Glossophobia is the fear of the stage and public speaking. Overcome your fear of public speaking

Fear of public speaking and its causes. The article will discuss how to get rid of voiced mental discomfort, which can harm the career growth of any person.

The content of the article:

Fear of public speaking is a feeling that some skeptics may find unfounded. However, practice shows that it is precisely this that prevents many people from revealing themselves to the intended audience in all the glory of their oratorical talents. It is necessary to understand the reasons for the voiced fear and methods of dealing with such a scourge.

Reasons for the development of fear of public speaking

Very often it is necessary to convey your thoughts to a large number of people, because it is important for the career and development of every self-sufficient person. However, some individuals experience a fear of public speaking, the nature of the formation of which they cannot even explain to themselves.

Psychologists indicate the following reasons for the described phenomenon in a person who panicked before oratory:

• Childhood fears. The fear of speaking in front of an audience is a likely manifestation of a kind of embarrassment that happened a long time ago. The reason for the described may be an unsuccessfully read poem at a matinee, the performance of which caused the laughter of peers or adults.
• parenting costs. Each parent lays something personal in their child, adjusting the behavior model of their beloved child in their own way. Sometimes dad or mom inspire a baby or teenager that in no case should you flaunt yourself. In the future, this develops into an obsession, which becomes one of the reasons for the fear of public speaking.
• Fear of audience criticism. Self-love is a feeling that every person should have. However, sometimes this trait turns into a painful state of mind. The result - the fear of public speaking because of the fear of being criticized.
• Problems with diction. Not every person can boast of perfect pronunciation and a virtuoso manner of presenting information to listeners. Some people are absolutely calm about this fact, but there are people who are afraid of public speaking for the very reason that was voiced.
• Excessive shyness. As they say, not everyone can launch satellites, so there are a sufficient number of notorious or overly emotionally vulnerable people in modern society. The very idea of ​​having to give a speech in front of a large audience horrifies such individuals.
• Complexes about their own appearance. Very often, such a phenomenon is a common exaggeration on the part of an insecure person. It seems to such people that everyone will laugh as soon as they see them on the podium or stage, even with a carefully prepared report.
• neurotic diseases. It is difficult for a person who suffers from such an ailment to control his emotions before an important event. Therefore, it is not necessary to be surprised at the panic at the most inopportune moment in such nervous personalities.

Important! Psychologists believe that all the reasons voiced must be urgently eradicated. Such fears prevent people from making a successful career and achieving significant results in life.

Signs of an alarmist before public speaking

It is very easy to identify such a contingent of speakers by fairly obvious external signs. Their condition can be described as follows:

1. too much fun. This behavior is appropriate when preparing for the performance of clowns or masters of the comic genre. Before a serious report, it is necessary to gather as much as possible, and nervous laughter only shows the alarmist's fear of the upcoming public appearance.
2. Feverish behavior. In this state, the speaker constantly loses the material of the report and literally everything falls out of his hands. Everyone can worry before a public speaking, but you should not turn small experiences into a real tantrum.
3. Nervous gestures. This behavior is similar to the febrile excitement described above. However, it is the peak of panic before public speaking, when a person begins to frantically gesticulate.
4. Facial redness or pallor. To paint yourself in the face of a shy marriageable girl, and not a professional who is seriously interested in advancing his career. It is this sign that indicates that a person panics before a public speech, his blood pressure rises on a nervous basis. Excessive pallor of the skin may also indicate that the future speaker is afraid of the upcoming speech.

All of the above signs of fear of reaching a large audience can overtake both a weak-willed person and a self-confident careerist. It should simply be distinguished when the state that has arisen is a natural reaction before a responsible event, and where the real panic begins with the speaker.

Overcoming the fear of public speaking is not a whim, but a wise decision for self-sufficient individuals who want to achieve a lot in life. Here it is important not only to realize the problem, but also to begin to actively deal with it.

