Did you know that 238 million people struggle with public speaking, regardless of how many people are listening? This fear of speaking is called “glossophobia” and it prevents many people from succeeding in life.

Instead of letting anxiety and fears overwhelm you, it’s time that you take the right steps for overcoming this problem.

Continue reading to discover symptoms of glossophobia and 5 of the best tips that will help you get through public speaking anxiety.

Symptoms of Public Speaking Anxiety 

Having public speaking anxiety can affect people in extremely negative ways, and even minor symptoms can lead to problems. It is important to understand the key things to look for when identifying glossophobia so that larger issues can be avoided.

Common symptoms of speaking anxiety consist of increases in heart rate, trembling and sweating, muscle tension, dizziness, and shortness of breath.

If you deal with these symptoms when speaking in public, take a look at the following tips to help you cope.

  1. Practice Makes Perfect

Being fully prepared for any speaking that you will be doing in front of an audience, no matter how small, can be one of the most effective ways of coping with speaking fears.

Practicing your speech multiple times can help you understand all of the information you are bringing up and give you the confidence to talk freely about it and answer any questions.

Rehearsing before you have to speak helps you view things from different perspectives and prepare you for thinking quickly on your feet.

  1. Minimize Stress

Added stress can often add to a fear of public speaking, especially if they are too overwhelmed to be able to focus.

Reducing stress in your life, and especially right before you go on stage, can help build confidence and get you through a stressful moment. Our company strives to help those dealing with public speaking anxiety and uses coaching to help patients deal with fears.

  1. Try Not to Rely on Notes 

Bullet points can be vague or too detailed and it’s common for people to lose their place when reading off of notecards and papers.

Learning your material well enough, so that you can freely talk about the topic, can help you feel more confident and allow you to overcome your fear of speaking. If you must use some form of notes, be sure that they are short, clear, and easy to follow.

  1. Know Your Triggers 

Understanding what your triggers are when speaking in public is an important part of overcoming the issue.

If you fear of too large of groups, you may want to focus speaking on smaller groups of people or trying to put yourself in a spot on the stage that won’t make you focus on everyone sitting in the crowd.

If you easily forget what you are saying you can create a list to keep yourself on track. Even if you struggle with time, you can always have a timer up with you so that you don’t speak too fast or ramble.

  1. Use Humor

Adding in-jokes and personal touches to your speech can help keep you relaxed and feel as if you are speaking in a less tense situation. There is no such thing as being perfect and many people deal with the same issue you have, have faith that they will be kind and have a good time!

Having fun and being relaxed is the best way to not be overcome by your fear of public speaking.

Getting Past Your Fears

Utilizing the public speaking anxiety tips mentioned above can help give you the courage to be the first to volunteer for presentations.

Speaking in front of other people is intimidating to many people but there are plenty of coping mechanisms that you can do to help get you past your fears. Overcoming your fear of public speaking can help you get through the parts of your job that cause fear and tension.

To learn more about our Anxiety Treatment counseling services, click here.

If you’re struggling in your relationship, call 917-273-8836 or contact us for a complimentary consultation to learn more about our anxiety treatment services and how we can help you.