definition of speech anxiety

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Chapter 1: The Speech Communication Process

Speech Anxiety

What is it.

Speech anxiety is best defined as the nervousness that a speaker feels before and/or during a presentation.  Sweating palms, a shaky voice, a dry throat, difficulty breathing, and even memory loss are all common symptoms of anxiety. The symptoms you, as an individual, will feel are hard to predict. But it helps if you remember that nearly every speaker has experienced some degree of speech anxiety. Even professional speakers occasionally feel a small amount of apprehension at times. Anxiety levels vary. Some speakers will report little to no anxiety while speaking; others will confess that they are petrified at the thought of speaking in public. Jerry Seinfeld used to joke that “at a funeral, the average person would rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy. ” Now that is fear!

Why Anxiety and Public Speaking?

Scholars at the University of Wisconsin-Stout (“Public Speaking Anxiety,” 2015) explain that anxiety in public speaking can result from one of several misperceptions:

•  “all or nothing” thinking—a mindset that if your speech falls short of “perfection” (an unrealistic standard), then you are a failure as a public speaker;

•     overgeneralization—believing that a single event (such as failing at a task) is a universal or “always” event; and

•     fortune telling—the tendency to anticipate that things will turn out badly, no matter how much practice or rehearsal is done.

Likewise, many new college students operate under the false belief that intelligence and skill are “fixed.” In their minds, a person is either smart or skilled in something, or they are not. Some students apply this false belief to math and science subjects, saying things like “I’m just no good at math and I never will be,” or even worse, “I guess I am just not smart enough to be in college.” As you can tell, these beliefs can sabotage someone’s college career. Also unfortunately, the same kind of false beliefs are applied to public speaking, and people conclude that because public speaking is hard, they are just not “naturally good” at it and have no inborn skill. They give up on improving and avoid public speaking at all costs.

There is more to Dr. Dweck’s research. We would recommend her book Mindset . Many students enter a public speaking class thinking “I’m just no good at this and never will be,” just like some students feel about college algebra or science. Dr. Dweck and other learning psychologists show that learning a new skill might be hard work, but the difficulty is not a sign that learning is impossible. Modern research by Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck (2007) and others shows that intelligence and related skills are “malleable,” meaning that they are open to change and growth. Understanding and accepting that your intelligence and skill in different areas is not fixed or “stuck,” but open to growth, will have a significant influence on your success in life. It will also help you see that just because learning a subject or task is hard does not mean you are not or cannot be good at it. Obstacles and barriers that make learning hard are opportunities for growth, not “getting off places.”

Along with the wrong way of thinking about one’s learning and growth, two other fears contribute to anxiety in public speaking. The first is fear of failure. This fear can result from several sources: real or perceived bad experiences involving public speaking in the past, lack of preparation, lack of knowledge about public speaking, not knowing the context, and uncertainty about one’s task as a public speaker (such as being thrown into a situation at the last minute).

It is not the goal of this book to belittle that fear. It is real and justified to some extent because you might lack understanding of the public speaking task or lack good speaking experiences upon which to build. One of the goals and fringe benefits of this course is that you are not just going to learn about public speaking, but you are going to do it—at least four or five times—with a real audience. You will overcome some of your fears and feel that you have accomplished something of personal benefit.

The second fear is fear of rejection of one’s self or one’s ideas. This one is more serious in some respects. You may feel rejection because of fear of failure, or you may feel that the audience will reject your ideas, or worse, you as a person. Knowing how to approach the public speaking task and explain your ideas can help. However, you should ask yourself deep and probing questions as to why you believe that your audience will reject you because this fear is rooted in a belief. You should ask yourself what possibly false belief is causing your anxiety.

One of the core attitudes an effective and ethical public speaker must have is respect for and empathy with the audience. Your audience in this class is your peers who want to learn and want to get through the class success- fully (just like you do). Your audience also includes your instructor who wants to see you succeed in the course as well. Believe me, public speaking teachers get a lot of pleasure from hearing successful student speeches!

Your audience wants you to succeed if for no other reason than a good speech is much easier and pleasant to listen to than a poor one. Again, gaining practice in this class with a real, live audience can help you work through the roots of your fear of rejection.

Beyond dealing with the root fears that may cause you to have a “fright or flight” response when it comes to public speaking, there are some practical answers to dealing with fears about public speaking. Of course, fear responses can be reduced if you know how public speaking works, as you will see throughout this textbook. But there are some other strategies, and most of them have to do with preparation.

How Do I Overcome My Fear?

There are many reasons why a speaker might feel anxious, but there are several steps you can take to reduce your anxiety. First, remember that everyone has experienced some level of anxiety during a presentation. Knowing that you are not the only one feeling nervous should help a bit. Keep in mind that most listeners won’t even be aware of your anxiety. They often don’t see what you thought was glaringly obvious; they’re busy preparing themselves for their turn up front. It is perfectly normal to feel nervous when you find yourself in an unfamiliar setting or situation. You probably felt nervous the first time you had to shoot a foul shot in front of a large crowd of basketball fans. Or you might recall the anxiety you felt during your first piano recital as a child, or that first job interview. Think of this nervous feeling as your body readying itself for an important activity.

Also, you might feel anxious if you have not adequately prepared for the presentation. Preparing and practicing your presentation are two of the surest ways to minimize nervousness. No one wants to feel embarrassed in public, but knowing that you have done everything possible to ensure success should help you feel more confident. Do your research and organize your ideas logically. Then practice several times. Try to find someone to listen as you practice -your family, your friends, your roommate -and listen to their feedback. Even if they don’t know your topic, they know you. They may even be able to point out some areas in your presentation that still need improvement. The more you prepare and practice, the more successful your presentation will likely be.

Finally, be optimistic and focus on the positives. Use positive self-talk as you prepare. Don’t tell yourself that you’ll perform horribly or that you can’t do it. Have you ever heard of a self-fulfilling prophecy? What you expect to happen may be exactly what does happen. So tell yourself that you’re well prepared and that you will improve every time you speak. Remind yourself that you are calm and in control of the situation and be sure to take a deep breath whenever necessary. Imagine yourself speaking clearly and effortlessly. Find a couple of friendly faces in the crowd and focus on them. If they’re sending positive energy your way, grab it!

Addressing Public Speaking Anxiety

Mental Preparation

If your neighbor’s house were on fire, getting to the phone to call the fire department would be your main concern. You would want to get the ad- dress right and express the urgency. That is admittedly an extreme exam ple, but the point is about focus. To mentally prepare, you want to put your focus where it belongs, on the audience and the message. Mindfulness and full attention to the task are vital to successful public speaking. If you are concerned about a big exam or something personal going on in your life, your mind will be divided, and that division will add to your stress.

The main questions to ask yourself are “Why am I so anxiety-ridden about giving a presentation?” and “What is the worst that can happen?” For example, you probably won’t know most of your classmates at the beginning of the course, adding to your anxiety. By midterm, you should be developing relationships with them and be able to find friendly faces in the audience. However, very often we make situations far worse in our minds than they actually are, and we can lose perspective. One of the authors tells her students, “Some of you have been through childbirth and even through military service . That is much worse than public speaking!” Your instructor will probably try to help you get to know your classmates and minimize the “unknowns” that can cause you worry.

Physical preparation

The first step in physical preparation is adequate sleep and rest. You might be thinking such a thing is impossible in college, where sleep deprivation and late nights come with the territory. However, research shows the extreme effects a lifestyle of limited sleep can have, far beyond yawning or dozing off in class (Mitru, Millrood, & Mateika, 2002; Walker, 2017). As far as public speaking is concerned, your energy level and ability to be alert and aware during the speech will be affected by lack of sleep.

Secondly, you would be better off to eat something that is protein-based rather than processed sugar-based before speaking. In other words, cheese or peanut butter on whole grain toast, Greek yogurt, or eggs for breakfast rather than a donut and soft drink. Some traditionalists also discourage the drinking of milk because it is believed to stimulate mucus production, but this has not been scientifically proven (Lai & Kardos, 2013).

A third suggestion is to wear clothes that you know you look good in and are comfortable but also meet the context’s requirements (that is, your instructor may have a dress code for speech days). Especially, wear comfort- able shoes that give you a firm base for your posture. Flip- flops and really high heels may not fit these categories.

A final suggestion for physical preparation is to utilize some stretching or relaxation techniques that will loosen your limbs or throat. Essentially, your emotions want you to run away, but the social situation says you must stay, so all that energy for running must go somewhere. The energy might go to your legs, hands, stomach, sweat glands, or skin, with undesirable physical consequences. Tightening and stretching your hands, arms, legs, and throat (through intentional, wide yawns) for a few seconds before speaking can help release some of the tension. Your instructor may be able to help you with these exercises, or you can find some on the Internet.

Contextual preparation

The more you can know about the venue where you will be speaking, the better. For this class, of course, it will be your classroom, but for other situations where you might experience “communication apprehension,” you should check out the space beforehand or get as much information as possible. For example, if you were required to give a short talk for a job interview, you would want to know what the room will be like, if there is equipment for projection, how large the audience will be, and the seating arrangements. If possible, you will want to practice your presentation in a room that is similar to the actual space where you will deliver it.

The best advice for contextual preparation is to be on time, even early. If you have to rush in at the last minute, as so many students do, you will not be mindful, focused, or calm for the speech. Even more, if you are early, you can make sure equipment is working, and can converse with the audience as they enter. Professional speakers often do this to relax themselves, build credibility, and gain knowledge to adapt their presentations to the audience. Even if you don’t want to “schmooze” beforehand, being on time will help you create a good first impression and thus enhance your credibility before the actual speech.

Speech preparation

Procrastination, like lack of sleep, seems to just be part of the college life. Sometimes we feel that we just don’t get the best ideas until the last minute. Writing that essay for literature class at 3:00 a.m. just may work for you. However, when it comes to public speaking, there are some definite reasons you would not want to do that. First, of course, if you are finishing up your outline at 3:00 a.m. and have a 9:00 speech, you are going to be tired and unable to focus. Second, your instructor may require you to turn in your outline several days ahead of the speech date. However, the main reason is that public speaking requires active, oral, repeated practice before the actual delivery.

You do not want the first time that you say the words to be when you are in front of your audience. Practicing is the only way that you will feel confident, fluent, and in control of the words you speak. Practicing (and timing yourself) repeatedly is also the only way that you will be assured that your speech meets the assignment’s time limits, and speaking within the expected time limits is a fundamental rule of public speaking. You may think your speech is five minutes long but it may end up being ten minutes the first time you practice it—or only two minutes!

Your practicing should be out loud, standing up, with shoes on, with someone to listen, if possible (other than your dog or cat), and with your visual aids. If you can record yourself and watch it, that is even better. If you do record yourself, make sure you record yourself from the feet up- or at least the hips up—so you can see your body language. The need for oral practice will be emphasized over and over in this book and probably by your instructor. As you progress as a speaker, you will always need to practice but perhaps not to the extent you do as a novice speaker.

As hard as it is to believe, YOU NEVER LOOK AS NERVOUS AS YOU FEEL.