Ways to deal with the fear of public speaking

It is realistic to deal with this mental discomfort in many ways. You can help yourself on your own, but if this is unattainable, you should turn to specialists.

Getting rid of the fear of public speaking on your own

A person is the creator of his own destiny, so you should not blame someone for the pursuing failures. In this case, you can try the following means of dealing with the fear of public speaking:

• Autotraining. It is not difficult to do this, because few people do not love themselves. This is considered normal, if it does not develop into inveterate selfishness. Therefore, you need to convince yourself that even experienced speakers make mistakes. It's no secret that on the air you can hear a large number of so-called blunders from the gurus of public speaking. There are no perfect people in the world, and this should be learned for yourself in order to get rid of the fear of presentations in front of an audience.
• Meditation. At the same time, some skeptics will say that not every person owns such a technique. However, there is nothing complicated in the proposed method of dealing with the fear of public speaking. Initially, you should relax as much as possible and take a deep breath in the air. Then you need to exhale, stretching each movement for five seconds. It is recommended to do the described before communicating with the audience for 5-6 minutes. So you can achieve the greatest effect from the manipulations.
• Clear knowledge of the subject matter. In this case, there is simply no time for panic, so it is better to devote it to familiarizing yourself with the material of the report. It is difficult to discourage a person who knows what he is talking about with an unexpected question or a sidelong glance. The topic must also be chosen the one that is to their liking, so that the audience can see the speaker's enthusiasm for the proposed material.
• Creating an image. A well-groomed person will never think about the question of how to overcome the fear of public speaking. He simply does not have it due to self-confidence. Before oratory, you need to put your appearance in order so that the speaker pleases not only the ears of the audience, but is also pleasing to the visual perception.
• self-discipline. Bad habits should be left far outside the doors of the conference room where the scheduled performance is to be. Alcohol or tranquilizers are out of the question when it comes to an important report. In this case, such relaxation will end in failure and possible serious problems in the speaker's career. Heavy meals before a performance should also be avoided because overcooking them can cause drowsiness.
• Avoidance of stressful situations. On the eve of the report, you need to take a break from everyday worries and get enough sleep. Circles under the eyes and slurred speech of the speaker will not make a successful speech unequivocally. If there is a problem of insomnia, then you should not take sleeping pills, but rather drink a glass of warm milk with honey in small sips.
• Activation of positive emotions. A person who is at odds with himself will easily overcome the fear of speaking in public. The positive he experiences will not go unnoticed by a wide audience and will allow him to establish maximum contact with the public.
• Consultation with a psychologist. There is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of in this case, because the fear of public speaking may be the result of a mental trauma received in childhood. The specialist will help to establish contact with oneself and give recommendations on how to eliminate the interfering factor in a person’s career growth.

Speakers Tips for Overcoming the Fear of Public Speaking

In this case, the advice of experienced speakers becomes an invaluable experience for beginners. Professionals in the verbal art recommend the following ways to get rid of the fear of public speaking:

