ANXIETY FROM PUBIC SPEAKING

[hope2be]

I have severe anxiety when it comes to public speaking. I have a presentation I need to give in order to graduate in college. Put in this situation I will have a panic attack. My heart races, I can?t breathe, and my mind is whipped clear of thought. I am looking into taking a Beta Blocker (Inderal) I was wondering about the side effects, and if it works. Has anyone experienced panic disorders from public speaking? What did you do?

No experience of beta blockers, but just wanted to say good luck! Another thing you can do is get a note from your dr explaining that you suffer from this and that your presentation will be impared because of the nerves. They may take it into acount if you then finish early or when allocating a grade. Long term some yoga techniques may help a bit, and dont forget that the more you do the easier it will be. Make sure you have images (powerpoint is good as you can darken the room) so you know people are not looking just at you, but at your pictures. That makes it better too.

Also, did you notice your typo?

The beta blocker will help with the physical symptoms of anxiety, but not with the mental ones. It sounds like the physical symptoms are the most troubling for you though?
If your GP is happy to prescibe this then worth giving it a go.

Fellow sufferer here. I've tried beta blockers and they only help with some of the physical symptons. They don't block out the fear.

The best solution I found was to join a public speaking group - I joined Toastmasters. You can practice in a safe environment and it is such a high when you finally present. I had very bad symptons, avoided presenting for years and kept it as a big secret to the point where I resigned and left a job. So I do know how terrifying it is.

I did my first presentation at Toastmasters on what it was like to have a panic attack when presenting. Really helped.

I tried beta blockers, Valium, relaxation CDs, presentation skills course etc etc and I found the voluntary group the best thing. They don't pressure you at all - you are free to sit there every week and say nothing. It's up to you when you want to join in.

Will stop my sales speel now!! Good luck - you can overcome this.

I cannot do public speaking - so I sympathise, but must admit I actual came onto the thread as your title made me laugh so much. The pictures itbrings to mind...

Crazy typo, fear of pubic speaking, now that is a new one! Perhaps men have this problem, that's why they don't always do foreplay!

Hi hope... there are some good tips on another recent thread here.

As it's part of your course, it is also definitely worth doing what TwoFoggy said and getting a doctor's note so that your teachers are sympathetic and are also prepared for you to be more-than-usually nervous.

FWIW, you can get over these things. When i was a student, I used to hate presentations so much I was known to run out of the room in tears rather than give them. I am now a lecturer and speak at conferences, and am even downloadable as a podcast(!). Some circumstances still make me nervous, but mostly now I don't even think about it.

A friend of mine used to swear by beta blockers for things that made him nervous but have never taken them myself.

Meanwhile, very thick pants should keep your pubes quiet... that or reach for the razor!

I sympathise - in past jobs I've had to give presentations, sometimes to the directors board, sometimes to a room of 50 people, and I started off being soooo nervous.

But I did find that they were always easier when I was confident about the subject matter, the more I knew what I was talking about (ie not blagging!), and the more enthusiastic I felt about the subject. Make sure you choose a topic you really feel comfortable with, that you love/are passionate about (if possible), and that you would love to tell someone all about. Get to know your topic really well beforehand.

Also try pretending you're telling a family member or friend all about it - someone you feel comfortable talking to.

Imagine that your audience don't know the first thing about what you're talking about, and that you are the world expert on the subject. That will help make you feel more confident.

If you can, use lots of slides and refer to them, point to them and describe them.

Lots of deep breaths beforehand - breathe in through your nose and out slowly through your mouth.

Good luck.

How amazing! is it a natural ability or can pubic speaking be learned?