Just the words “public speaking” can cause instant terror in some of us. In fact, many people have a real fear of talking in public and some research suggests it’s one of the most common fears in the world.
Whether it’s making a speech at a wedding, giving a professional presentation or speaking in front of a small number of people, public speaking can cause our body to shake, our mind to go blank and our stomach to feel physically sick.
Everything in our mind may be saying “run away now”, but public speaking requires us to deliver our speech fluently in spite of all these thoughts and feelings – which often seems impossible.
So what is it about standing up and talking in front of other people that causes so much anxiety?
The fear of public speaking is a form of social phobia, and our natural ‘fight or flight’ response takes over us – making us believe we’re in some kind of danger that we need to escape from.
This unconscious response can cause our throats to feel tight, our heart to beat faster, sweating, breathlessness, sickness and a number of other symptoms.
The good news however, is that we have the ability to re-educate our mind to no longer see public speaking as a threat, and therefore create more appropriate responses for those situations that require us to talk in public.
Symptoms:
Some people may only suffer mildly with one or two symptoms, while others may suffer extreme anxiety and have a number of symptoms. Symptoms include:
- Inability to speak
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
- Shaking
- Shaky voice
- Nausea
- Rapid breathing
- Blushing
- Mental blocks
- Tight chest
- Feeling nervous
- Feeling embarrassed
- Panicky
Cause:
There are a number of reasons why individuals may suffer from a fear of public speaking, including:
- Lack of confidence/self-esteem
- Self-consciousness
- Fear about making a mistake, saying the wrong thing or falling over
- Fear of being the centre of attention
- Being in an unfamiliar situation
- Fear of being laughed at
- Fear of forgetting what to say
- Fear of being judged
Treatment
Mindset coaching is extremely useful for the treatment of those suffering a fear of public speaking. Mindset coaching usually involved a variety of modalities such as positive psychology, NLP, CBT, hypnotherapy and psychotherapy. This coaching can build confidence levels and allow you to remain calm and relaxed, while developing new positive ways of thinking and feeling.
Visit the Mynd.works contact page if you wish to ask a question or