Think back to some of the first times you spoke in public. It could have been a presentation you gave in elementary school, a role in a high school play, or a speech at a friend’s wedding.
Maybe you grabbed the mic and spoke with ease. But perhaps you were so nervous your hands sweat, your heart fluttered, and your voice cracked.
Having stage fright can be an annoyance if you don’t often have to appear in front of an audience. But if you have to do it regularly and still get nervous every time, public speaking anxiety can become a burden. It can demotivate you and make you dread big events instead of seeing the excitement in those opportunities.
With self-reflection and practice, you can overcome the fear of public speaking and become a more confident, comfortable speaker. Here’s everything you need to know about how to overcome a fear of public speaking, along with why it might give you the jitters in the first place.
What’s the fear of public speaking?
Being afraid of public speaking, also known as glossophobia, is anxiety about talking in front of groups. This common fear can range from an uncomfortable, nervous sensation to more intense panic. People who experience emotional distress before appearing in front of a crowd may opt not to speak publicly at all and actively avoid situations in which they’d have to, which can hold them back from opportunities.
The fear of speaking in public is common, and four out of 10 people cite this fear among their top three. Some even say that they’re more afraid of public speaking than they are of more dangerous situations that could result in death.
Whether you experience light nerves or a more potent phobia at the idea of public speaking, you’re far from the only one to feel that way. And that means there are lots of tips and tricks out there to help you overcome it.
7 physical symptoms of the fear of public speaking
If you feel a sense of dread before picking up a microphone or stepping in front of a slideshow, you likely already know you’re afraid. Maybe your mind races and you think of all the things that could go wrong.
Your fear might also lead to physical symptoms, activating your fight or flight response in what you perceive as a dangerous situation. Here are some of the ways this can manifest in your body:
- Dry mouth: This happens when your salivary glands don’t produce enough saliva to keep your mouth wet. Your saliva may feel thick and your tongue dry, which can make words hard to articulate.
- Nausea: If you’ve ever felt your stomach churn before a speech, or even vomited due to stress, nervous nausea may affect you.
- Sweating: Sweaty hands, armpits, or forehead might not be due to the stage lights. The activation of sweat glands is a symptom of a fight or flight response when you’re nervous.
- Shaking: You may have noticed a tremor in your legs or hands while speaking. Shaking may be due to increased muscle tension that happens when your body responds to stress.
- Butterflies: When you experience a fight or flight response, your brain sends more blood to areas like your legs to help you get away. And when your body sends blood to certain parts of your body, it takes it from others, like your stomach. When you’re nervous, you may feel “butterflies,” which is your reaction to the lack of blood (and oxygen) in your stomach.
- Rapid heartbeat: Another byproduct of the activation of your nervous system is an increased heart rate. You may feel as if you’ve just gone for a run or done some other strenuous exercise.
- Change in your tenor of voice: If you’re a nervous speaker, your voice may crack or come out higher. Your muscles are tense, and your breathing is faster, making it harder for your larynx to sustain a sound.
Why do people fear public speaking?
After you finish a speech and your nerves disappear, you might think, “That wasn’t so bad.” You might even wonder why you were so anxious in the first place. But there are dozens of reasons why speaking in front of a crowd makes people nervous, and all of them are valid.
You may fall into the group of people who fear public speaking because they’re worried about the presentation itself. Maybe you’re afraid you won't explain ideas well and confuse the crowd, or accidentally share something incorrect and alter your reputation.
Alternatively, your fear may be the product of shyness or low self-esteem — a kind of social anxiety. Speaking in front of people might not come naturally to you, and you may worry about what others will think. You could also be nervous that the crowd will criticize your image or make fun of you.
If you have a severe fear of public speaking, it might be classified as glossophobia. More than just a few jitters, it could manifest with more extreme symptoms, like vomiting and hyperventilating. If you want to learn how to overcome glossophobia, it’s best to speak to a mental health professional who can help you pinpoint the source of your fear and take healthy steps to overcome it.
How to get over the fear of public speaking: 7 tips
If you’re a nervous speaker, you’re one of many — and this feeling is normal. Your nerves may even be a positive reflection of how much you care about the subject matter and engaging with the audience.
But your nerves could get in the way of putting your best foot forward. If you want to appear more confident and start approaching presentations with excitement instead of dread, here are seven tips for public speaking anxiety:
1. Know your subject matter
Rehearsing your speech and knowing what you’re talking about can make you less likely to lose your train of thought or get tripped up by an audience member's question. Try practicing in front of friends or recording yourself to get more comfortable with the content and spot points for improvement.
