if you can learn to live with it. Arousal, properly controlled, is helpful. If it's a slow tournament game, you can spare a few seconds to do some slow breathing and maybe walk around a little bit to calm down and clear your head. If it's a blitz game, a beginner shouldn't be playing so much blitz, you should play long slow games...

I can relate to this level of anxiety, to the point where I think it could be said that I'm scared to play. As I've been recently reading though, apparently some say that Fischer was actually afraid of playing as well, so perhaps we're on the right track.

yep it happens, its the "chess rush". feed the monkey.  Don't feel bad. your eager to play and happy and the results are important to you

Have I ever become "aroused" playing chess? That's none of your business!

"I'm up a piece."

Speaking for myself, I like that feeling--it shows I care about the game.  When I'm all nerved up, twitching, anxious, I'm ready to play.  The adrenaline is flowing; let's get it on.  I have serious doubts about myself when I don't feel that way; it's like there isn't a challenge, I'm not going to be as alert as I should, and normally, bad things begin to happen to my game.  Try to find a way to focus all that energy, to apply it to your games, and turn a negative into a positive.  Is it fear you are feeling, or is it that you are about to face a challenge and are rising to meet it?  Your body knows what it needs to perform at it's best levels, even if you are not aware of it consciously.  It's trying to give you an edge; use it.

I too always like to get a piece, preferably for nothing.