How to overcome the fear of public speaking. 5 simple steps

Only 5% of humanity has never experienced fear of public speaking. Others are afraid to speak in front of an audience, and the level of stress can vary from mild anxiety to panic attacks and fainting. Man is a social animal, and the prospect of failure in front of people whose opinions are important to him causes great anxiety.

Fear of the public affects everyone, regardless of gender, age, social status. This phobia is second only to the fear of death in popularity, but American studies have shown that in the United States the majority would prefer to die than to perform in front of a large audience.

It is curious that world stars of the first magnitude are susceptible to fear of public speaking; for some artists, the phobia really interferes with their lives. The brilliant Barbra Streisand did not appear on stage for 27 years after she forgot the words to a song at a concert in New York in front of a crowd of 135,000 fans. Only long-term work with psychotherapists helped her overcome the horror of a new failure. Gorgeous Adele does not go on world tours because she suffers from panic attacks on stage. It happened that she ran away from her own concerts. Benedict Cumberbatch, Jim Carrey, Robbie Williams, even the great orator Winston Churchill experienced fear of public speaking and looked for ways to overcome it.

Stages of glossophobia

Fear of public speaking, like most phobias, has a scientific term: glossophobia, or logophobia - this is the name of one of the most common anxiety disorders. Translated from ancient Greek, glossophobia is the fear of language. The term combines different manifestations: fear of talking to people, speaking in front of a large audience, starting to stutter, even pronouncing individual words.

Anxiety before public speaking is a normal reaction, but it can become a serious problem if it develops into panic. Self-presentation is important for social success, but glossophobia turns a person into a social phobic and adversely affects the scenario of life in society, up to the development of addictions and severe mental disorders. When faced with a fear of public speaking, you need to correctly assess the extent of the problem and look for ways to overcome the fear.

The degree of increase in anxiety can be determined on a 10-point scale, where 0 is absolute calm, 10 is uncontrollable panic. In the range from 1 to 5, mild anxiety develops into real fear, which a person can handle on his own. Glossophobia above 5 points requires the help of specialists.

It is important to adequately assess your condition and not lead to panic, which paralyzes the will and leads to devastating consequences.

How peiraphobia manifests itself: we study our sensations

During the hours of anticipation of the “social apocalypse,” our psycho-emotional stress increases: the activity of the subcortical system, cerebral cortex, autonomic nervous system, motor centers, endocrine glands, and visceral organs is activated. As a result we have:

• skeletal muscle tension increases;
• vasospasm is observed;
• motor skills accelerate;
• facial expressions change;
• the timbre of the voice becomes different;
• increased sweating is observed;
• heartbeat increases;
• blood pressure rises.

A panic attack can give us:

• intense pressing, squeezing, squeezing headache;
• tingling sensation in the heart area;
• tremor of the limbs;
• internal trembling;
• unquenchable thirst;
• numbness;
• urge to urinate.

Often a panic attack leads to fainting.

The nature of public speaking phobia

To know how to overcome the fear of public speaking, you need to understand the mechanism of its occurrence and the true, subconscious causes of the phobia.

From a physiological point of view, fear is the oldest biochemical reaction of the brain to danger; as a result, a dose of adrenaline is released into the blood. The ancient part of the brain, the hypothalamus, is responsible for the reaction, which helped animals at the dawn of civilization to quickly concentrate and repel an attack from the outside.

When there is a real threat to life, the “fight or flight” reaction is understandable. Why does the hypothalamus trigger adrenaline when you just need to speak in front of an audience? The source of the problem is subconscious reasons associated with the fear of being rejected by society. They are the ones who trigger the biochemical reaction. The root causes of fear of public speaking depend on the person’s personality and background:

• childhood traumas - humiliation in class, constant criticism from parents;
• traumatic performance experience in the past;
• low self-esteem - for example, the thought “who am I that others should listen to me”;
• fear of being ridiculed, booed, misunderstood;
• excitement imposed by “well-wishers” from the outside - if the speakers next to you are shaking, then they will probably shake you too;
• states of depression, consequences of traumatic brain injuries, exacerbation of chronic diseases;
• fears indirectly related to the fear of performing, for example, singer Katy Perry is afraid that the crowd will break through the cordon and enter the stage.