You may feel that your anxiety is at level seventeen on a scale of one to ten, but the audience does not perceive it the same way. They may perceive it at a three or four or even less. That’s not to say they won’t see any signs of your anxiety and that you don’t want to learn to control it, only that what you are feeling inside is not as visible as you might think. This principle relates back to focus. If you know you don’t look as nervous as you feel, you can focus and be mindful of the message and audience rather than your own emotions.

Also, you will probably find that your anxiety decreases throughout the class (Finn, Sawyer, & Schrodt, 2009). In her Ted Talk video , Harvard Business School social psychologist Amy Cuddy discusses nonverbal communication and suggests that instead of “faking it until you make it,” that you can, and should, “fake it until you become it.” She shares research that shows how our behavior affects our mindsets, not just the other way around. Therefore, the act of giving the speech and “getting through it” will help you gain confidence. Interestingly, Dr. Cuddy directs listeners to strike a “power pose” of strong posture, feet apart, and hands on hips or stretched over head to enhance confidence.

Final Note: If you are an audience member, you can help the speaker with his/her anxiety, at least a little bit. Mainly, be an engaged listener from beginning to end. You can imagine that a speaker is going to be more nervous if the audience looks bored from the start. A speaker with less anxiety is going to do a better job and be more interesting. Of course, do not walk into class during your classmates’ speeches, or get up and leave. In addition to being rude, it pulls their minds away from their message and distracts the audience. Your instructor will probably have a policy on this behavior, too, as well as a dress code and other expectations on speech days. There are good reasons for these policies, so respect them.

Fundamentals of Public Speaking Copyright © by Lumen Learning is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Understanding And Overcoming Public Speaking Anxiety

Most of us might experience what is commonly known as stage fright or speaking anxiety, nervousness and stress experienced around speaking situations in front of audience members. Even for experienced speakers, this can be a normal response to pressurized situations in which we are the focus of attention—such as we might encounter in front of an audience. For some people, though, the fear of public speaking and nervous energy can be much more severe, and can be a sign of an anxiety disorder. 

Speaking anxiety is considered by many to be a common but challenging form of social anxiety disorder that can produce serious symptoms, and can possibly impact an individual’s social life, career, and emotional and physical well-being. 

In this article, we’ll explore what speaking anxiety is, common symptoms of it, and outline several tips for managing it.

Identifying public speaking anxiety: Definition, causes, and symptoms

According to the American Psychological Association,  public speaking anxiety  is the “fear of giving a speech or presentation in public because of the expectation of being negatively evaluated or humiliated by others”. 

Often associated with a lack of self-confidence, the disorder is generally marked by severe worry and nervousness, in addition to several physical symptoms. The fear can be felt by many, whether they are in the middle of a speech or whether they are planning to speak at a future point. They may also generally fear contact with others in informal settings.

Public speaking anxiety can be a common condition, with an with an  estimated prevalence of 15-30%  among the general population.

Public speaking anxiety is considered by many to be a form of social anxiety disorder (SAD). The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM-V) includes a  performance specifier that allows a SAD diagnosis to relate specifically to anxiety surrounding public speaking or performing. For some extreme forms of this mental health condition, a medical professional may prescribe medication that can help overcome severe symptoms—although for most people this won’t be necessary.

The symptoms of performance-type social anxiety can include:

• Worry or fear surrounding public speaking opportunities or performing, even in front of friendly faces
• Avoiding situations in which public speaking or performing may be necessary
• Shaky voice, especially when one has to speak in public
• Stomach pain or gastrointestinal discomfort
• Rapid breathing

There are several strategies for addressing the symptoms of this and feeling more confident with your oratory skills, whether you need to use them at work, in formal social settings or simply in front of friends. 

The following are several strategies you can employ to address the fear of public speaking and manage your fear when it arises.

While the primary concern for those who experience speaking anxiety might typically be the fear of judgment or embarrassment when speaking publicly, there can be other causes contributing to distress. To figure out how to address this, it can help to understand potential contributing factors—as well as how others may be dealing with it on their own. 

First, it can be helpful to determine where the fear came from in the first place. Here are some  common sources of public speaking anxiety :

• Negative past experiences with public speaking
• Lack of preparedness
• Low self-esteem (this possible cause can cause feelings of overwhelm if one has to give a speech) 
• Inexperience with public speaking 
• Unfamiliar subject matter
• Newness of environment
• Fear of rejection (such as from an audience) 

Practice deep breathing

Public speaking anxiety might often be accompanied by feelings of stress, and also often affects physical factors such as increased speed of heart rate, tension, and rapid breathing. If you’re dealing with speaking anxiety and want to calm your nerves before a public speaking event, it can be helpful to practice deep breathing exercises. Deep breathing is considered by many to be a widely utilized technique  that can help bring your nervous system out of fight-or-flight mode, relax your body, and quiet your mind. Many find it to be one of the most convenient ways to manage symptoms, as many can do it anywhere as needed. 

To practice deep breathing prior to speaking, consider using a method called box breathing: breathe in for a four count, hold for a four-count, breathe out for a four count and hold again for a four count. You can repeat this process three to four times, possibly incorporating it with other relaxation techniques. It can also help to be mindful of your breathing as you’re presenting, which can help you steady your voice and calm your nerves.  

Practice visualization

When we experience nervousness, we can sometimes focus on negative thoughts and worst-case scenarios, despite the reality of the situation. You can work to avoid this by practicing positive visualization—such as imagining friendly faces in the crowd or you acing the main content of your speech. Positive thinking can be an effective technique for managing performance anxiety. 

Visualization is generally regarded as a research-backed method of addressing speaking anxiety that involves imagining the way a successful scenario will progress in detail. 

Having a clear idea of how your presentation will go, even in your mind’s eye, can help you gain confidence and make you feel more comfortable with the task at hand.

Understand your subject matter 

The fear of speaking in front of others can be related to potential embarrassment that may occur if we make a mistake. To reduce the risk of this possibility, it can help to develop a solid understanding of the material you’ll be presenting or performing and visualize success. For example, if you’re presenting your department’s sales numbers at work, familiarizing yourself with the important points and going over them multiple times can help you better retain the information and feel more comfortable as you give the presentation. 

Set yourself up for success

Doing small things to prepare for a speech or performance can make a big difference in helping to alleviate public speaking anxiety. If possible, you may want to familiarize yourself with the location in which you’ll be speaking. It can also help to ensure any technology or other media you’ll be setting up is functional. For example, if you’re using visual aids or a PowerPoint deck, you might make sure it is being projected properly, the computer is charged and that you can easily navigate the slides as you present.

You might even conduct run-throughs of the presentation for your speaking experience. You can practice walking the exact route you’ll take to the podium, setting up any necessary materials, and then presenting the information within the time limit. Knowing how you’ll arrive, what the environment looks like and where exactly you’ll be speaking can set you up for success and help you feel more comfortable in the moment.

Practicing your presentation or performance is thought to be a key factor in reducing your fear of public speaking. You can use your  practice time  to recognize areas in which you may need improvement and those in which you excel as a speaker. 

For example, you might realize that you start rushing through your points instead of taking your time so that your audience can take in the information you’re presenting. Allowing yourself the chance to practice can help you get rid of any filler words that may come out during a presentation and make sure all your points are clear to keep the audience’s interest. Additionally, a practice run can help you to know when it is okay to pause for effect, take some deep breaths, or work effective body language such as points of eye contact into your presentation. 

It may also be helpful to practice speaking in smaller social situations, in front of someone you trust, or even a group of several familiar people. Research suggests that practicing in front of an audience of supportive, friendly faces can improve your performance—and that the larger the mock audience is, the better the potential results may be. 

To do this, you can go through the process exactly like you would if they were real audience. Once you’re done, you can ask them for feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of your presentation. They may have insights you hadn’t considered and tips you can implement prior to presenting, as well as make you feel confident and relaxed about your material. 

Self-care leading up to the moment you’re speaking in public can go a long way in helping you reduce nervousness. Regular physical activity is generally considered to be one proven strategy for reducing social anxiety symptoms . Exercise can help to release stress and boost your mood. If you’re giving a big presentation or speech, it may be helpful to go for a walk or do some mild cardio in the morning. 

Additionally, eating a healthy diet and drinking enough water can also help promote a sense of well-being and calm. You may choose to be mindful of your consumption of caffeinated beverages, as caffeine may worsen anxiety. 

How online therapy can help

If you experience anxiety when you need to speak in front of other people and want additional support for your communication apprehension, it can help to talk to a licensed mental health professional. According to the American Psychiatric Association, a therapist can work with you to find effective ways to manage public speaking anxiety and feel more confident performing in front of others.

Is Online Therapy Effective?

Studies suggest that online therapy can help individuals who experience anxiety related to presenting or performing in public. In a study of 127 participants with social anxiety disorder, researchers found that online cognitive behavioral therapy was effective in treating the fear of public speaking , with positive outcomes that were sustained for a year post-treatment. The study also noted the increased convenience that can often be experienced by those who use online therapy platforms. 

Online therapy is regarded by many as a flexible and comfortable way of connecting with a licensed therapist to work through symptoms of social anxiety disorder or related mental disorders. With online therapy through  BetterHelp , you can participate in therapy remotely, which can be helpful if speaking anxiety makes connecting in person less desirable. 

BetterHelp works with thousands of mental health professionals—who have a variety of specialties—so you may be able to work with someone who can address your specific concerns about social anxiety.

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Brian has helped me immensely in the 5 months since I joined BetterHelp. I have noticed a change in my attitude, confidence, and communication skills as a result of our sessions. I feel like he is constantly giving me the tools I need to improve my overall well-being and personal contentment.”

If you are experiencing performance-type social anxiety disorder or feel nervous about public speaking, you may consider trying some of the tips detailed above—such as practicing with someone you trust, incorporating deep breathing techniques and visualizing positive thoughts and outcomes. 

If you’re considering seeking additional support with social anxiety disorder, online therapy can help. With the right support, you can work through anxiety symptoms, further develop your oratory skills and feel more confidence speaking in a variety of forums.  

Studies suggest that online therapy can help individuals who experience nervousness related to presenting or speaking in public. In a study of 127 participants with social anxiety disorder, researchers found that online cognitive behavioral therapy was effective in treating the fear of public speaking , with positive outcomes that were sustained for a year post-treatment. The study also noted the increased convenience that can often be experienced by those who use online therapy platforms.

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How to Manage Public Speaking Anxiety

Arlin Cuncic, MA, is the author of The Anxiety Workbook and founder of the website About Social Anxiety. She has a Master's degree in clinical psychology.

Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk,  "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time.

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Speech Anxiety and SAD

How to prepare for a speech.

Public speaking anxiety, also known as glossophobia , is one of the most commonly reported social fears.

While some people may feel nervous about giving a speech or presentation if you have social anxiety disorder (SAD) , public speaking anxiety may take over your life.

Public speaking anxiety may also be called speech anxiety or performance anxiety and is a type of social anxiety disorder (SAD). Social anxiety disorder, also sometimes referred to as social phobia, is one of the most common types of mental health conditions.

