5 Tips for Overcoming the Fear of Public Speaking

Glossophobia, or the fear of public speaking, is one of the most common phobias. It is typically classified as a social anxiety disorder or social phobia. For some people, speaking in public is a stressful situation that can trigger a fight-or-flight response, the human body’s physiological response to perceived threats. For some glossophobics, the physical symptoms that accompany speech anxiety can be debilitating. The causes of glossophobia often stem from a lack of self-esteem or from the fear of being judged, embarrassed, or rejected.

While it’s common to feel nervous about speaking in front of an audience, those suffering from glossophobia typically experience debilitating symptoms. Some of the most common potential symptoms of glossophobia include experiencing an increased heart rate, dry mouth, nausea, headaches, difficulty breathing, sweating, or stiffening back muscles at the prospect of speaking in public. Those with severe public speaking anxiety may experience panic attacks when confronted with a public speaking situation.

It’s possible to overcome this common fear. From public speaking strategies to therapy, there are multiple coping mechanisms available for those with glossophobia.

1. 1. Know where to look. If you’re speaking to a very large crowd, look just over the crowd’s eye line. That will make it appear that you’re looking at everyone while giving you the personal comfort of not having to be constantly reminded of the crowd’s daunting size. In a smaller crowd, find that one person who’s making direct eye contact with you and hanging on to your every word. Speak to them. They’ll make you feel confident about your speech. The audience member who’s looking at their phone will only end up distracting you as well. Ignore them.
2. 2. Write down your key points. It's tempting to write out your speech in full and read from a prepared script, but your words won’t sound genuine if you’re reading them verbatim from a piece of paper instead of addressing your audience directly. Even if you’re not reading from a piece of paper, you’ll still sound stiff if you’re delivering a memorized speech. This doesn’t mean you can’t write down anything. Using index cards with bullet points is an effective tool to help you remember your big ideas.
3. 3. Practice breathing exercises. Breathing exercises are relaxation techniques used to calm the body and mind before a public speaking engagement. If you feel a surge of anxiety or other adverse symptoms, try taking slow, deep breaths. Breathe through your nose for four seconds, hold for four seconds, and breathe out through your mouth for six seconds. Repeat this exercise until you feel your body relax and you can think clearly again.
4. 4. Consider psychotherapy. Leaders in neuroscience and psychiatry suggest that therapy can help people with glossophobia learn how to cope with their public speaking fears over time. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) sessions with a licensed therapist can help patients get to the root cause of their anxiety and equip them with the skills they need to overcome it. Exposure therapy can also be effective. This method involves practicing speaking in front of a group of people you know (such as family members) to learn coping mechanisms that can help with larger public speaking situations.

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