Make sure you don't look nervous

Speakers who watch videos of their speeches almost always say, “Wow, I don’t look nervous, even though I felt that way.” “Remember, the public doesn’t see how you feel. They just see how you look and act,” Price says. When, as a speaker, you speak calmly and confidently (or at least pretend that you feel that way), you earn yourself a lot of points: they believe you, the public likes you. “When you are able to control your nerves, take the microphone and create a connection with the audience, you increase your career opportunities many times over,” Price concludes.

Triggers for fear of public speaking

Anything can be a trigger for panic: it depends on a person’s past experience and his blockages. Triggers unconsciously trigger an anxious reaction, they are difficult to track, but then how to cope with the fear of public speaking? We need to get to the bottom of this.

3 main factors trigger a phobia:

• Unknown . When a situation is new to us, we cannot control it because we do not know what to expect. The unknown triggers panic due to lack of control.
• Risk . The higher the cost of failing a public speaking, the stronger the fear: at an important presentation, defense of a diploma, we are afraid of getting lost, forgetting the name of a complex concept, not answering tricky questions. The risk of losing authority and failing the results of complex work triggers fear even among experienced speakers.
• External circumstances . In a state of excitement, we react sharply to external stimuli that we would not even notice in a comfortable situation. A cell phone ringing, someone's laugh, a cough, a sharp noise outside the window, a change of conference room, a delay in the start of a speech - any little thing can become a trigger for an anxious reaction.

What is the disorder characterized by?

Peiraphobia affects 95% of the population. It is characterized by an overwhelming fear of speaking in front of crowds. Moreover, it does not matter what scale these clusters are: a small work team or huge concert halls. By the way, people in artistic professions also experience a similar phobia.

For a glossophobe, warning signs of the disorder appear several days before the upcoming performance. A nauseating feeling of anxiety appears. Unreasonable doubts about the performance are born, confidence that the event will not be successful. In the mind of the “martyr,” a picture emerges of those present mocking him, pointing fingers, throwing rotten tomatoes, and whistling.

The patient develops insomnia. He is unable to eat or engage in other activities, his consciousness is completely captured by the thought of the upcoming performance. Surely this person is accompanied by headaches, and blood pressure may increase.

The very moment of speaking becomes a real hell for the would-be speaker. The patient is seized with stupor. He stands motionless in front of the audience, unable to move his arm or leg. The phobe's gestures become unnatural. A man clumsily swings his arms, hitting nearby objects. If this is a report that requires manipulation of papers, the sheets fly away in all directions and get mixed up so that the speaker finds it difficult to figure out where the beginning is and where the end is.

The speaker's facial expressions are strange. A smile is inappropriate, inadequate. Even uncontrollable laughter is possible.

Peiraphobia often provokes a nervous tic. A muscle spasm rips through your face, causing your eye to twitch frantically or your upper lip to twitch sarcastically.

Glossophobe is so nervous and worried that his heart noticeably speeds up its activity. The patient breaks out in a cold sweat. The face turns red or, conversely, becomes pale. A terrible feeling of thirst develops, to the point of pain in the throat. It seems that the tongue is stuck to the roof of the mouth and it is very difficult to peel it off.

Excessive excitement causes confusion of speech. She becomes confused and incoherent. Instead of the right word, a person spews some kind of nonsense, stumbles over every word, or forgets what he should say. In general, the picture of the story turns out to be ugly, boring and illogical.

The character of the voice changes. It becomes too quiet or, conversely, too loud, turning into a scream. There is a trembling in the voice.

Other speech disorders include logoneurosis or mutism.

Logoneurosis or stuttering manifests itself in a glossophobe exclusively during a performance. Outside of this event, a person communicates unhindered, but as soon as he gets into the company of listeners, the stuttering resumes.