Public Speaking Anxiety Symptoms

Symptoms of public speaking anxiety are the same as those that occur for social anxiety disorder, but they only happen in the context of speaking in public.

If you live with public speaking anxiety, you may worry weeks or months in advance of a speech or presentation, and you probably have severe physical symptoms of anxiety during a speech, such as:

• Pounding heart
• Quivering voice
• Shortness of breath
• Upset stomach

Causes of Public Speaking Anxiety

These symptoms are a result of the fight or flight response —a rush of adrenaline that prepares you for danger. When there is no real physical threat, it can feel as though you have lost control of your body. This makes it very hard to do well during public speaking and may cause you to avoid situations in which you may have to speak in public.

How Is Public Speaking Anxiety Is Diagnosed

Public speaking anxiety may be diagnosed as SAD if it significantly interferes with your life. This fear of public speaking anxiety can cause problems such as:

• Changing courses at college to avoid a required oral presentation
• Changing jobs or careers
• Turning down promotions because of public speaking obligations
• Failing to give a speech when it would be appropriate (e.g., best man at a wedding)

If you have intense anxiety symptoms while speaking in public and your ability to live your life the way that you would like is affected by it, you may have SAD.

Public Speaking Anxiety Treatment

Fortunately, effective treatments for public speaking anxiety are avaible. Such treatment may involve medication, therapy, or a combination of the two.

Short-term therapy such as systematic desensitization and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can be helpful to learn how to manage anxiety symptoms and anxious thoughts that trigger them.

Ask your doctor for a referral to a therapist who can offer this type of therapy; in particular, it will be helpful if the therapist has experience in treating social anxiety and/or public speaking anxiety.

Research has also found that virtual reality (VR) therapy can also be an effective way to treat public speaking anxiety. One analysis found that students treated with VR therapy were able to experience positive benefits in as little as a week with between one and 12 sessions of VR therapy. The research also found that VR sessions were effective while being less invasive than in-person treatment sessions.

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If you live with public speaking anxiety that is causing you significant distress, ask your doctor about medication that can help. Short-term medications known as beta-blockers (e.g., propranolol) can be taken prior to a speech or presentation to block the symptoms of anxiety.

Other medications may also be prescribed for longer-term treatment of SAD, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). When used in conjunction with therapy, you may find the medication helps to reduce your phobia of public speaking.

In addition to traditional treatment, there are several strategies that you can use to cope with speech anxiety and become better at public speaking in general . Public speaking is like any activity—better preparation equals better performance. Being better prepared will boost your confidence and make it easier to concentrate on delivering your message.

Even if you have SAD, with proper treatment and time invested in preparation, you can deliver a successful speech or presentation.

Pre-Performance Planning

Taking some steps to plan before you give a speech can help you better control feelings of anxiety. Before you give a speech or public performance:

• Choose a topic that interests you . If you are able, choose a topic that you are excited about. If you are not able to choose the topic, try using an approach to the topic that you find interesting. For example, you could tell a personal story that relates to the topic as a way to introduce your speech. This will ensure that you are engaged in your topic and motivated to research and prepare. When you present, others will feel your enthusiasm and be interested in what you have to say.
• Become familiar with the venue . Ideally, visit the conference room, classroom, auditorium, or banquet hall where you will be presenting before you give your speech. If possible, try practicing at least once in the environment that you will be speaking in. Being familiar with the venue and knowing where needed audio-visual components are ahead of time will mean one less thing to worry about at the time of your speech.
• Ask for accommodations . Accommodations are changes to your work environment that help you to manage your anxiety. This might mean asking for a podium, having a pitcher of ice water handy, bringing in audiovisual equipment, or even choosing to stay seated if appropriate. If you have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder such as social anxiety disorder (SAD), you may be eligible for these through the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
• Don’t script it . Have you ever sat through a speech where someone read from a prepared script word for word? You probably don’t recall much of what was said. Instead, prepare a list of key points on paper or notecards that you can refer to.
• Develop a routine . Put together a routine for managing anxiety on the day of a speech or presentation. This routine should help to put you in the proper frame of mind and allow you to maintain a relaxed state. An example might be exercising or practicing meditation on the morning of a speech.

Practice and Visualization

Even people who are comfortable speaking in public rehearse their speeches many times to get them right. Practicing your speech 10, 20, or even 30 times will give you confidence in your ability to deliver.

If your talk has a time limit, time yourself during practice runs and adjust your content as needed to fit within the time that you have. Lots of practice will help boost your self-confidence .

• Prepare for difficult questions . Before your presentation, try to anticipate hard questions and critical comments that might arise, and prepare responses ahead of time. Deal with a difficult audience member by paying them a compliment or finding something that you can agree on. Say something like, “Thanks for that important question” or “I really appreciate your comment.” Convey that you are open-minded and relaxed. If you don’t know how to answer the question, say you will look into it.
• Get some perspective . During a practice run, speak in front of a mirror or record yourself on a smartphone. Make note of how you appear and identify any nervous habits to avoid. This step is best done after you have received therapy or medication to manage your anxiety.
• Imagine yourself succeeding . Did you know your brain can’t tell the difference between an imagined activity and a real one? That is why elite athletes use visualization to improve athletic performance. As you practice your speech (remember 10, 20, or even 30 times!), imagine yourself wowing the audience with your amazing oratorical skills. Over time, what you imagine will be translated into what you are capable of.
• Learn to accept some anxiety . Even professional performers experience a bit of nervous excitement before a performance—in fact, most believe that a little anxiety actually makes you a better speaker. Learn to accept that you will always be a little anxious about giving a speech, but that it is normal and common to feel this way.

Setting Goals

Instead of trying to just scrape by, make it a personal goal to become an excellent public speaker. With proper treatment and lots of practice, you can become good at speaking in public. You might even end up enjoying it!

Put things into perspective. If you find that public speaking isn’t one of your strengths, remember that it is only one aspect of your life. We all have strengths in different areas. Instead, make it a goal simply to be more comfortable in front of an audience, so that public speaking anxiety doesn’t prevent you from achieving other goals in life.

A Word From Verywell

In the end, preparing well for a speech or presentation gives you confidence that you have done everything possible to succeed. Give yourself the tools and the ability to succeed, and be sure to include strategies for managing anxiety. These public-speaking tips should be used to complement traditional treatment methods for SAD, such as therapy and medication.

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By Arlin Cuncic, MA Arlin Cuncic, MA, is the author of The Anxiety Workbook and founder of the website About Social Anxiety. She has a Master's degree in clinical psychology.

PUBLIC SPEAKING ANXIETY

The fear of public speaking is the most common phobia ahead of death, spiders, or heights. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that public speaking anxiety, or glossophobia, affects about 40%* of the population. The underlying fear is judgment or negative evaluation by others. Public speaking anxiety is considered a social anxiety disorder. * Gallup News Service, Geoffrey Brewer, March 19, 2001.

The fear of public speaking is worse than the fear of death

Evolution psychologists believe there are primordial roots. Our prehistoric ancestors were vulnerable to large animals and harsh elements. Living in a tribe was a basic survival skill. Rejection from the group led to death. Speaking to an audience makes us vulnerable to rejection, much like our ancestors’ fear.

A common fear in public speaking is the brain freeze. The prospect of having an audience’s attention while standing in silence feels like judgment and rejection.

Why the brain freezes

The pre-frontal lobes of our brain sort our memories and is sensitive to anxiety. Dr. Michael DeGeorgia of Case Western University Hospitals, says: “If your brain starts to freeze up, you get more stressed and the stress hormones go even higher. That shuts down the frontal lobe and disconnects it from the rest of the brain. It makes it even harder to retrieve those memories.”

The fight or flight response activates complex bodily changes to protect us. A threat to our safety requires immediate action. We need to respond without debating whether to jump out of the way of on oncoming car while in an intersection. Speaking to a crowd isn’t life threatening. The threat area of the brain can’t distinguish between these threats.

Help for public speaking anxiety

We want our brains to be alert to danger. The worry of having a brain freeze increases our anxiety. Ironically, it increases the likelihood of our mind’s going blank as Dr. DeGeorgia described. We need to recognize that the fear of brain freezing isn’t a life-or-death threat like a car barreling towards us while in a crosswalk.

Change how we think about our mind going blank.

De-catastrophize brain freezes . It might feel horrible if it happens in the moment. The audience will usually forget about it quickly. Most people are focused on themselves. We’ve handled more difficult and challenging situations before. The long-term consequence of this incident is minimal.

Leave it there . Don’t dwell on the negative aspects of the incidents. Focus on what we can learn from it. Worry that it will happen again will become self-fulfilling. Don’t avoid opportunities to create a more positive memory.

Perfectionism won’t help . Setting unachievable standards of delivering an unblemished speech increases anxiety. A perfect speech isn’t possible. We should aim to do our best instead of perfect.

Silence is gold . Get comfortable with silence by practicing it in conversations. What feels like an eternity to us may not feel that way to the audience. Silence is not bad. Let’s practice tolerating the discomfort that comes with elongated pauses.

Avoidance reinforces . Avoiding what frightens us makes it bigger in our mind. We miss out on the opportunity to obtain disconfirming information about the trigger.

Rehearse to increase confidence

Practice but don’t memorize . There’s no disputing that preparation will build confidence. Memorizing speeches will mislead us into thinking there is only one way to deliver an idea. Forgetting a phrase or sentence throw us off and hastens the brain freeze. Memorizing provides a false sense of security.

Practice with written notes. Writing out the speech may help formulate ideas. Practice speaking extemporaneously using bullet points to keep us on track.

Practice the flow of the presentation . Practice focusing on the message that’s delivered instead of the precise words to use. We want to internalize the flow of the speech and remember the key points.

Practice recovering from a brain freeze . Practice recovery strategies by purposely stopping the talk and shifting attention to elsewhere. Then, refer to notes to find where we left off. Look ahead to the next point and decide what we’d like to say next. Finally, we’ll find someone in the audience to start talking to and begin speaking.

Be prepared for the worst . If we know what to do in the worst-case scenario (and practice it), we’ll have confidence in our ability to handle it. We do that by preparing what to say to the audience if our mind goes blank. Visualizing successful recovery of the worst will help us figure out what needs to be done to get back on track.

Learn to relax

Remember to breathe . We can reduce anxiety by breathing differently. Take slow inhalations and even slower exhalations with brief pauses in between. We’ll be more likely to use this technique if practiced in times of low stress.

Speak slowly . It’s natural to speed up our speech when we are anxious. Practice slowing speech while rehearsing. When we talk quickly, our brain sees it is a threat. Speaking slowly and calmly gives the opposite message to our brain.

Make eye contact with the audience . Our nerves might tell us to avoid eye contact. Making deliberate eye contact with a friendly face will build confidence and slow our speaking.

Join a group . Practice builds confident in public speaking. Groups like Toastmasters International provide peer support to hone our public speaking skill. Repeated exposure allows us to develop new beliefs about our fear and ability to speak in public.

The fear of our mind going blank during a speech is common. Job advancement or college degree completion may be hampered by not addressing this fear.