1. Rehearsal before the report. You can’t do without this so that during the performance you don’t get a lot of unpleasant surprises. You should carefully go through all the stages of the upcoming presentation to the general public. You can also give a speech to your family the day before. This will allow you to correctly place accents, train diction, think over the details of the speech, and evaluate the speed of information delivery.
2. Breath Correction. This aspect is very important in the report, so you should pay special attention to it. A speaker's voice that is creaky or hoarse with excitement will not impress an audience that has come to receive information that is valuable to them. On the eve of the presentation, it is necessary to constantly take deep breaths so that the lungs are fully saturated with oxygen.
3. Focus on a friendly audience. Any speaker can, by the reaction of the listeners, determine the visitors favorably disposed towards him. It is on such a contingent that it is necessary to pay the most attention, focusing on it during the report.
4. Presentation of the future result. Experts recommend thinking only about the positive aspects of the upcoming performance. The listeners did not come with the express purpose of throwing tomatoes at the speaker, as some alarmist speakers seem to think. People attend such events in order to obtain the necessary information for themselves, and not with malicious intent.
5. Smile and positivity towards listeners. A gloomy and solemn face in this case is unlikely to win over the audience, but rather cause bewilderment and even negativity in it. The main thing at the same time is not to overdo it with emotions, because a smile out of place will look extremely ridiculous.
6. Maximum contact with listeners. No one suggests walking around the hall during the report, but sometimes it is not forbidden to go to the edge of the stage. In this case, you can directly answer the questions of those who wish, without fencing them off with the same podium. This psychological technique will allow you to establish contact with the audience, showing the openness and sincerity of the speaker.
7. The originality of the presentation of the material. However, it is worthwhile to clearly understand for yourself that everything is good in moderation. A good joke to the point or an unusual quote will only brighten up the performance, but humor when providing statistics is unlikely to be understood and accepted by the audience.
8. boomerang method. During a speech, such an incident can happen when the speaker does not know the answer to the question posed. You should not panic at the same time, because such behavior will look like the incompetence of the speaker. The way out of an unpleasant situation will be to forward the question to the audience or colleagues present at the conference. This is done in order to start a discussion and turn the report into an entertaining debate.
9. Confidence in dealing with the public. The phrase in the form that a person is very worried about the upcoming speech will show the seriousness of the speaker's attitude to the upcoming report. Most people are by nature condescending, so they will sympathize with a slight panic in the speaker and internally cheer him up.

How to get rid of the fear of public speaking - look at the video:

For any speaker, it is necessary to clearly understand how to overcome the fear of public speaking. Initially assuming failure means one hundred percent getting the expected negative result. It is necessary to set yourself up for one hundred percent success, gradually gaining experience with constant training in oratory.

• take it easy
• Find Support

Representatives of many professions on duty quite often have to speak in public. This mainly concerns artists, top managers, lawyers and other professionals whose activities are continuous contact with the audience. However, almost every person in life has situations when it becomes necessary to speak publicly. That is why it is important for almost any person to be able to overcome the fear of speaking in front of an audience.

Causes of fear of public speaking

Why list the possible reasons for the fear of public speaking when you can go straight to tips on how to overcome the fear of speaking in public? Understanding and awareness of these causes is the first step to combat this phobia!

Education in most cases is the basis of why a person is afraid to speak in front of other people. It is not uncommon for parents to forbid their children from speaking loudly or yelling in public places. Moms and dads close their mouths to their children, arguing that everyone is looking at the child and that it is ugly. As a result, when a growing up or already mature adult person has to speak in public, his voice disappears somewhere, everything shrinks inside, and streams of sweat pour from his forehead. Very often, negative childhood experiences are fixed already at school or at the institute, when a person is criticized by teachers or other students.

Many psychologists associate fear of public speaking with the orders that existed in the primitive community, when a person was an integral part of the tribe (exile was tantamount to death) and all his actions passed through the filter of public encouragement. Very often, the fear of failing or hearing negative feedback about one's actions not only makes a person give up on an idea, but is also the cause of the fear of speaking in front of an audience.

For some, public speaking can be somewhat difficult due to the lack of sufficient experience. Someone may have had far from the best contact with a large audience in the past. Some people have deliberately avoided public speaking, which makes it difficult for them to make it a part of their daily lives.

First of all, a person needs to understand that he is not at all alone in his phobia. According to statistics, 9 out of 10 speakers experience what is known as stage fright. At the same time, almost everyone is nervous before performances. Those who are terribly afraid to say anything in public are called glossophobes in psychology.

Scientists have confirmed that a large number of people in the process of public speaking release an amount of adrenaline commensurate with what is released during a parachute jump. Surprisingly, the fear of public speaking ranks second in the classification of phobias after the fear of death. It is striking that in some individuals fear of the audience comes to the fore.

