Overcoming Speech Anxiety

What is Speech Anxiety?

Speech anxiety, aka Glossophobia, is a common fear, up there with spiders, heights and snakes in terms of worldwide popularity. Glossophobia.com report that 75% of the population have a form of speech anxiety and;

...statistically, far more of us claim that we would prefer death to giving a speech; even comedian Jerry Seinfeld used to joke that at a funeral, most people would rather be lying in the casket than delivering the eulogy.

Thoughtco.com define speech anxiety as:

Public speaking anxiety (PSA) is the fear experienced by a person when delivering (or preparing to deliver) a speech to an audience. Public speaking anxiety is sometimes referred to as stage fright or communication apprehension.

What does Speech Anxiety feel like?

I began to develop a speaking stutter when performing class readings in secondary school (possibly induced by the anxiety of the occurring squeaky voice of teenage boys), while I attempted to overcome shyness in social situations by drinking far too much alcohol to have the courage to approach, particularly, women. I recently massively stressed over giving a best man's speech for months preceding the event... so I can certainly empathise with this phobia! Though I'm not sure I would opt for Seinfeld's casket instead, it would certainly be tempting!

Experiencing speech anxiety feels horrible. Increased heart rate, sweats, feeling of blood rushing to your head and face, slurred speech, shaking/trembling, nausea/vomiting, dizziness, muscular tension. It is the classic fight/flight response.

When I was at school my flight response was essentially to feign illness so I did not have to do the class presentation. To some this means avoiding taking job interviews/presentations that have the knock on effect of impairing career development. To others it is avoiding social events where new friends/connections could be made.

Glossophobia can therefore have a massive negative impact on life quality; but does it necessarily need to be that way?   

What causes Speech Anxiety?

Healthline.com report that:

Many people who have a strong fear of public speaking fear being judged, embarrassed, or rejected. They may have had an unpleasant experience, like having given a report in class that didn’t go well. Or they’re been asked to perform on the spot with no preparation.

Though social phobias often run in families, the science behind this isn’t understood. A 2002 study reported that breeding mice that show less fear and anxiety resulted in offspring with less anxiety. But more research is needed to assess whether social phobias are hereditary.

Testing conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health found that the brains of people with social anxiety have a heightened response when negative comments were read to them. The affected areas were those responsible for self-evaluation and emotional processing. This heightened response wasn’t seen in people without the disorder.

How to overcome Speech Anxiety?

First it is essential to identify the underlying causes of your anxiety, and from uncovering the root of your problem you can then focus upon it. Is it self esteem/confidence? Is it comparing yourself to others and thus unfairly judging yourself? Is it feeling the eyes of the room upon you? Was it a horrendous previous experience that has affected you in particular? Do you generally feel under-prepared in speaking situations?

Learn Better Breathing Habits

When people start to experience anxiety, they tend to have shallow breathing. This can just add to anxiety and increases your heart rate. If you want to overcome anxiety, it can help to learn deep breathing habits. Practice breathing in through your nose while making sure that you are expanding your lungs from top to bottom. That means that your diaphragm should move as well while you breathe. Once you have breathed in, hold it in for a few seconds, and then slowly exhale it out through the partially open mouth. Once you have completed your exhale, start again.This can help to calm your nerves and settle your body.

Practice Visualisation

When we experience anxiety about something, we tend to focus on the negative repeatedly. We circle through it in our heads over and over again thinking about all the things that were afraid of regarding the situation. You can overcome this by practising positive visualisation. Practice thinking about yourself speaking in front of a group and doing a great job. If you have a specific speech or presentation that you will be giving soon, visualise yourself giving that over and over again. This can help you build your confidence and feel more comfortable with the task at hand.

Join A Group To Practice Your Skills

If you are in a position where you're going to need to be speaking in front of people on a regular basis, it can help to join a group that helps you practice your skills. Toastmasters International is one such group that helps you do this. You can work on developing your skills with peers that are doing the same. There is no fear of judgement.

Be Prepared

There are many ways that you can prepare for a speech to overcome speech anxiety. Start by making sure you are familiar with the material you're going to be speaking about. Then, practice it. Make sure you are familiar with the location where you are going to speak and make sure you know how to get there. Find out where to go once you arrive, and then make sure you're not rushing before you have to speak.

Practice Self-Care

Practising self-care can go a long way in helping you overcome speech anxiety. Start by exercising on a regular basis. Exercise helps to cut anxiety and boost your mood and confidence. If you have to give a big presentation or speech, make sure that you exercise the morning of.

Make sure that you eat foods that are healthy for you and will help to calm your body. Avoid having caffeine or sweets the day of your presentation. Avoid the morning cup of coffee, the soda, or the sugary muffin from Starbucks. Instead try to eat things like whole grains, fruit cups, and stay well hydrated. Make sure you use the restroom before your presentation since you will be drinking more water.

Make sure you dress your best and wear something that you are comfortable wearing. This will help you to feel more confident when you get in front of a group. Don't wear clothes that you feel like you will need to keep pulling at, readjusting, or be concerned about in any way.

Change Your Focus

When we suffer from speech anxiety, we are focused on ourselves. One way to improve this is to change your focus from yourself to your audience. While you are talking, focus on the friendly faces in the crowd. Instead of worrying about how you look, how your voice sounds, or if you're going to get your words right, focus on delivering valuable information to the audience. Think about how the information that you're giving them is going to help them and improve their lives. Keeping the focus on your audience removes your focus from yourself which can help ease anxiety.

Talk To A Counsellor

If you experience strong anxiety when you need to speak in front of other people, it can help to talk to a licensed therapist. They can work with you to help get to the root of the problem and then address it in a way that helps you to overcome it. Better Help has professionals that are ready and waiting to help you overcome your speech anxiety. It's an affordable and convenient option for you to use.

I feel I (at least mainly) overcame my glossophobia through slowly building my self confidence in social speaking situations. My recent best man's speech went very well, and I felt so relieved/overjoyed in completing it I now feel a new confidence to do another one (though from the content of the speech I am not so certain I will ever be asked again). For me preparation is essential before any presentation, going over the material so well that you know it, and visualise yourself performing. I would not say I am a natural public speaker and most like never will be, but it is not something I waste precious time and energy stressing over.