Get additional practical suggestions on overcoming public speaking anxiety in this CNBC article by the director of NSAC Brooklyn, Chamin Ajjan, LCSW, A-CBT, CST.

How to Get Help for Social Anxiety

The National Social Anxiety Center (NSAC) is an association of independent Regional Clinics and Associates throughout the United States with certified cognitive-behavioral therapists (CBT) specializing in social anxiety and other anxiety-related problems.

Find an NSAC Regional Clinic or Associate which is licensed to help people in the state where you are located.

Places where nsac regional clinics and associates are based.

Speech Anxiety

Cite this chapter.

• William J. Fremouw 2 &
• Joseph L. Breitenstein 2  

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5 Citations

Speech anxiety is a popularly researched area, probably due to its prevalence, the availability of subjects (usually college students), and its similarity to common clinical presentations of anxiety (Turner, Beidel, & Larkin, 1986). Of adults, 25% report “much” fear when speaking before a group (Borkovec & O’Brien, 1976). Interestingly, the definition of speech anxiety is often ambiguous and frequently goes unstated, but it is most often defined by the particular dependent measures used (e.g., questionnaires; Watson & Friend, 1969). For this chapter, speech anxiety is defined as maladaptive cognitive and physiological reactions to environmental events that result in ineffective public speaking behaviors.

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Speech anxiety

Being nervous and anxious are normal reactions when preparing and delivering a speech. There is no real way to completely remove these feelings, but there are some ways to lessen them or to even use them to enhance the speech.

Confidence in the content and importance of a speech will take away most anxiety. It is hard to be confident if time has not been spent preparing and practicing. Remember a speech does NOT have to be perfect. They are meant to be a conversation with the audience.

Procrastination is the enemy

• Information will come more naturally to you as you are speaking
• The need to refer to notes lessens the more you practice making you more confident

Topic selection

• Select a topic that is familiar—allows you to have a connection with the topic. This connection will show as you relate information to the audience.
• Convey your enthusiasm about your topic to your audience
• Keep the speech conversational—comfort with the topic will make it easier for you to relay your thoughts and findings to the audience.

Be prepared

The more prepared you are for your speech the more familiar the information will be to you, allowing for your memory to fill in gaps as you are giving the speech.

• The more you know about the topic, the more confident you will be with the information you are relaying
• Having a prepared outline gives you a safety net. You may never refer to it, but it is there if you need a reminder of where you are
• The more comfortable you are with your speech the more relaxed and less anxious you will appear

Know the introduction and conclusion

• The audience may not remember the details in the middle of speech but they will remember the beginning and ending
• Audience will believe you covered all of your points
• Words will come naturally and not feel as though you are forcing the topic

Remember to breathe

Take a few deep breaths before standing up to speak—studies show this actually helps to reduce stress and anxiety.

• Try to relax your entire body—will make you appear at ease to the audience

Remember general health

Make sure you eat, get sleep and drink water prior to your speech.

• One time when caffeine may not be your friend—treat yourself to Starbucks after your speech

Nervous energy

The goal is to appear as calm, relaxed, and poised as possible to build credibility with the audience and boost your confidence.

• Take a slow walk before your speech—clears your mind and helps you focus
• Keep both feet planted on the floor as you wait—keeps you from toe tapping or looking too antsy
• Gently squeeze the edge of the chair—eases tension in your upper body and helps avoid fidgeting
• Think and act calm—especially during the walk to front of room. The calmer you appear the more you will believe you are calm.
• Take a moment—look for a friendly face, then begin

Additional tips to remember

• The audience doesn’t want you to fail (all your peers in the room are going through the same thing)
• Some nervous energy is good—it can be channeled into your delivery
• Focus on the audience (how can you relate to them or bring them into the speech?)
• Be in the moment. Enjoy telling and conversing with the audience about your topic

Beebe, S. A., & Beebe, S. J. (2012). A concise public speaking handbook . Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Lucas, S. (2012). The art of public speaking . New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Sprague, J. & Stuart, D. (2013). The speaker's compact handbook, 4th ed . Portland: Ringgold, Inc.

Vrooman, S. S. (2013). The zombie guide to public speaking: Why most presentations fail, and what you can do to avoid joining the horde . Place of publication not identified: CreateSpace.

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Chapter 3: Managing Speech Anxiety

This chapter, except where otherwise noted, is adapted from Stand up, Speak out: The Practice and Ethics of Public Speaking ,  CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 .

How do I manage my speech anxiety?

Now that you have an understanding of how important it is for you to use ethical principles in creating an effective speech, let’s move to the topic you have all been either dreading or can’t wait to learn about: how to manage speech anxiety.

Take a look at this scene from the Albert Meets Hitch video and see if you can relate to how nervous these people are.

Hitch: Albert meets Hitch HD CLIP , by Binge Society – The Greatest Movie Scenes , Standard YouTube License. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIBzVc3kJAM

You can imagine how much better this interaction would have gone had the participants not been so anxious. The question is, is it possible to manage your speech anxiety during a conversation, a job interview, or a speech?

Speech Anxiety/Communication Apprehension

Many different social situations can make us feel uncomfortable if we anticipate that we will be evaluated and judged by others. The process of revealing ourselves and knowing that others are evaluating us can be threatening whether we are meeting new acquaintances, participating in group discussions, or speaking in front of an audience.

Definition of Communication Apprehension

According to James McCroskey, communication apprehension is the broad term that refers to an individual’s “fear or anxiety associated with either real or anticipated communication with another person or persons” (McCroskey, 2001). At its heart, communication apprehension is a psychological response to evaluation. This psychological response, however, quickly becomes physical as our body responds to the threat the mind perceives. Our bodies cannot distinguish between psychological and physical threats, so we react as though we are facing a Mack truck barreling in our direction. The body’s circulatory and adrenal systems shift into overdrive, preparing us to function at maximum physical efficiency, kicking in the “flight or fight” response (Sapolsky, 2004). Yet instead of running away or fighting, all we need to do is stand and talk.

The excess energy our body creates can make it harder for us to be effective public speakers. But because communication apprehension is rooted in our minds, if we understand more about the body’s responses to stress, we can better develop mechanisms for managing the body’s misguided attempts to help us cope with social judgment fears.

Physiological Symptoms of Communication Apprehension

There are various physical sensations associated with communication apprehension. We might notice our heart pounding or our hands feeling clammy. We may break out in a sweat, have stomach butterflies, or even feel nauseated. Our hands and legs might start to shake, or we may begin to pace nervously. Our voices may quiver, and we may have a dry-mouth sensation that makes it difficult to articulate even simple words. Breathing becomes more rapid, and, in extreme cases, we might feel dizzy or light-headed. Communication anxiety is profoundly disconcerting because we feel powerless to control our bodies. We may become so anxious that we fear we will forget our name, much less remember the main points of the speech we are about to deliver.

The physiological changes our bodies produce at critical moments are designed to contribute to ensure our muscles work efficiently and expand available energy. Circulation and breathing become more rapid so that additional oxygen can reach the muscles. Increased circulation causes us to sweat. Adrenaline rushes through our body, instructing the body to speed up its movements. If we stay immobile behind a lectern, this hormonal urge to speed up may produce shaking and trembling. Additionally, digestive processes are inhibited so we will not lapse into the relaxed, sleepy state that is typical after eating. Instead of feeling sleepy, we feel butterflies in the pit of our stomach. By understanding what is happening to our bodies in response to public speaking stress, we can better cope with these reactions and channel them in constructive directions.

Watch this Ted Ed video, The Science of Stage Fright by Mikael Cho. In it, Cho shares what physically happens when we become anxious. It is now called the “fight, flight, or freeze” response because sometimes we hold very still when frightened.

The video can make you feel scared just watching it, but try and notice that there is an actual science to stage fright or speech anxiety, and you are not alone in feeling nervous or scared.

Pay particular attention near the end when Cho gives you one option to help manage your anxiety.

The science of stage fright (and how to overcome it) – Mikael Cho , by TED-Ed , Standard YouTube License. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K93fMnFKwfI

After watching the video, did you realize that anxiety is a normal human reaction? We can help reduce the anxiety, but not totally eliminate it. As you continue with this module you will learn strategies to reduce anxiety.

• Any conscious emotional state, such as anxiety or excitement consists of two components:
• A primary reaction of the central nervous system.
• An intellectual interpretation of these physiological responses.

The physiological state we label as communication anxiety does not differ from those that we label rage or excitement. Even seasoned effective speakers and performers experience some communication apprehension. What differs is the mental label that we put on the experience. Effective speakers have learned to channel their body’s reactions, using the energy released by these physiological reactions to create animation and stage presence.

It has been documented that famous speakers throughout history such as Cicero, Daniel Webster, Abraham Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Gloria Steinem conquered significant public speaking fears. Celebrities who experience performance anxiety include actor Harrison Ford, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Matt Damon, and George Clooney (Hickson, 2016).

Myths about Communication Apprehension

Before we look at how to manage our speech anxiety, let’s dispel some myths.

• People who suffer from speaking anxiety are neurotic. As we have explained, speaking anxiety is a normal reaction. Good speakers can get nervous, too, just as poor speakers do.
• Telling a joke or two is always a good way to begin a speech. Humor is some of the toughest material to deliver effectively because it requires an exquisite sense of timing. Nothing is worse than waiting for a laugh that does not come. Moreover, one person’s joke is another person’s slander. It is extremely easy to offend when using humor. The same material can play very differently with different audiences. For these reasons, it is not a good idea to start with a joke, particularly if it is not well related to your topic. Humor is just too unpredictable and difficult for many novice speakers. If you insist on using humor, make sure the joke is on you, not on someone else. Another tip is never to pause and wait for a laugh that may not come. If the audience catches the joke, fine. If not, you’re not left standing in awkward silence waiting for a reaction.
• Imagine the audience is naked. This tip just plain doesn’t work because imagining the audience naked will do nothing to calm your nerves. The audience is not some abstract image in your mind. It consists of real individuals who you can connect with through your material.
• Any mistake means that you have “blown it.” We all make mistakes. What matters is how well we recover, not whether we make a mistake. A speech does not have to be perfect. You just have to make an effort to relate to the audience naturally and be willing to accept your mistakes.
• Audiences are out to get you. An audience’s natural state is empathy, not antipathy. Most face-to-face audiences are interested in your material, not in your image. Watching someone who is anxious tends to make audience members anxious themselves. Particularly in public speaking classes, audiences want to see you succeed. They know that they will soon be in your shoes, and they identify with you, most likely hoping you’ll succeed and give them ideas for how to make their own speeches better. If you establish direct eye contact with real individuals in your audience, you will see them respond to what you are saying, and this response lets you know that you are succeeding.
• You will look as nervous as you feel. Empirical research has shown that audiences do not perceive the level of nervousness that speakers report feeling (Clevenger, 1959). Most listeners judge speakers as less anxious than the speakers rate themselves. In other words, the audience is not likely to perceive accurately your anxiety level. Some of the most effective speakers will return to their seats after their speech and exclaim they were so nervous. Listeners will respond, “You didn’t look nervous.” Audiences do not necessarily perceive our fears. Consequently, don’t apologize for your nerves. There is a good chance the audience will not notice that you’re nervous if you do not point it out to them.
• TRUE. A little nervousness helps you give a better speech. This myth is true! Professional speakers, actors, and other performers consistently rely on their nervous heightened arousal to channel extra energy into their performance. People would much rather listen to a speaker who is alert and enthusiastic than one who is relaxed to the point of boredom. Many professional speakers say that the day they stop feeling nervous is the day they should stop public speaking. The goal is to control those nerves and channel them into your presentation.