How to overcome fear of speaking

Prepare and Rehearse

First of all, you need to carefully analyze your listeners. Fear of speaking is often a tandem of several phobias. The fear of the unknown has a significant negative effect on a person. To get rid of it, you should know in advance where and in front of which audience you have to demonstrate your oratory. Analyze, as far as possible, how many people will listen to you, what their interests and life positions are, what they expect from the speaker, and what kind of reaction you want from them. It must be remembered that overcoming the fear of public speaking is inextricably linked to your awareness. Understanding who will listen to you will negate the uncertainty factor.

Once you know what your audience will be, you should begin to carefully prepare for the speech. It is worth building your speech, focusing on average indicators of intelligence. It makes no sense to form complex logical chains, use professional jargon and complex terms. You should choose such a speech only if you have to speak in front of professionals. In addition, you should avoid using words whose meaning you do not fully understand.

Even if you have a short speech, do not ignore the need for at least the slightest preparation. Study as thoroughly as possible the topic you plan to talk about. The main principle to keep in mind is that the more you are afraid to perform, the better you should prepare.

As you finish writing your speech and preparing other additional materials, think about what questions your audience might ask you. If you plan to present data in the form of graphs and charts, it makes sense to check the relevance and correctness of each figure. Think about how any of your thesis has a weighty argument.

Be sure to practice at home, imagining the state in which you feel as comfortable as possible. If there were times in your life when you verbally managed to solve some difficult issue or get out of a difficult situation, use that state to raise your confidence. Do not forget to simulate this state in your head before the performance itself.

It will not be superfluous to speak in front of one listener. This should be your friend, who is well versed in this particular topic. It is this listener who will be able to identify shortcomings in your speech, as well as ask questions. If you do not answer them well, it is worth delving deeper into the material. Otherwise, you can be sure that the entry will go as well as possible.

Be sure to inspect the room where you plan to perform. Think of a place where you will feel comfortable making contact with your audience. Evaluate where the lighting is located, and also check if it is possible to use the projector. When you master the territory in this way, you greatly facilitate your upcoming performance.

take it easy

If you don't have a clue how to overcome fear of public speaking and relax, you can use the following exercises to help relieve tension.

• The meditation technique includes a well-known technique called mindful breathing. The essence of the method is to focus your attention on inhalation and exhalation. In this case, you should breathe deeply, holding your breath for a few seconds. In the process of exhalation, you need to count to yourself from 1 to 5. This method helps to relieve tension and relax. Perform the exercise for at least five minutes.
• Tighten every muscle in your body and stay in this state for five seconds. Then relax and repeat this procedure a few more times. If conditions allow you, walk at a fast pace around the room or street, sit down several times or push up from the floor.

It is believed that stimulants or tranquilizers help to cope with the fear of speaking. In fact, such drugs are completely useless, and in some cases can even ruin your performance, especially if you do not calculate the dose. This can lead to retardation. That is why you should not use such drugs.

Find Support

In the event that among the listeners there are your acquaintances or friends, ask them to support you in every possible way. Any tactile contact will do you good, no matter how amazing it may be. It could be friendly handshake, a pat on the shoulder, or even a warm hug.

Before you begin your presentation, look for a familiar face among those present. If there are no close people in the ranks of the listeners, find a person with an approving facial expression. Smiling and being positive will help you deal with insecurities.

Consider the non-verbal part of the speech

Don't underestimate the importance of the non-verbal part of your speech. It is interesting that each of us consumes about 60% of information from non-verbal sources. If words can mislead someone, then your gestures on a subconscious level will be read correctly by the audience. The appearance of the speaker, the distance to him, the timbre of the voice, the manner of narration, facial expressions and intonation are non-verbal.

When thinking about your appearance before a performance, it is worth considering that any resemblance to the average listener plays into your hands, as it increases the impact on the audience. This applies to dress, hair, jewelry and manners. If people perceive you as one of their own, then your words will be valued higher. At the same time, articulation and diction of speech should be worked out by you before the performance.

