Fear of public speaking, or glossophobia as its official name, is not some dangerous chronic condition. It is really a state of mind that every second person suffers from. In fact, some studies suggest that people tend to be more afraid to speak in public areas than they're fearful of death. Strange as it might seem, some individuals just find speaking in front of a small grouping of visitors to be rather anxiety-provoking.
Everyone has this kind of fear inside them, however for some, it reaches this state of glossophobia, which goes way beyond normal nervousness public speaking skills. The situation is followed closely by many symptoms, such as for example sweating, trembling and racing heartbeat. In some people, there is even the urge to flee the room or situation that's causing distress.
What Does it Feel Like?
When up against the truth of giving a presentation, people experience what experts refer to because the 'fight-or-flight' response. That is basically the human body preparing to protect itself against a perceived threat. During this response, mental performance prepares steroids and adrenaline, increasing the power levels greatly. One's heart rate rises and blood pressure increases, as more blood will be provided for the muscles. There are a few symptoms that describe the problem better:
What Causes Glossophobia?
The fight-or-flight response may save you in a life-threatening situation, however it hardly has any function in a meeting room. Knowing why you feel this fear might be the most important step in treating the issue. A lot of people fear not the ability, but rather that they will be judged, rejected and embarrassed. Perhaps they have had an identical experience before, or they have been forced to improvise without the preparation. Whether or not a person is genetically predisposed to develop this kind of condition has not even been confirmed by experts.
If You Have It, How Do You Treat It?
It is normal to feel only a little concern with public speaking, but if you were to think it gets in how of life, you then have a few options to explore. Treatment includes:
Public speaking courses
Perhaps the most notable action to take would be to try out public speaking courses. There you'll learn valuable techniques to prepare and effectively present your ideas. More to the point, you'll learn how to control your fear and transform it into the power needed to supply a killer speech. Whatever the occasion for the speech is, you'll learn how to affect your audience and spark their interest positively. You will also learn that public speaking can open many doors for you in life, all without you being crippled by anxiety and fear.
Psychotherapy
Cognitive behavioural therapy has additionally proven effective against glossophobia. You will have the ability to find out more about the basis reason for your fear and work to remove it. Now, remember, psychotherapy will likely not coach you on the skills to do good public speeches, however it can help you overcome anxiety.
Try other strategies for overcoming glossophobia
Other things you are able to do to remove your fear includes ways to navigate public speaking situations. For instance, you may want to prepare well, by investing enough time and effort to understand the material and script it. Getting enough practice is essential for success. Learn more about your audience and the room you are going to present. All this usually takes the fear's edge off.