Common yet unexpected difficulties can increase speech anxiety: how do we cope?

The following sections are adapted from Stand up, Speak out: The Practice and Ethics of Public Speaking ,  CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 .

Speech Content Issues

Nearly every experienced speaker has gotten to the middle of a presentation and realized that a key notecard is missing or that he or she skipped important information from the speech’s beginning. When encountering these difficulties, a good strategy is to pause for a moment to think through what you want to do next. Is it important to include the missing information, or can it be omitted without hurting the audience’s ability to understand the rest of your speech? If it needs to be included, do you want to add the information now, or will it fit better later in the speech? It is often difficult to remain silent when you encounter this situation, but pausing for a few seconds will help you to figure out what to do and may be less distracting to the audience than sputtering through a few “ums” and “uhs.”

Technical Difficulties

Technology has become a very useful public speaking aid, allowing us to use audio or video clips, presentation software, or direct links to websites. However, one of the best-known truisms about technology is that it can and does break down. Web servers go offline, files will not download in a timely manner, and media are incompatible with the presentation room’s computer. It is important to always have a backup plan, developed in advance, in case of technical difficulties. As you develop your speech, visual aids, and other presentation materials, think through what you will do if you cannot show a particular graph or if your presentation slides are hopelessly garbled. Although your beautifully prepared chart may be superior to the oral description you can provide, your ability to provide a succinct oral description when technology fails can give your audience the information they need.

External Distractions

Although many public speaking instructors directly address audience etiquette, you’re still likely to experience an audience member walking in late, a cell phone ringing, or even a car alarm blaring outside your room. If you are distracted by external events like these, it is often useful, and sometimes necessary—as in the case of the loud car alarm—to pause and wait so that you can regain the audience’s attention and be heard.

Whatever the unexpected event, as the speaker, your most important job is to maintain your composure. It is important not to get upset or angry because of these glitches—and, once again, the key is to be fully prepared. If you keep your cool and quickly implement a plan B for moving forward with your speech, your audience is likely to be impressed and may listen even more attentively to the rest of your presentation.

Anticipate Your Body’s Reactions

There are various steps you can take to counteract stress’ negative physiological effects on the body. You can place words and symbols in your notes that remind you to pause and breathe during points in your speech, such as “slow down” or ☺.

It is also a good idea before you get started to pause a moment to set an appropriate pace from the onset. Look at your audience and smile. It is a reflex for some of your audience members to smile back. Those smiles will reassure you that your audience members are friendly.

Physical movement helps to channel some of the excess anxiety-induced energy that your body produces. If at all possible, move around the front of the room rather than remaining imprisoned behind the lectern or gripping it for dear life; however, avoid pacing nervously from side to side. Move closer to the audience and then stop for a moment. If you are afraid that moving away from the lectern will reveal your shaking hands, use note cards rather than a sheet of paper for your outline. Note cards do not quiver like paper, and they provide you with something to do with your hands.

Vocal warm-ups are also important to do before speaking. Just as athletes warm up before practice or competition and musicians warm up before playing, speakers need to get their voices ready to speak. Talking with others before your speech or quietly humming to yourself can get your voice ready for your presentation. You can even sing or practice a bit of your speech out loud while you’re in the shower, where the warm, moist air is beneficial for your vocal mechanism. Gently yawning a few times is also an excellent way to stretch the key muscle groups involved in speaking.

Immediately before you speak, you can relax your neck and shoulder muscles by gently rolling your head from side to side.

Focus on the Audience, Not on Yourself

During your speech, make a point of establishing direct eye contact with your audience members. By looking at individuals, you establish a series of one-to-one contacts similar to interpersonal communication.

The Magic of Science

Now for some scientific managing-speech-anxiety magic. You are welcome to use what you hear in your own plan if you choose. Take a listen to Harvard Professor Amy Cuddy and a surprising two-minute strategy that many students find very effective. It is worth watching the full twenty-minute video, Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are.

Amy Cuddy: Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are , by TEDGlobal 2012, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Yes, two minutes, two minutes, two minutes. Remember the audience is more interested in learning about what you have to say than in judging you. So, forget yourself and be there for the audience.

Note: Are you a good people watcher? I hope you are because it will aid your progress as a speaker. You will be viewing video clips of speakers throughout the course. Pay attention to what went well in a speech and what you would recommend a speaker change to make their speech better.

For example, In Amy Cuddy’s speech, her data visual aids helped in better understanding the speech. Did you notice where her hair was? Would you recommend she do something different with it? Notice, notice, notice. It will help you know what you want to do and not do in your own speeches.

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Public Speaking Copyright © 2022 by Sarah Billington and Shirene McKay is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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3 Speech Anxiety

Learning Objectives

• Identify types of speech anxiety.
• Discuss steps to managing speech anxiety.
• Implement strategies to manage speech anxiety.

Speech Anxiety

Whether it is a small or substantial amount, most of us have some form of anxiety when it comes to public speaking. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that public speaking anxiety, or glossophobia, affects about 73% of the population (National Social Anxiety Center, 2016). While this anxiety is “normal” it is difficult to manage without exploring the root cause. It is important for each person to recognize that their particular sort of speech anxiety has developed uniquely through each of their lives and experiences.

Types of Speech Anxiety

Trait-anxiety: This type of anxiety is typically aligned with an individual’s personality. People who would call themselves “shy” often seek to avoid interaction with others because they are uncertain of how they will be perceived. Those with trait anxiety may experience higher levels of anxiety in other areas of their lives. These folks, according to researchers, are likely to view any chance to express themselves publicly with skepticism and hesitation.

State-anxiety: This type of anxiety is usually due to the external situation in which individuals find themselves. Some people may have had a negative experience in public at an early age—they forgot a line in a play, they lost a spelling bee, they did poorly when called on in front of their class—something that resulted in a bit of public embarrassment. Others may have never actually experienced that stress themselves but may have watched friends struggle and thus empathized with them. These sorts of experiences can often lead to the formation of state anxiety in an individual.

Scrutiny fear: This type of anxiety does not necessarily involve anxiety of interacting with other people but is simply the fear of being in a situation where one is being watched or observed, or one perceives him or herself as being watched while undertaking an activity.

Steps to Managing Speech Anxiety

The good news is that you can manage speech anxiety! While you may never completely alleviate all stress associated with public speaking, taking a reflective approach can help you to identify ways that will help to lessen anxiety and deliver an effective speech. Think about your speech anxiety using the step-by-step process below:

• Identify speech anxiety : Which type of speech anxiety do you have? Where do you think it stems from?
• During the preparation process : Anxiety during this stage may include feeling overwhelmed with the process of thought of public speaking. Individuals may procrastinate preparation or avoid the preparation process altogether.
• Before the speech: Anxiety during this stage may come after the speech writing is complete and it is time to rehearse. As anxiety arises, individuals may avoid practicing because of the stress it is causing.
• During the speech: This type of anxiety peaks once the speaker begins the speech. While it may lessen as the speech progresses, individuals may stumble over the introduction due to heightened nerves and damage credibility.
• Determine and implement strategies :  Depending on the type and onset of anxiety, different strategies can help speakers to manage anxiety.

Strategies to Manage Anxiety

Prepare:  This strategy cannot be overstated. We are more comfortable when we have researched our topic thoroughly, understand our audience, are familiar with our venue, and know our content comprehensively. Following the speech making process (chapter 2) will help us to prepare and feel prepared.

Practice: While this is the most well-known strategy, it is also the most overlooked one. Effective practice is more than reading through your speech a time or two. It is a process that allows you to identify potential issues so you can revise your content, visuals, and delivery plan. We will examine a step by step process for effective practice in chapter 3.

Self-talk and visualizing success: Your internal dialogue can be positive or negative. While positive self-talk can be difficult when we are nervous, it also can lead to positive results. Both positive and negative self-talk can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy. In a self-fulfilling prophecy, an individual’s expectations lead to behaviors that cause those expectations to become reality. For instance, when you think you are going to fail at a test, you may decide to go out with your friends instead of studying, and you fail the test. On the other hand, if you think you will be successful on a presentation, you may take the steps necessary to prepare and practice, and in the end, you will be successful. Create a positive self-fulfilling prophecy for yourself!

Reframing: The process of reframing changes the perception of something so that our experience of it is different. Not all jitters are negative – many public speakers use anxiety as a tool for success. Psychologically anxiety and excitement are almost identical. The difference is how we interpret them – positively or negatively. You can reframe your thoughts about nervousness and use that to your advantage – nervous energy in the body can be transformed to positive nonverbal communication that connects directly with your audience. Embrace the jitters – while easier said than done – can help you deliver a strong speech. 

The following video further explores sources of public speaking anxiety and identifies specific, academically validated, anxiety management techniques to help presenters become more confident.

Key Takeaways

• Individuals will experience different types of speech anxiety. It is important to understand where our speech anxiety stems from.
• Speech anxiety can be managed! Identify the type and onset of your anxiety and determine strategies that help to reduce the stress.
• Preparation, practice, positive self-talk, visualizing success, and reframing are effective methods of reducing our fear of public speaking.
• Chapter 11 Classifying Communication Apprehension (CA).  Authored by : Alyssa G. Millner, Ph.D. and Rachel D. Price, Ph.D..  Provided by : University of Central Arkansas, University of Arkansas at Little Rock & University of Kentucky and Southern Illinois University & University of Kentucky.  Located at :  http://publicspeakingproject.org/psvirtualtext.html .  Project : Public Speaking Project.  License :  CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives
• Worried.  Authored by : Kristin Andrus.  Located at :  https://www.flickr.com/photos/wiphey/11868944/ .  License :  CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives

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Glossophobia (Fear of Public Speaking)

Causes and How to Overcome Your Fear

Glossophobia, or the fear of public speaking, is the most common phobia among people. The good news is that there are ways to cope and learn to overcome your fear, such as using strategies to calm your nerves, practicing the presentation frequently, and engaging your audience with questions.

Public speaking causes feelings of anxiety in 15% to 30% of the general population, and it can sometimes hinder a person's day-to-day life. This is especially true regarding school- or work-related situations involving speaking in front of others.

This article discusses the symptoms, causes, treatment, and healthy ways to cope with glossophobia.

Mikolette / Getty Images

What Is Glossophobia?

"Glossophobia" is the official term used to define a fear of public speaking. It may sometimes also be referred to as public speaking anxiety.