Mutism is the absence of speech while maintaining the ability to speak and understand the words of others. In other words, the failed speaker freezes in front of the public in deathly silence, unable to utter a word. He understands the remarks addressed to him, but does not comment on anything, he simply remains silent.

The extreme degree of the disorder is the development of a panic attack. Patients experience a feeling of fear, begin to choke, may run aimlessly or freeze in a stupor, and lose consciousness. Possible involuntary urination.

To prevent the occurrence of unpleasant sensations, glossophobe tries to avoid public performance.

When fear becomes a problem

Not being afraid of public speaking at all is bad, since excitement and adrenaline rush are indispensable companions of an interested, inspired speaker. Adrenaline “ignites” the speaker, helps to catch the right wave, and infects the audience with interest in the speech. No emotions - no fire. Strong emotions make us move forward. Excitement is a great motivation to prepare and give 100% in front of the audience.

Adrenaline is a stimulant for a speaker, but in too large doses it paralyzes a person and deprives him of his will. The degeneration of excitement into panic becomes a real problem that can ruin your career and damage your reputation, which is why it is so important to take control of the situation.

Speak from the heart

Several years ago I had the opportunity to listen to a talk by Wally Amos, the founder of the Famous Amos cookie company. His speech was dedicated to the fight against illiteracy among adults. Amos himself donates quite a lot of time and money to help older people learn to read. It was clear to everyone present - there were more than 600 people in the hall - that he spoke from the heart. He clearly lacked any special training in public speaking, but Wally organized his thoughts and ideas in a clear logical sequence and spoke with sincerity and passion. He argued how important it is for adults to be able to read and how this skill can change their lives. At the end of the speech, all the listeners stood up and greeted him with thunderous applause, because Amos spoke from the bottom of his heart about what he understood and what deeply worried him.

How does fear of public speaking manifest itself?

The release of adrenaline into the blood is accompanied by a whole bunch of physiological reactions. The severity of symptoms depends on the level of stress:

• high pulse and blood pressure;
• severe fever or chills;
• increased sweating;
• tremor;
• “cotton” legs and arms;
• suffocation;
• nausea, upset stomach, bear sickness;
• voice problems up to complete disappearance;
• muscle spasms, unnatural gestures, facial expressions;
• "burning" or pale face;
• fits of laughter;
• fainting.

How to overcome your fear of public speaking

Having determined the nature of anxiety, we can work with it. Overcoming the fear of public speaking consists of 3 stages, each of which has its own effective methods and exercises that reduce stress levels.

Before the performance starts

• Change your perception of the situation . If a performance is an ordinary formality that does not play an important role in life, there is simply no point in panicking. Think of it as just another not-so-pleasant work task. If performance is an important part of self-presentation, and a career, recognition, or future is at stake, then you will have to shift the focus to something less grandiose in order to reduce the degree of tension.
• Shift your focus . Thought is material, so focusing on possible failure triggers an alarming reaction, and panic grows like a snowball. Just don’t let destructive thoughts enter your head, redirect them in a positive direction every time. Remember the bright speakers who made a great impression on you. Teachers, coaches, artists - what a thrill they get from interacting with the audience, what energy comes from them. Shift your focus from the terrible failure to the great pleasure of sharing energy with people. Having the opportunity to convey your ideas to the public is a great success.
• Panic begins where there is no confidence in one's competence . When a speaker is deeply involved in a topic, then it is interesting for him to talk about it, and there is no fear of embarrassing himself in front of the audience. If you feel that you lack expertise, immerse yourself in studying the materials. It is important to be well-read and knowledgeable on the topic. Look for interesting stories, facts, research, look at your speech from the audience’s perspective: what might interest them, what questions might they have.
• An outline will save the situation if you lose track or get confused due to unexpected outside interference. If the topic and situation allow, prepare a presentation - slides greatly enliven the speech, hold the attention of the public, and set the direction of the speech.
• Practicing in front of a mirror or friends , recording yourself on a voice recorder or, even better, on video, gives a good effect Evaluate how you behave during speech, where you need to work on facial expressions and gestures, what speech defects and filler words should be removed.
• If possible, conduct a rehearsal in the room where the performance will take place. You will get comfortable and reduce your fear of the unknown.
• Don't torture yourself with perfectionism . Best the enemy of the good. How can you stop being afraid of public speaking if you are always trying to achieve an ideal where it cannot exist?! Any good performance is a live process, where you are not the only participant. Be flexible, see your presentation not as a rigid script with no room for error, but as a happy chance to share your knowledge and ideas.
• Fear arises due to the release of adrenaline, which urgently prepares us to carry out the “fight or flight” command of the hypothalamus. To reduce the level of the hormone, you don’t need to run, much less hit anyone, but physical exercise about 15 minutes before going on stage will reduce tension.
• Before going out to the public, do exercises to restore your breathing . Slowly inhale air through your nose for 3 counts and exhale through your mouth for 4 counts.