How to overcome fear during public speaking

Even if you have completely calmed down before the performance, the feeling of fear may return the moment you enter the stage. There are several tips to help deal with this problem.

A very popular way to help overcome tension is to say affirmations with an encouraging context. You need to choose positive phrases, such as “I love the audience, and she loves me”, “Everyone is waiting for my performance”, “I can interest the audience”, etc.

The second way is to accept your fear. Allow yourself the right to be excited, because you are human. If you accept this fact, you will immediately feel much better. However, do not forget to tune in to achieve a positive result. No need to waste energy scrolling through your negative experience in your head.

Experts also advise particularly worried individuals to publicly admit their fear. Thus, you relieve yourself of part of the responsibility if you suddenly forget to say something or go astray. However, you should not use this method often, because the next time listeners may react to such a statement without much enthusiasm. You can be honest only during the first speech. Use this method only if other ways to overcome fear have proven ineffective.

If you are an inexperienced speaker, do not practice impromptu. Few people have the innate skill to extricate themselves from difficult situations. Therefore, it is better not to get into a difficult situation. If you need to answer questions, then it is better to pronounce platitudes that are appropriate in this particular situation. Against the general background, this will be imperceptible, and you will remain an unforgettable speaker until the moment you yourself wish to attract the attention of others.

There are many tips that answer the question, how to overcome fear of public speaking. You can imagine that not businessmen are sitting in the audience, but fluffy rabbits. It is also very effective to think about something good. However, such advice is given mainly by experienced speakers, which will be effective only for those who do not experience much fear. The same people who are terrified of public speaking can use any of the methods listed in this article to cope with stress. If you practice a lot, you will soon notice serious progress.

P.S. Experience is the main key to becoming a good speaker. Start by making toasts in a familiar company. After that, practice loud voice in public places. This will help you overcome your fear of negative reactions from others. Then you will notice that your tone will become more imposing and patronizing. Once you've gained some confidence, start taking action at work. Try to ask questions to the speakers. This will help you overcome your fear of being the center of attention. As a result, you will have a craving for independent performances. Knowing everything means of expressive speech And getting rid of a phobia, you will undoubtedly become a wonderful speaker.

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There are two types of people in the world: those who like to speak in front of a crowd, and those who turn to stone with fear at the sight of a microphone. How to become the first type and how not to be afraid of public speaking, read on.

How not to be afraid of public speaking

Fear of failure and stage fright are completely natural and happen to many people. It is important for us to understand what is really behind the fear of performance so that we can effectively counteract it.

Stage fright or fear of possible failure is a state of ongoing anxiety that grips a person who has to perform in front of a large audience.

Heed the following tips:

Know your subject

Nothing quells the fear of speaking better than preparedness. Know the topic and text of your speech. And most importantly, know your audience. If you know what and to whom you are talking - you have no reason to panic.

Knowing the subject will allow you to be more natural and persuasive in your presentation. And if some technical failure suddenly happens, then it will not embarrass you at all: after all, you are 100% sure of your knowledge!

Know your report like the back of your hand and rehearse as much as possible (preferably in front of people) - and you will have faith in yourself.

Calm down yourself

Despite the fact that stage fright is “just in the head,” fear has specific physiological manifestations. Your listeners will notice it. The best way to fight is to replace negative expectations with positive ones. Instead of worrying about what will happen if you forget your words, think about what will happen if you perform well in front of an audience. Although it sounds trite and simple, positive affirmations really help relieve stress before public speaking.

Imagine the worst possible scenario

If positive thoughts don't help you, think of the worst possible scenario. Once you imagine it, you will realize that this scenario is not so terrible. This will help you relax.

Mentally imagine the results

Call it whatever you like: reflection, imagination, meditation. It doesn't matter what name you give it - just do it. Imagine your ideal performance in front of an audience where you shine with enthusiasm, humor, confidence and professionalism. The more you think about success, the more likely you are to achieve it.