Phobias are categorized into one of three categories:

• Specific phobia : A fear related to a specific object, like spiders or confined spaces, or a situation, such as flying
• Social phobia : A fear that involves a significant and persistent feeling of social anxiety or performance-based anxiety
• Agoraphobia : A fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult or that help wouldn't be available if things go wrong. This term is most often used to describe a fear of crowded spaces.

Glossophobia is a social phobia that causes more intense feelings than are normal to experience when it comes to public speaking. Instead of just butterflies in their stomach, those with glossophobia can feel extreme distress in situations that involve speaking in public, interacting with new people, or talking in a group.

Symptoms of Glossophobia

People with glossophobia may experience a variety of symptoms depending on the severity of their condition. They may only experience a fear surrounding performance and public speaking, but they may also have other social anxieties.

Symptoms of glossophobia typically include:

• A significant fear or dread of public speaking
• Avoidance of situations that require speaking publicly, either formally in front of an audience or informally via small talk

Those with glossophobia may have other symptoms of social phobia, as well. These may occur before, during, or after a social situation.

Symptoms may include:

• Avoidance of group conversations
• Avoidance of parties
• Avoidance of eating with others
• Worrying about activities like speaking on the phone or in work meetings
• Worrying about doing something embarrassing
• Worrying about blushing or sweating
• Difficulty doing tasks with others watching
• Avoiding eye contact
• Having low self-esteem
• Worrying about being criticized or judged

Those with social phobia are more likely to experience anxiety and depression than the general public.

As with many phobias, glossophobia may also cause a variety of physical symptoms. Panic attacks are also possible and may lead to increased heart rate, chest pain or tightness, and trembling. Other symptoms include:

• Hot flushes
• Feelings of choking
• Feeling short of breath
• Feeling light-headed or faint
• Feelings of pins and needles
• An urgency to go the bathroom
• Ringing sound in the ears
• Upset stomach
• Feeling disorientated

Causes of Glossophobia

A fear of public speaking often begins in adolescence. Social phobias like glossophobia can be caused by a range of factors.

Biological Factors

Glossophobia may be due in part to genetics. Genetics can determine how the brain regulates feelings of anxiety, stress, nervousness, and shyness.

Some people may be born naturally shy, and find social situations difficult to navigate. Most people who have a social phobia have had a shy temperament their whole life.

Learned Behavior

A fear of public speaking can develop after learning the fear from a role model. A child with shy parents who avoid social interactions or speaking in public may be influenced to have the same fear.

A child who witnesses such avoidance may grow up to think speaking in public or socializing with others is upsetting and to be avoided.

Likewise, if a parent overprotects a child who is shy, the child won't have opportunities to become used to situations that involve new people or speaking in public. This can result in a social phobia like glossophobia later in life.

Past Experiences

A life event or past experience that is stressful or upsetting can cause people to associate negative emotions with situations that involve public speaking or interacting with others.

If someone has been criticized or feels humiliated, they may develop a social phobia. If a person is pressured into interacting in a way they are not comfortable with, they may also develop a social phobia.

Those who are bullied are more likely to hide away from others and be afraid of opening themselves up to more criticism by speaking in public.

Since the fear of public speaking is a social phobia, it is typically diagnosed as a nongeneralized type of social anxiety disorder. One study indicated that the fear of public speaking is a common feature of social anxiety disorder, but it may also be present without other signs of social anxiety.

For a person to be diagnosed with social anxiety disorder, a mental health professional will perform a psychological evaluation using criteria in the fifth edition of the American Psychiatric Association's "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" ( DSM-5) .

You may also undergo a physical exam or lab tests to look for any irregularities in physical health, which will often check a person's hormone, vitamin, and blood levels.

Overcoming a Fear of Public Speaking

Dealing with a fear of public speaking isn't easy. Many people feel nervous if they have to deliver a speech in front of an audience, but there are ways to cope.

The American Psychological Association suggests the following tips to cope with nerves when speaking in public:

• Begin your speech or presentation with a discussion question : This gets the audience involved and talking and takes the pressure off you for a while.
• Recognize where your anxious feelings are coming from : Nervousness can be due to excitement. Remember that even if you feel nervous, you can still speak in public without failing.
• If giving a presentation, remember it's about the topic : The people you are speaking to are focusing less on you personally and more on what you're saying.
• Try to make eye contact : You may find that making eye contact with the individuals in the group you are addressing allows you to interact with them, and they may nod or smile as you speak, which can help boost your confidence.
• If giving a formal presentation, rehearse a lot beforehand : It may help to rehearse in the actual space you will be giving a speech. Practicing in front of a group beforehand may help calm your nerves.
• Experiment with different strategies to calm your nerves : Try deep breathing exercises, visualization techniques, or smiling during your presentation (it releases endorphins, which lowers stress). Find out what works for you and then prepare in the same way every time you need to speak in public.

Treating social phobias like glossophobia can be complex, and it may require a number of approaches. Psychological interventions like therapy are known to be effective in the treatment of fear of public speaking.

Treating social phobias involves talk therapies, such as:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy : Also referred to as CBT, this type of psychotherapy (talk therapy) is used to change unhealthy behaviors, particularly those that are related to anxiety, trauma, and depression.
• Exposure therapy : This type of therapy can help a person overcome their avoidance of a certain object or situation by gradually exposing them to their phobia.

Typically, medication is not used in the treatment of phobias. However, a healthcare provider may prescribe medication for people experiencing significant symptoms of anxiety.

These may include:

• Beta-blockers
• Tranquilizers
• Antidepressants

The fear of public speaking is a social phobia and may be caused by several factors, including genetics, learned behavior, and past experiences. It is the most commonly held fear, and people with glossophobia may experience anxiety surrounding either interaction with others, performing in public, or a combination of both. Using coping techniques and treatment involving psychotherapy can help people overcome the fear of public speaking.

Ebrahimi OV, Pallesen S, Kenter RMF, Nordgreen T. Psychological Interventions for the Fear of Public Speaking: A Meta-Analysis.   Front Psychol . 2019;10:488. Published 2019 Mar 15.

Tejwani V, Ha D, Isada C. Observations: Public Speaking Anxiety in Graduate Medical Education--A Matter of Interpersonal and Communication Skills? J Grad Med Educ. 2016 Feb;8(1):111. doi: 10.4300/JGME-D-15-00500.1

American Psychological Association.  Specific phobia.

American Psychological Association. Social Phobia.

National Health Service. Overview - Agoraphobia .

Johns Hopkins Medicine. Social Phobia .

National Health Service. Social anxiety (social phobia) .

National Health Service.  Symptoms - phobias . 

Heeren A, Ceschi G, Valentiner DP, Dethier V, Philippot P.  Assessing public speaking fear with the short form of the Personal Report of Confidence as a Speaker scale: confirmatory factor analyses among a French-speaking community sample.   Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat . 2013;9:609-18. doi:10.2147%2FNDT.S43097

American Psychological Association. How to keep fear of public speaking at bay .

National Health Service.  Overview - Phobias

By Elizabeth Pratt Pratt is a freelance medical and mental health journalist with a master's degree in health communication.

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Fear of public speaking: how can i overcome it, how can i overcome my fear of public speaking.

Fear of public speaking is a common form of anxiety. It can range from slight nervousness to paralyzing fear and panic. Many people with this fear avoid public speaking situations altogether, or they suffer through them with shaking hands and a quavering voice. But with preparation and persistence, you can overcome your fear.

These steps may help:

• Know your topic. The better you understand what you're talking about — and the more you care about the topic — the less likely you'll make a mistake or get off track. And if you do get lost, you'll be able to recover quickly. Take some time to consider what questions the audience may ask and have your responses ready.
• Get organized. Ahead of time, carefully plan out the information you want to present, including any props, audio or visual aids. The more organized you are, the less nervous you'll be. Use an outline on a small card to stay on track. If possible, visit the place where you'll be speaking and review available equipment before your presentation.
• Practice, and then practice some more. Practice your complete presentation several times. Do it for some people you're comfortable with and ask for feedback. It may also be helpful to practice with a few people with whom you're less familiar. Consider making a video of your presentation so you can watch it and see opportunities for improvement.
• Challenge specific worries. When you're afraid of something, you may overestimate the likelihood of bad things happening. List your specific worries. Then directly challenge them by identifying probable and alternative outcomes and any objective evidence that supports each worry or the likelihood that your feared outcomes will happen.
• Visualize your success. Imagine that your presentation will go well. Positive thoughts can help decrease some of your negativity about your social performance and relieve some anxiety.
• Do some deep breathing. This can be very calming. Take two or more deep, slow breaths before you get up to the podium and during your speech.
• Focus on your material, not on your audience. People mainly pay attention to new information — not how it's presented. They may not notice your nervousness. If audience members do notice that you're nervous, they may root for you and want your presentation to be a success.
• Don't fear a moment of silence. If you lose track of what you're saying or start to feel nervous and your mind goes blank, it may seem like you've been silent for an eternity. In reality, it's probably only a few seconds. Even if it's longer, it's likely your audience won't mind a pause to consider what you've been saying. Just take a few slow, deep breaths.
• Recognize your success. After your speech or presentation, give yourself a pat on the back. It may not have been perfect, but chances are you're far more critical of yourself than your audience is. See if any of your specific worries actually occurred. Everyone makes mistakes. Look at any mistakes you made as an opportunity to improve your skills.
• Get support. Join a group that offers support for people who have difficulty with public speaking. One effective resource is Toastmasters, a nonprofit organization with local chapters that focuses on training people in speaking and leadership skills.

If you can't overcome your fear with practice alone, consider seeking professional help. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a skills-based approach that can be a successful treatment for reducing fear of public speaking.

As another option, your doctor may prescribe a calming medication that you take before public speaking. If your doctor prescribes a medication, try it before your speaking engagement to see how it affects you.

Nervousness or anxiety in certain situations is normal, and public speaking is no exception. Known as performance anxiety, other examples include stage fright, test anxiety and writer's block. But people with severe performance anxiety that includes significant anxiety in other social situations may have social anxiety disorder (also called social phobia). Social anxiety disorder may require cognitive behavioral therapy, medications or a combination of the two.

Craig N. Sawchuk, Ph.D., L.P.

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• Social anxiety disorder (social phobia). In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-5. 5th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association, 2013. http://dsm.psychiatryonline.org. Accessed April 18, 2017.
• 90 tips from Toastmasters. Toastmasters International. https://www.toastmasters.org/About/90th-Anniversary/90-Tips. Accessed April 18, 2017.
• Stein MB, et al. Approach to treating social anxiety disorder in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed April 18, 2017.
• How to keep fear of public speaking at bay. American Psychological Association. http://www.apa.org/monitor/2017/02/tips-sidebar.aspx. Accessed April 18, 2017.
• Jackson B, et al. Re-thinking anxiety: Using inoculation messages to reduce and reinterpret public speaking fears. PLOS One. 2017;12:e0169972.
• Sawchuk CN (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. April 24, 2017.

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How To Deal With Speaking Anxiety (& Ace Your Next Speech!)

If the thought of giving a speech stresses you out, don’t worry. You’re not alone. These tips can help you overcome fear if your nerves are holding you back.