Overcoming fear while speaking

• Criticism and alternative opinions are signs of a deep, multifaceted topic. Don't expect absolute agreement with your point of view. Be prepared to take your audience's criticisms in stride. Everyone has the right to their own opinion, but you are here to express your position. The emotions and criticism of the public indicate that you managed to touch a chord with them.
• The famous Indian politician Mahatma Gandhi figured out how to get rid of his paralyzing fear of public speaking. He learned to express meaning in short but meaningful statements. Speak meaningfully, keep your speech rate low, take pauses - this will allow you to maintain calm breathing and hold the attention of the audience. When you are verbose, speak in a hurry, your breathing becomes difficult, your self-confidence disappears, the audience ceases to perceive information and loses interest.
• Fear of performing has a lot in common with fear of heights. The rule of high-altitude climbers not to look down can be rephrased for speakers: do not look into the eyes of the audience. Direct your gaze just above the tops of the listeners' heads and periodically turn your head.
• If panic sets in, find the most loyal listeners among the audience and focus on them. Showing friendliness nonverbally will help you cope with anxiety.

After the performance

• After finishing your speech, mentally praise yourself for your courage. Concentrate on positive impressions, come up with a reward for yourself.
• Once the emotions have subsided, conduct a constructive analysis of your speech. Note the successful moments when you felt a lively response from the audience. Disassemble failures without unnecessary emotions: what did not work out, and, most importantly, why. What was the mistake and how to fix it next time. For an objective analysis, arrange in advance with someone you know or the organizers to make a video recording. This is the only way you can correctly assess your speech, tempo, facial expressions, and gestures.
• Sign up for any classes related to stage speaking. A theater studio, a journalism club, even a music school - everywhere they teach you how to behave in front of a large audience. Overcoming the fear of public speaking is a mandatory area of ​​any public speaking course. Classes in a group of like-minded people are very effective: here you purposefully learn to manage your fear. American billionaire Warren Buffett panicked just at the thought of having to speak in front of people. This interfered with his studies and work on the stock exchange. He tried several times to enroll in a public speaking course, but ran away at the last moment. At age 21, Buffett realized that unless he controlled his fear, he would not be able to move forward, so he enrolled in Dale Carnegie's public speaking classes. The billionaire later told how he was helped by the realization that 30 course participants had the same problem and, like no one else, understood his feelings.

Some tips and tricks

1. No falsehood. Insincerity is easy to spot.

2. During the presentation, do not take anything personally (questions, comments, etc.)

3. Remember: every time you go on stage, you learn something new.

4. Try to avoid any physical barriers between you and the audience (lecterns, tables, podiums) unless provided for by the organization.

5. If you don’t know the correct answer to a question, don’t answer it incorrectly. Use a formula like: “We will return to this issue later.”

6. You can also redirect this question to the audience. This will allow you to both understand the answer and enhance interaction with listeners.

7. It’s good if there are your friends or acquaintances in the hall. Make eye contact with them. This will give you the opportunity to feel surrounded by loved ones and cope with anxiety.