The world doesn't revolve around you

You may feel like everyone is just waiting to ridicule, criticize, or judge you. But it's not. Get rid of the feeling that the whole world will blame you for all the mistakes.

Focus on your presentation, on the audience, on what you are ready to give them. By doing so, you will reduce the tension that is already accumulating inside you.

When something didn't go according to plan

Sooner or later something will go wrong. The microphone or projector may stop working. If you own the topic and content of your report, then this will not unsettle you much. MIC is not working? It doesn't matter, raise your voice and continue speaking. Technical staff is probably already working on a solution to the problem. And yes, let them worry, not you.

Calm down and don't get ahead of yourself

Do not rush to finish your report as quickly as possible. Begin the presentation calmly, without rushing. This will allow you to choose the optimal pace of speech, get used to the audience and allow the audience to get used to you.

Focus on the first five minutes

Imagine that your entire presentation is only five minutes long. This makes the performance less stressful. Focus on "living through" the first five minutes of your presentation - that's enough time to calm you down and get you into the process.

Never apologize for your excitement

For most of your presentation, you will appear calm and show no sign of your excitement. So why tell the audience about it at all? Let it seem to you that your knees are trembling - no one in the hall will notice this, believe me. So just don't mention it, otherwise your listeners will get nervous themselves, stop listening to what you say to them, and begin to judge the way you speak.

Don't talk about your mistakes

You have prepared and rehearsed your speech, you feel great. But, being already on stage, you suddenly realize that you are confused or forgot to say something important. At such moments, you need to remember that you are the only one who knows about this error. Your listeners don't suspect a thing. So let them remain in happy ignorance, do not inform them about it. If you admit your mistakes, some listeners will purposefully look for other shortcomings. You will divert the attention of the audience from the main purpose of your speech.

Come early

Being late will only increase your anxiety. Come to the place of your performance in advance, get used to it. You can even go up on stage or walk around the hall to feel more relaxed.

Warm up

When you are nervous, the muscles in your body become stiff. Fifteen minutes before your performance, do a little warm-up. This will relieve muscle tension and relax your body.

Breathe

Excitement is always accompanied by rapid breathing, which leads to a lack of oxygen and loss of self-control. A minute before you get up on stage, take a few deep breaths to calm down.

double check everything

Do you need to use a laptop or any notes in your report? Check if everything works. When you are at the microphone, it will be too late to run for forgotten papers and records. And it will greatly reduce your confidence. Know the text of your speech so well that you can continue to speak without hesitation even in case of force majeure.

Don't try to overcome your fear of speaking. Work with him! You must prepare and accept the fact that in the first few minutes of the performance you will be extremely excited. The more you try to suppress your excitement, the stronger it will become. So focus on your report and the excitement will slowly recede.

How to get rid of the fear of public speaking - video

The professional responsibilities of many people include regular public speaking and being in continuous contact with large audiences. The activities of politicians, teachers, lawyers, managers, artists are directly related to the stay, interaction, communication and often persuasion of a large group of people.

In his life, almost every person is faced with a situation when it becomes necessary to show their oratory and speak to an audience. According to psychologists, a certain level of fear of speaking is present in the vast majority of people - over 95% of the population. Stage fright is one of the most common phobias, which not only causes inconvenience, worsens mental well-being and physical health, but also makes it difficult to perform job duties and hinders further career growth.

Such fears are familiar to many prominent artists and musicians who regularly perform in front of large audiences. The actress experienced a strong pathological stage fright Faina Ranevskaya, singer Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, musicians Pablo Casals, Glenn Gould, Arthur Rubinstein.

For many people, stage fright is a significant stressful situation, untimely, incorrect and incomplete therapy and correction of which can become a factor in personality accentuation and go into the category of mental disorders. As a result of exposure to fear as a traumatic factor, a person resorts to the so-called defensive behavior. This mechanism helps only for a while, and if the problem is not resolved in the future, and the person is unable to cope with the fear that is taking place, it is the defense mechanisms that become an obstacle to personal growth. They give rise to new emotional problems, forming the desire to escape from reality into the "artificial world of simplification" and are the cause of mental illness.