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Researchers estimate that 15-30% of people experience public speaking anxiety, and roughly 10% of those with it report that it interferes with their daily lives. 

While it may not be possible to completely eradicate the nerves you feel in front of a crowd, there are some things you can do to help yourself feel more confident—both while preparing as well as once you’re center stage.

Watch our video below to learn how to deal with stage anxiety:

What is Speaking Anxiety? (Definition)

Speaking anxiety is an intense nervousness that comes whenever you have to speak in front of others. 

Here are a few physical symptoms that can accompany public speaking: 

• Redness of face
• Rapid heartbeat
• Shaky voice
• Being out of breath
• Perspiration
• Increased blood pressure

If you struggle with a more extreme case of public speaking anxiety, you may find yourself making changes in your life to avoid speaking in public. 

Speaking anxiety may cause you to: 

• Switch career paths because the one you are currently on may require too much public speaking
• Avoid networking events or parties where you may have to speak in a large group context
• Turn down a promotion based on public speaking requirements
• Decline the opportunity to give a toast at a meaningful moment in a loved one’s life
• Unenroll from a class to avoid speaking in front of classmates 

If you can resonate with any of those feelings, know that you’re not alone. Many people make significant life changes to avoid speaking in front of an audience. And your symptoms might be different than these! Speaking anxiety can look different for different people. There are many possible symptoms and ways it can affect people’s lives, including shaking and perspiration.

What Causes Anxiety During a Speaking Event?

Anxiety during a speaking event is evidence of our brains’ survival mechanism. Historically, humans felt that being watched was a threat . This made the amygdala, the part of the brain wired to help humans survive, kick into gear. This is also sometimes called the fight or flight response. 

Although you may know that standing in front of a room full of peers and giving a presentation is not dangerous, your brain still registers all those watching eyes as a threat. 

This is why many of the physical reactions you have when experiencing public speaking anxiety are similar to how your body would react to danger—shortness of breath, shaking, racing heart, your stomach in knots, sweating, or nervousness, to name a few. 

Can You Get Over Public Speaking Anxiety? 

Unfortunately, you may not be able to get over your nerves about public speaking completely. But, it may be possible to ease some of the symptoms you feel.

In the past, exposure therapy was one of the primary ways to help people overcome a fear of public speaking. This is where you expose yourself to your fear—in this case, public speaking—until it becomes more familiar and your nerves subside.

In recent years, researchers have studied the benefits of using virtual reality (VR) in an exposure therapy approach to help people overcome their fear of public speaking. 

In one study , students gave 20-minute presentations to a virtual class of their peers twice per week. Every 4 minutes, the study participants could change factors such as audience size, responsiveness, and the number of speech prompts. Meanwhile, the researchers monitored their heart rates, and the participants self-reported their anxiety levels. 

The results showed a decrease in public speaking anxiety both in the short and long term. 

The benefit of using VR for exposure therapy is that participants can shorten the time between public speaking opportunities, achieving the benefits and results quicker.

We have more tips for conquering your anxiety below…

Ease Your Public Speaking Anxiety Using These 8 Science-Backed Tips

You may never be able to completely get rid of your nerves while speaking in front of people. However, there are some steps you can take to help ease your stress. 

#1 Anticipate questions and curve balls

Speaking anxiety can be caused by a fear of the unknown. The more prepared you are, the less anxiety you will feel. Try going through these prompts before any kind of public speaking:

• What question makes me the most nervous? → And then prep for these answers.
• Are there any possible negative or positive surprises that could happen? → And then prep for these possible scenarios.
• What’s realistically the worst that could happen? → And then prepare for this outcome.

You also want to be ready to NOT know something. Being a great public speaker is only sometimes knowing the answer. It is being able to reply to any answer respectfully… and this could be that you do not know something!

If someone asks a question you’re unsure how to answer, here are a few phrases you can use to acknowledge them while moving the conversation on graciously: 

• “That’s a great question! I haven’t thought about it much personally, so I’ll think about it and get back to you. For now, I’m enjoying hearing your perspectives on the topic.” 
• “Thanks for asking me. I need to do more research and learn more about this topic before I have a solid answer.”
• “That is a great question. I don’t know the most recent data on that topic. Can I email you in the next couple of days once I’ve done some research?” 

If you’re preparing for a speech, ask friends and family if you can practice giving it to them. If you include a Q&A time in your presentation, ask your faux audience to ask you questions at the end of your practice presentation. 

This can help you get accustomed to hearing a question, processing it on the spot, and responding well. 

#2 More specific generosity = less anxiety 

While preparing your speech, think about your audience and prioritize helping them through what you’re saying. Research shows that shifting perspective away from yourself and towards assisting others can decrease anxiety. 

Researchers studied the difference between “targeted” and “untargeted” generosity in this study. Targeted generosity means helping someone you know tangibly. This could be giving advice to a younger sibling or a warm meal to someone in need. Untargeted giving has to do with general acts of kindness that don’t target any specific person, such as donating to charity. 

Both giving types resulted in increased activity in the septal area and the ventral striatum—the parts of the brain linked to altruism. These same parts of the brain show activity when parents care for their children. The ventral striatum is a key component of the brain’s “reward system,” often associated with achieving and learning. 

What the researchers did not anticipate was the decreased activity in the amygdala when study participants were targeted in their generosity. The amygdala is the epicenter of the fight-or-flight mechanism and other charged emotions. 

So, how can you use this when giving a presentation? 

In the preparation stage, think of the individual people that your speech benefits by taking your attention away from you. In what way is your material educating them? Find one or two main takeaways that you would like for them to learn. 

If you’re not sure how your presentation can benefit your audience, take some time to learn as much as you can about who you’re speaking to. If you’ve been invited to speak at an event, you can ask the event organizers to give you some general information about the attendees.

Then, construct an “audience member profile.” This can be based on what you know to be true of those in the audience, with a few additional details thrown in to make them feel more like well-rounded people you know. 

Action Step : If you don’t know members of your audience personally, you can help yourself feel like you know them by creating one or two “audience member profiles.” 

Base these on what you know about the audience, then flesh it out until they feel like real people. For example, if you’re speaking at a non-profit fundraising event, ask the event organizer who their typical attendees are and consider what type of person will likely attend an event like this. 

Here’s what an example audience member profile could look like: 

Brianna Maddox 

• Works at a tech startup
• Looking for places to give end-of-year charitable donations
• Wants to have some idea of how her donation will be used and would enjoy a bit of followup 
• How I can help: Give her guidance to make an impact.

Derrick Bryant

• Works in project management at a large firm
• Father to 2 young kids
• Received a bonus at work and wants to give back to others 
• Doesn’t want to be overly involved, just give a donation and trust that it will be used well
• How I can help: Honor his generosity and give him ideas for his donation.

Even though Brianna and Derrick are not real people, these audience member profiles can help give you a “person” you’re helping as you tailor your presentation.

#3 Learn the Art of Stage Presence

Did you know that public speaking is actually a skill? Many people struggle with stage anxiety because they feel they ‘missed the memo’ on public speaking or they are lacking because they do not have a natural stage presence. Not true!

Stage presence and public speaking are skills you need to be taught—very few people have them naturally. 

Watch our video below to learn 7 steps to overcome stage fright and beat performance anxiety:

Here are all the aspects of public speaking you can master.

• How to make a first impression on an audience
• How to have a stage presence
• Powerful body language
• How to speak with a commanding voice
• What to do with your hands while speaking

For every speaking skill you add to your toolbox, the less speaking anxiety you will feel.

If you want help diving into your social skills, sign up for our course…

#4 Imagine yourself rocking it

When you feel yourself getting anxious about public speaking, try to replace those thoughts with how you would feel if everything went well. 

Research shows that visualization and positive self-talk can reduce anxiety. One study challenged individuals diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) to replace their worry with positive self-talk. 

Interestingly, they found that the positivity didn’t have to be about what the person was worried about. Replacing worry with positive visualizations about other scenarios helped reduce study participants’ anxiety. 

Decreasing your anxiety can help increase your ability to focus and do well in your presentation or speech! 

Action Step : The thoughts you think make a difference! If public speaking is too overwhelming and you need help imagining yourself succeeding at it, start with something else. 

Think back to a time you accomplished something you were proud of. Maybe you landed a big client at work or crossed the finish line of a race you trained hard for. 

The next time you’re feeling anxious about an upcoming speaking event, try to remember how you felt when you succeeded.  

#5 Use tech to tighten up your presentation

When you’re getting ready for a presentation, practice your technique. This can help you feel more confident in your capability to speak well and can help remove some of the uncertainty from the event. 

Thankfully, some apps can help you with many different aspects of public speaking! 

Here are a few: 

• Plan using voice notes and dictation : If you’re a verbal processor, try speaking your speech to figure out what you want to say. 
• Check your pace with Metronome Beats : It’s easy to speak too fast when nervous. Counteract that by practicing with the app Metronome Beats (available for Android and iOS ) to help you recognize when you’re speaking too quickly. 
• Eliminate filler words with Ummo : Ummo analyzes your speech and helps you recognize how many “um’s” and other filler words you use. 
• Sharpen your pronunciation with Orai : Orai is aimed towards helping users who have accents or speech impairments practice and perfect their words. 
• Keep within the allotted time using Toastmaster Timer : You may not always have a clock in the room you’re presenting in. In these cases, Toastmaster Timer (available for Android or iOS ) can help prevent you from lingering for too long on any section of your presentation. 

If you’re looking for a little bit of help improving in these areas, check out our article 6 Public Speaking Apps to Try Before Your Next Presentation to help you practice your technique. 

#6 Find your eye anchors

When you’re speaking in front of a room full of people, using eye contact can help you create a connection and draw people in. However, if you experience anxiety when speaking in front of a crowd, it might be hard to look people in the eye and stay calm. 

Try finding a few anchor points in the room. If possible, establish one in each “section” of the room. For example, if there is a center, left, right, and balcony, find a spot in each of those you consistently look to. 

One nice aspect of speaking to a room full of people is that you don’t have to make direct eye contact with any individuals. The crowd won’t necessarily know if you’re making eye contact with someone else or no one! 

Here are some places you can choose as anchors: 

• Right over the top of people’s heads
• An empty chair (in a large crowd)
• Someone who is giving you encouraging nonverbals like a head nod or a smile
• A friend in the crowd who is supporting you

As you become more comfortable with public speaking, try to ease up and look around more. But if your nerves are bad, this can be a helpful way to warm up while still looking like you’re making eye contact. 

#7 Have a game-day routine

If you find yourself often needing to talk in front of people, try to find a routine that helps ease your anxiety as you step into familiar motions. Researchers have found that this can be a helpful tool for people. 

Many professional athletes have rituals that help them feel ready for game day. Here are a few examples: 

• Mike Bibby, Basketball —Clipped his fingernails every time he went to the bench for timeouts. 
• Turk Wendell, Baseball —Chewed 4 pieces of black licorice while pitching. He would spit them out and brush his teeth each time he returned to the dugout. 
• Jason Terry, Basketball —Wore 5 pairs of socks during basketball games. He claimed that it made playing more comfortable. 

