Why Am I So Anxious About Speaking In Public?

Do you worry weeks or months in advance of a speech or presentation?

Do you experience severe physical symptoms of anxiety during a speech, such as shaking?

Do you experience severe physical symptoms of anxiety during a speech, such as a quivering voice?

Do you experience severe physical symptoms of anxiety during a speech, such as dizziness?

Do you experience severe physical symptoms of anxiety during a speech, such as blushing?

Do you experience severe physical symptoms of anxiety during a speech, such as shortness of breath?

Do you experience severe physical symptoms of anxiety during a speech, such as a pounding heart?

Do you experience severe physical symptoms of anxiety during a speech, such as an upset stomach?

Do you have intense anxiety symptoms while speaking in public and is your ability to live your life the way that you would like affected by it?

Based on your answers, it is unlikely that you have a serious problem with fear of speaking in public. When someone has public speaking anxiety, the person has glossophobia. It’s one of the most commonly reported social fears. It’s normal if you feel nervous and stressed about giving a presentation or speech. However, for someone with glossophobia, it becomes a real problem, and he or she may even require therapy. If the symptoms interfere with someone’s life, the person may be dealing with a social anxiety disorder.

Based on your answers, you may be worried in advance about a presentation or speech that you have to do, but you may not experience severe physical symptoms during the presentation or speech. There are people, however, who have an intense fear of public speaking. These people have glossophobia. The symptoms are the same as those for social anxiety disorder (SAD), but they only happen when speaking in public. The symptoms are the result of an automatic reaction of our bodies to prepare for danger: even when there is no real physical threat, it may feel as if you are losing control. This makes it difficult to do well during the speech.

Unfortunately, you are displaying symptoms typically seen among individuals who have glossophobia. Glossophobia is public speaking anxiety, in which a person may worry weeks or even months in advance of a speech or presentation and has severe physical symptoms during the speech. Glossophobia may be diagnosed as social anxiety disorder (SAD) if it interferes with your life. Fortunately, glossophobia can be managed with therapy and medication. Therapy may be short-term and may consist of systematic desensitization and cognitive-behavioral therapy. These therapies will help you to successfully manage your anxiety symptoms.