During the presentation itself, lean on hand-written notes or a slideshow to quickly find your place if you lose it. Making this content not only helps you on the day of, but it also supports you while you’re preparing. It lets you organize and connect your thoughts and make sure you don’t forget any important points.
While knowing your subject matter inside and out is an excellent practice, avoid over-practicing. If you memorize exactly what you want to say, you may panic if your speech needs to shift course. An audience member’s comment might take you down a different path than you imagined, or you may need to slow down your delivery on the day of. Leave some room for adjustment by just preparing the major points.
2. Know your audience
Consider your audience and how they might best interact with your presentation. If you’re engaging a small group, having more stops for insights and questions can enrich their experience and engage the whole crowd. And leaving time for pauses can make you feel more comfortable because it can seem more like a natural conversation than a speech.
If you’re speaking to a large group or one that presents a particular challenge, decide how to react when you suspect your words aren’t resonating. You might not have time for a conversation-like flow, but you might have time to tell a joke or two to loosen them up.
Remember: on the day of your speech, focus on delivering the material well instead of what the audience might think of you. Making assumptions about what could go wrong can make you feel more nervous. Your audience may be quiet because they’re so engaged, but if you think it’s because they’re distracted, your nerves may spike unnecessarily.
3. Visualize success
Instead of focusing on potential setbacks, allow yourself to imagine a perfect presentation from start to finish. Visualize yourself confidently walking onto the stage, delivering your first line well, and engaging with your audience’s questions. You could even imagine receiving compliments as you leave the event.
Visualization techniques can build your self-confidence and bring your ideal outcome closer to reality. If you imagine yourself executing your speech or presentation with ease, you’ll be more likely to believe you can perform well, which could make you less nervous. And when you think about what makes a successful speech, you might also discover ideas about how to improve, like walking around the stage or making eye contact with audience members.
4. Don’t be a perfectionist
You can’t prepare for everything. There’s a good chance something won’t go as planned. You might blank out while stringing together a complex thought, a wedding guest will accidentally break a glass and cause a distraction, or an audience member will interrupt with a question.
Try not to plan for perfection. That expectation is unrealistic even for people who aren’t nervous. Instead, try to react to what’s happening in real time. If you blank, take a deep breath, remind yourself that you know your content, and find a place to pick up. No one in the audience will notice you missed a beat. If there’s a distraction or an interruption, engage with it. It might even improve your experience.
5. Practice relaxation techniques
Relaxing when you’re in an anxious state is no easy task, but there are ways to calm your parasympathetic nervous system even when you’re scared. Before starting a presentation or speech, try to figure out what helps you calm down so you can use those techniques when the spotlight effect takes over.
Breathing techniques can be beneficial for stage fright because they can lessen your nerves and meter your voice. Try using some mindful breathing techniques to ground yourself, slow your thoughts, and bring yourself into the present.
6. Reflect
As you step back from the podium after a successful talk, congratulate yourself. You overcame a fear and delivered a valuable speech. And even if it didn’t go as planned, you did something that scared you, and that’s a feat in and of itself.
No matter how it went, spend some time reflecting or journaling about the experience. Describe the fear you felt, how it manifested in your body, and anything you did to control it. Talk about the ways you managed your fear or could have improved. You might even find that none of the things that scared you happened — like losing your place or appearing too anxious. Use this information to remind yourself that even when you’re nervous, you can succeed.
7. Get help
Perhaps you have a mild fear of public speaking and are making strides with tips like breathing, preparing, and letting go of the perfectionist presenter reigns. But if you feel like you’re not progressing or that your fear is preventing you from certain opportunities, it might be time to seek outside help.
A communication coach can help you set goals to become a better speaker, and a therapist can guide you through unpacking the roots of your fears. There are dozens of options out there to help you cope with anxiety or overcome it entirely. In one study, researchers even used virtual reality (VR) to expose anxious speakers to an event and saw a drop in fear symptoms. Some experts might also recommend medication, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), or exposure therapy.
Your fear of public speaking doesn’t have to hold you back
Many people don’t enjoy addressing a group or speaking in front of others. But if your fear manifests in an uncomfortable physiological reaction or pushes you to avoid public speaking situations, it could be time to make a change and leave your comfort zone.
You can manage discomfort and avoid missing out on speaking opportunities by practicing your speech, finding coping mechanisms, and seeking professional support. Your fear of public speaking doesn’t have to be a factor that prevents you from connecting with others or sharing your ideas with the world. Instead, use it as motivation to build your skills and overcome the things that hold you back.
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