If you suffer from an intense fear of public speaking, you’re not alone. This condition is called glossophobia, and as much as 75% of the population suffers from some degree of it.
Unfortunately, discomfort with speaking in public can impact your life in many ways. It can make it more difficult to form friendships and romantic relationships as well as impacting your ability to interact with others or get promotions at work. Ultimately, being uncomfortable communicating your ideas can come at a cost.
The good news is that overcoming this fear is possible. By taking a few simple steps, you can increase your comfort level with speaking in both social and professional situations.
What Is Glossophobia?
For those who suffer from glossophobia, speaking in public is a source of anxiety. In fact, it can sometimes cause such extreme fear that a person may experience physical and psychological effects.
How Does Glossophobia Affect Daily Life?
So, how does glossophobia affect daily life? Some of the symptoms people may experience when speaking publicly could include:
- Developing a dry mouth
- An increase in your blood pressure.
- Perspiration
- Muscle stiffening in the upper back.
- A feeling of nausea when you have to speak in public
- Experiencing panic when you must speak publicly
- An increase in anxiety when you speak publicly or when you know you must speak publicly
Many people who experience a fear of public speaking have at least some of these physical symptoms.
Why Are People Afraid of Talking in Public?
People who experience glossophobia fear public speaking for many different reasons. Some of the most common reasons for anxiety around speaking publicly include the following:
- Fear of judgment or embarrassment: Speaking in public can feel like a high-stakes activity because if you misspeak or don’t perform well, the entire audience can see you fumble. It’s natural to be afraid of how people will judge your speech or to worry about being embarrassed when things go wrong. However, when these reasonable concerns get out of control, then a major fear of public speaking can develop.
- Perfectionism and unrealistic expectations: No one can be perfect, and expecting yourself to be just sets up a situation where the pressure gets to be too much and you’re afraid to perform at all.
- Lack of experience: If you don’t have public speaking experience, the prospect of getting up in front of others can be very intimidating. This fear of the unknown can prevent you from getting the very experience that would help you feel more at ease talking in front of others.
- Inadequate preparation: Finally, if you are not fully prepared, you may be afraid of not knowing what to say and leaving the audience disappointed.
Understanding the root causes of your fears can help you to overcome them.
7 Effective Tips & Skills to Help With Public Speaking
While glossophobia is very common, it can be a challenging issue and have a negative impact on a person’s life. Understanding the fear and taking steps to address can be an important way to improve your communication skills. Overcoming a fear of public speaking can enhance your career and personal life.
When you’re more comfortable making killer presentations or sharing ideas, you’re more likely to be seen as a leader at work. This could lead to potential promotions and access to new opportunities. You may also have an easier time making and keeping social connections. In short, it’s worth the effort.
If you’re afraid of talking in public, these seven public speaking tips can help. Learn to develop the confidence to speak in front of people with great skill and limited stress.
Related: Secrets to Being a Better Public Speaker
1. Prepare Well For Your Presentations Or Speeches
Knowing your material inside and out can alleviate a key source of stress—fear of being caught off-guard or not knowing what to say.
While you usually don’t want to just read from a script (since you need to pay attention to audience cues and respond to their feedback), you do want to have a detailed outline for what you want to say and when you want to say it.
When you go into a presentation or speech well-prepared, you’ll have more confidence. Plus, even if you feel anxious, you can still come across as knowledgeable and informed. When you get positive feedback from the audience as you demonstrate your knowledge, this can further help put you at ease.
2. Practice Public Speaking Regularly
Practice makes perfect when it comes to becoming a good speaker—and when it comes to overcoming your fears. The more you speak in front of others, the less intimidating the prospect becomes. Practicing also helps you learn techniques, such as how to pace yourself when public speaking, to improve your presentation so you feel more confident going forward.
You can start small by doing mock presentations in front of family or close friends, eventually working up to speaking in front of large audiences. Groups like Toastmasters can also provide opportunities to work on your speaking skills in front of a supportive audience.
3. Stay Positive
If you let your fear of speaking in public overtake your mind and continuously have negative thoughts, this can create a vicious cycle. You’ll fear public speaking more and more each time, which in turn will make it more difficult to succeed, and ultimately, reinforce your apprehension.
Instead of focusing on your fears about what might go wrong, emphasize the positive. You have a chance to share your ideas and thoughts with an interested audience, you know your stuff and are prepared, and you are going to connect with the audience to educate and inform them.
If you keep these thoughts in mind instead of dwelling on your public speech phobia, you’ll gain the confidence you need to be a great speaker. After a few big successful speeches, it’s likely that the idea of talking in front of others won’t seem so frightening anymore.
4. Utilize Visualization Techniques
Visualization techniques can help you to break negative thought patterns and reframe your perception of speaking in public.
Imagine yourself connecting well with the audience, speaking persuasively, and getting your point across clearly. The more you picture these desired outcomes, the more you can build the confidence to make those dreams a reality.
5. Use Deep Breathing Exercises
Deep breathing exercises can help to calm your nerves and can be especially useful in the time immediately leading up to your presentation or speech. Some common techniques to try include:
- Alternate nostril breathing: With this technique, you breathe through one nostril at a time.
- Diaphragmatic breathing: This is also called belly breathing. It involves consciously focusing on using your diaphragm muscles to take in air and expand your lungs.
- The 4-7-8 method: With this technique, you breathe for four seconds, then hold your breath for seven seconds before breathing again for eight seconds. It helps to activate your body’s relaxation response.
Implementing these techniques can help you to better manage the physical symptoms of your anxiety while calming you before you have to speak.
6. Think About Your Material Instead Of The Audience
When you give your speech, it’s critical to pay attention to the audience so you can respond to their cues and make sure they are engaged.
However, as you prepare for the speech and think ahead to what will happen, it’s best to focus your attention on the message you want to deliver rather than worrying about your phobia of talking in public.
When you start to get worried about having to go in front of people, simply redirect your brain to the message you’re hoping to send and the public speaking skills you need to convey it clearly. Work on refining your language, clearly expressing your thoughts and setting the right tone. Thinking about these issues can both serve as a distraction and help you to feel more confident.
7. Seek Professional Help
Finally, if you really struggle with public speaking anxiety, you may want to get help from an expert who can teach you how to avoid fear of public speaking. A therapist or other mental health professional can help you identify the root causes of your anxiety. They can work with you to find coping mechanisms that allow you to speak effectively and with confidence.
Overcome The Fear Of Public Speaking & See Positive Changes
If you’re ready to overcome your glossophobia fear of public speaking, start implementing these tips today and discover what positive changes can happen. Now that you know to start overcoming the fear of public speaking, jumping in with both feet can make a big impact.
When you have your next opportunity to speak in front of others, consider taking the plunge. Being proactive in overcoming your phobia of public speaking can help open up new social opportunities or career options. Say hello to your newfound skill and embrace the positive changes it can bring.
Photo from Jacob Lund/Shutterstock.com