Therefore, it is extremely important to recognize the symptoms in time, analyze the cause, give a frank and, at the same time, optimistic assessment of what is happening, and take psychological correction measures.

Manifestation of glossophobia

In psychology, the pathological fear of public speaking is called glossophobia or peyraphobia. One should clearly share the natural excitement that any person experiences before the upcoming solo monologue, focused on a large crowd of people, both familiar and unfamiliar. So, a completely adequate reaction of the body - excitement, occurs before the upcoming solo performance of a novice dancer and musician, before the oral entrance exams to the university. At the same time, this person will not experience anxiety, tension and fear when they have to demonstrate their talents or read a report in front of a familiar audience: colleagues, classmates, teachers.

Psychologists emphasize that a moderate amount of anxiety and excitement has its positive aspects. In anticipation of a crucial event, a person becomes more attentive, more collected, more energetic, and as a result, his performance is successful and of high quality. And the "solo" in public for those who do not experience excitement at all often turns out to be a failure.

An individual suffering from glossophobia will experience an inexplicable and indomitable fear during or before a speech, even in front of well-known listeners or in front of a small group of people. His fear is not selective, but constant when in public.

Symptoms of the disorder

Although the factors causing distress in phobic disorders are different, they all elicit essentially the same non-specific biological response. Before or upon the onset of an unfavorable situation for the individual, in this case, in anticipation of being in public, emotional stress arises and grows. A high level of activity of the subcortical system, which activates the cerebral cortex, motor centers, glands of the internal system, the sympathetic autonomic system, changes the functioning of the internal organs. So, common manifestations of stage fright:

• Enlargement and muscle tension;
• Change in gestures and facial expressions;
• Changing the timbre and tone of voice;
• Vegetative manifestation: excessive sweating, palpitations, "jumps" in blood pressure;
• Headache, unpleasant, pressing sensations in the region of the heart.

An attack of glossophobia may be accompanied by:

• dry mouth
• trembling voice,
• loss of the ability to speak
• involuntary urination.

In rare cases, in people with increased nervous excitability, such a phobia causes fainting of varying duration. Loss of consciousness, as a rule, is preceded by dizziness, weakness, nausea, pallor of the face and lips, cold extremities, weak frequent pulse.

The strength of the manifestation and the number of symptoms are purely individual and depend on the characteristics of the person’s character, the way they respond to alarm signals, the functional state of the body, mood, fatigue and the nature of the activity at the moment.

Reasons for the appearance

The main reasons for the formation of glossophobia:

• genetic predisposition;
• social factors.

Genetic inheritance has an individual tendency to specific types of fear, fear of society in general, an innate level of anxiety. A person, as a constituent unit of society, is afraid of not being accepted, not understood, not appreciated by the community, afraid of being socially isolated. Among the hereditary psychological characteristics, it is worth highlighting the basis for further character formation: temperament, genetic accentuation and the degree of anxiety. The psychological characteristics of parents and offspring are quite similar: they have similar fears, a certain way of perceiving them, the same reaction force and degree of "stuck".

Psychologists consider social factors to be the most significant sources of the formation of a phobia before public speaking:

• incorrect, overly strict upbringing;
• incorrect behavior of parents in the family: intimidation, prohibitions, threats in childhood;
• excessive susceptibility to criticism of others and internal "censorship", giving rise to anankastic timidity and humility;
• negative attitude towards one's own "I", low self-esteem, due to the pressure of adults on the child's psyche;
• negative childhood experience that has been subjected to significant criticism for the individual;
• distortion of the strength of stress factors in the direction of their strengthening;

Peiraphobia can manifest itself due to a lack of confidence to be understood by the audience, which is associated with poor, insufficient preparation and lack of necessary knowledge. For many, performing on stage is difficult due to lack of sufficient experience.

A likely factor in the emergence of stage fright is the desire for perfection. Very often, glossophobia manifests itself in perfectionist people striving for the ideal and having the habit of cherishing public opinion.

Also, people whose anxiety is accompanied by accentuation of a pedantic type are afraid to be in front of everyone.

Treatment: how to fight?

Of course, it is necessary to get rid of this phobia, and these fears are eliminated successfully and completely by the appropriate specialists. Professional help to get rid of glossophobia is necessary only for those whose fears turn into, to determine the clear boundary of which is only possible for a psychotherapist. For all other speakers, lecturers, actors and musicians, you can overcome the phobia on your own.

Steps to overcome your fear of speaking in public include four steps:

• awareness of the problem;
• analysis of the causes of occurrence;
• development of solution ideas;
• testing ideas in practice.

Let us dwell in more detail on possible resolution methods designed to reduce the level of anxiety, increase self-esteem and get rid of glossophobia.

Stage 1. Get rid of the unknown

We carefully analyze the audience: size, social status, age, life positions, interests of the audience. It is necessary to clearly understand what society expects from your speech, and what kind of response you expect to receive. Your awareness will negate the factor of uncertainty, it will become predictable to get a certain result.

Stage 2. Taming the "monster"

Your nervousness is exacerbated by giving the audience negative traits and fixation on "cons", such as: skeptical smirk, gestures of disapproval, critical whispers, etc., allegedly taking place in the audience. You can change your perception of the public by forming thoughts of approval. Endow objects with positive features, pay mental attention to pleasant little things coming from the hall: approving gestures, jubilant voices, interested glances. A great way to overcome stage fright is visualization, when you put your great work in perspective.

Stage 3. Don't let the performance fail

If stage fright causes fear of failure and failure, careful preparation is the best remedy. When a person is confident in his knowledge and sufficient study of the topic, he will be much less worried.

For example, you have a report. The algorithm of your actions is as follows:

• search, analysis and study of source data from several sources,
• creating unique text
• summarizing the main points
• making a speech plan,
• selection of compelling arguments
• memorization or close retelling of the composed text,
• studying possible questions and compiling answers to them.

Rehearse your report in front of a mirror or perform in front of loved ones. Listening to the text dictated by your voice will bring a good effect. Pay special attention to the non-verbal part: your gestures, facial expressions and appearance. Such a preliminary presentation will help to identify and correct possible errors, and will give confidence in your oratory skills.

Stage 4. Recognize the possibility of error

It is necessary to reduce the often exaggerated importance of other people, it is logical to evaluate criticism, to recognize the presence of shortcomings in each individual, including: sarcasm, cynicism, skepticism, malevolence and other disadvantages. The realization that anyone can make mistakes, and fair criticism does not always come from the lips of well-wishers, will give you great confidence.

It is necessary to regularly engage in techniques aimed at forming an objective self-esteem and increasing self-esteem. Affirmations on the topic of feeling one's own value and accepting oneself as a unique person give an excellent result.

Stage 5. Fixing on the positive

It is advisable to focus on the process itself, and not on the expected result. It will be more productive to fixate on the course of the action in the present, and not on the yet illusory future result. Imagine all the pleasant aspects of your being in public, your success and recognition. The existing negative experience must be transformed into a positive one.

In addition, good methods to overcome stage fright are:

• exercise for different muscle groups
• correct breathing,
• activation of the left hemisphere, for example: mathematical calculations,
• singing mentally or aloud a pleasant melody,
• changing body position to a more open posture,
• regular meditation,
• use of self-hypnosis techniques.

A smile has fantastic power. A sincere smile will reduce mental stress and discomfort, deceive the subconscious (after all, it is impossible to be afraid and experience joy at the same time). Smile in front of the audience and when you receive a smile in return, you will feel your fears leave you. Do not avoid speaking and communicating with the public, confidence will come with experience!

More about stage fright

Audio lecture on techniques for dealing with the fear of public speaking.

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