As you can see, your ritual doesn’t have to be directly related to your presentation! The goal is to find something that can either help you feel better prepared or help ease your anxiety. 

A ritual you could incorporate to help you feel prepared could be doing a few vocal warmups to ensure your voice is strong and ready to go. You might also glance through your notes in the morning or check in with the technicians to confirm that the PowerPoint is working correctly.

Other routines that are less directly related to public speaking but could still help you feel prepared are things like having a specific type of tea in the morning, getting a workout in before you go, or wearing a special piece of jewelry every time you speak. 

#8 Practice, practice, practice 

If you’re giving a speech or presentation, plan what you will say and then practice it over and over ( and over ) again. Doing this helps build familiarity with your material and can help you feel more confident if you start to feel the nerves settling in. 

Don’t settle for practicing your speech once or twice. Instead, aim for dozens of times—at least. 

Dr. Jill Bolte-Taylor delivered one of the most popular TED Talks, “My Stroke of Insight,” with close to 30 million views. Can you guess how many times she practiced delivering her speech? 

200 times! 

Despite being a Harvard-trained neuroanatomist, Dr. Bolte-Taylor spent at least 3,600 minutes practicing the delivery of her 18-minute speech. That’s 60 hours—a full work-week-and-a-half. 

And that’s only delivery , not the time she spent writing and rewriting her speech. 

Even the best speakers—the ones you may look at with jealousy at how easily they seem to navigate the stage and how confidently they present themselves—spend time practicing their delivery and making sure they are saying everything just how they want to. 

If you want to check out Dr. Bolte-Taylor’s fantastic speech, you can watch it here: 

My stroke of insight | Jill Bolte Taylor

Pro Tip : It can take more work to plan and practice for conversations. If chatting with another person is often a source of anxiety for you, try preparing a few fun questions to use in case there’s a lull in the conversation! 

Here are some options to get you started: 

• Do you have any nicknames? 
• What is your biggest pet peeve? 
• What is something you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t tried yet? 
• What do you look forward to every day? 
• If you could start a charity, what would it be? 
• What’s your favorite family recipe? 
• What personality traits are you the proudest of? 
• Do you ever lower the music volume when trying to figure out directions while driving? 
• What’s the strangest purchase you’ve ever made? 

If none of these feels like the right fit, choose another question from this list of 450 Fun Questions to Ask People in ANY Situation (That Work!) . 

Try experimenting with a few ideas until you find a combination that works for you! 

Stage Fright is Normal, But You Can Try to Minimize It

The fear of public speaking is among the most common fears in the world—so know that you’re not alone in getting extra nervous when speaking to a group of people! 

That being said, nerves can vary in severity. If you feel as though your anxiety limits you, you may want to meet with a therapist to receive more personalized advice.

Use these tips and tricks to help you ace your next presentation: 

• Practice makes progress . You may never “get rid” of your nerves, but making sure you know your material can help decrease your stress around public speaking. Practice delivering your speech over and over to help you feel prepared. 
• Expect the unexpected . Prepare for any questions or objections your audience may have to the material you’re speaking on. You can ask various loved ones to help you by listening to your presentation and asking some hard-hitting questions.
• Imagine your success . Envision yourself as a successful orator! What you think about matters. This can help ease your anxiety and build your confidence. 
• Be generous to specific audience members—even if you don’t know them. When you’re tempted to think of your audience as an intimidating sea of faces, try to remind yourself that it is a group of individual people. Ask yourself how your knowledge and expertise can help them and make their life better. 
• Download some apps . There are so many helpful pieces of technology available. Try out a few specifically for public speaking to help you tighten your speech. 
• Make eye contact with places rather than people . Looking into the crowd can help people feel more engaged with what you’re saying. However, if it feels too stressful to look directly at people in the crowd, try finding places you can look. Try to find at least one eye anchor for each section of the room, and then look back to those throughout your presentation. 
• Have a routine . Routines can help you feel calm and confident before stepping on stage. Whether it’s wearing 5 pairs of socks or flipping through your note cards, try to find little things you can do to help yourself as calm and collected as possible. 

Crack The Code on Facial Expressions

The human face is constantly sending signals, and we use it to understand the person’s intentions when we speak to them. In Decode, we dive deep into these microexpressions to teach you how to instantly pick up on them and understand the meaning behind what is said to you. Don’t spend another day living in the dark.

Want a better handle on performing on the stage? We got you covered: Stage Fright: How to Overcome It in 7 Easy Steps .

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3.2 All Anxiety Is Not the Same: Sources of Communication Apprehension

Learning objectives.

• Distinguish among the four different types of communication apprehension.
• Identify various factors that cause communication apprehension.

We have said that experiencing some form of anxiety is a normal part of the communication process. Most people are anxious about being evaluated by an audience. Interestingly, many people assume that their nervousness is an experience unique to them. They assume that other people do not feel anxious when confronting the threat of public speaking (McCroskey, 2001). Although anxiety is a widely shared response to the stress of public speaking, not all anxiety is the same. Many researchers have investigated the differences between apprehension grounded in personality characteristics and anxiety prompted by a particular situation at a particular time (Witt, et. al., 2006). McCroskey argues there are four types of communication apprehension: anxiety related to trait, context, audience, and situation (McCroskey, 2001). If you understand these different types of apprehension, you can gain insight into the varied communication factors that contribute to speaking anxiety.

Trait Anxiety

Some people are just more disposed to communication apprehension than others. As Witt, Brown, Roberts, Weisel, Sawyer, and Behnke explain, “ Trait anxiety measures how people generally feel across situations and time periods” (Witt, et. al., 2006). This means that some people feel more uncomfortable than the average person regardless of the context, audience, or situation. It doesn’t matter whether you are raising your hand in a group discussion, talking with people you meet at a party, or giving speeches in a class, you’re likely to be uncomfortable in all these settings if you experience trait anxiety. While trait anxiety is not the same as shyness, those with high trait anxiety are more likely to avoid exposure to public speaking situations, so their nervousness might be compounded by lack of experience or skill (Witt, et. al., 2006). People who experience trait anxiety may never like public speaking, but through preparation and practice, they can learn to give effective public speeches when they need to do so.

Context Anxiety

MTEA – Michelle Alexander at Podium – CC BY-NC 2.0.

Context anxiety refers to anxiety prompted by specific communication contexts. Some of the major context factors that can heighten this form of anxiety are formality, uncertainty, and novelty.

Some individuals can be perfectly composed when talking at a meeting or in a small group; yet when faced with a more formal public speaking setting, they become intimidated and nervous. As the formality of the communication context increases, the stakes are raised, sometimes prompting more apprehension. Certain communication contexts, such as a press conference or a courtroom, can make even the most confident individuals nervous. One reason is that these communication contexts presuppose an adversarial relationship between the speaker and some audience members.

Uncertainty

In addition, it is hard to predict and control the flow of information in such contexts, so the level of uncertainty is high. The feelings of context anxiety might be similar to those you experience on the first day of class with a new instructor: you don’t know what to expect, so you are more nervous than you might be later in the semester when you know the instructor and the class routine better.

Additionally, most of us are not experienced in high-tension communication settings. The novelty of the communication context we encounter is another factor contributing to apprehension. Anxiety becomes more of an issue in communication environments that are new to us, even for those who are normally comfortable with speaking in public.

Most people can learn through practice to cope with their anxiety prompted by formal, uncertain, and novel communication contexts. Fortunately, most public speaking classroom contexts are not adversarial. The opportunities you have to practice giving speeches reduces the novelty and uncertainty of the public speaking context, enabling most students to learn how to cope with anxiety prompted by the communication context.

Audience Anxiety

For some individuals, it is not the communication context that prompts anxiety; it is the people in the audience they face. Audience anxiety describes communication apprehension prompted by specific audience characteristics. These characteristics include similarity, subordinate status, audience size, and familiarity.

You might have no difficulty talking to an audience of your peers in student government meetings, but an audience composed of parents and students on a campus visit might make you nervous because of the presence of parents in the audience. The degree of perceived similarity between you and your audience can influence your level of speech anxiety. We all prefer to talk to an audience that we believe shares our values more than to one that does not. The more dissimilar we are compared to our audience members, the more likely we are to be nervous. Studies have shown that subordinate status can also contribute to speaking anxiety (Witt, et. al., 2006). Talking in front of your boss or teacher may be intimidating, especially if you are being evaluated. The size of the audience can also play a role: the larger the audience, the more threatening it may seem. Finally, familiarity can be a factor. Some of us prefer talking to strangers rather than to people we know well. Others feel more nervous in front of an audience of friends and family because there is more pressure to perform well.

Situational Anxiety

Situational anxiety , McCroskey explains, is the communication apprehension created by “the unique combination of influences generated by audience, time and context” (McCroskey, 2001). Each communication event involves several dimensions: physical, temporal, social-psychological, and cultural. These dimensions combine to create a unique communication situation that is different from any previous communication event. The situation created by a given audience, in a given time, and in a given context can coalesce into situational anxiety.

For example, I once had to give a presentation at a general faculty meeting on general education assessment. To my surprise, I found myself particularly nervous about this speech. The audience was familiar to me but was relatively large compared to most classroom settings. I knew the audience well enough to know that my topic was controversial for some faculty members who resented the mandate for assessment coming from top administration. The meeting occurred late on a Friday afternoon, and my presentation was scheduled more than an hour into the two-hour meeting. All these factors combined to produce situational anxiety for me. While I successfully applied the principles that we will discuss in Section 3.3 “Reducing Communication Apprehension” for managing stage fright, this speaking situation stands out in my mind as one of the most nerve-wracking speaking challenges I have ever faced.

Key Takeaways

• Communication apprehension stems from many sources, including the speaker’s personality characteristics, communication context, nature of the audience, or situation.
• Many factors exaggerate communication apprehension. Formality, familiarity, novelty, perceived similarity, and subordinate status are a few of the factors that influence our tendency to feel anxious while speaking.
• Make a list of sources of your communication apprehension. What factors contribute most to your anxiety about public speaking?

McCroskey, J. C. (2001). An introduction to rhetorical communication. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Witt, P. L., Brown, K. C., Roberts, J. B., Weisel, J., Sawyer, C., & Behnke, R. (2006, March). Somatic anxiety patterns before, during and after giving a public speech. Southern Communication Journal , 71 , 87–100.

Stand up, Speak out Copyright © 2016 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Types of Anxiety

Reviewed by Psychology Today Staff

Anxiety is a significant feature of mental health conditions besides generalized anxiety disorder, marked by a state of persistent worry and apprehension. Perhaps most prominently, anxiety is a component of PTSD and obsessive-compulsive disorder. But exactly what should be considered the distinguishing feature or underlying malfunction in those disorders is a matter of intense scientific debate, and for that reason, and until more is known about the neurobiology of mental states, neither of those conditions is now formally classified as an anxiety disorder, although they are often referred to as such.

Experts generally recognize six major types of anxiety: generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, separation anxiety, panic, and phobias, further distinguishing agoraphobia as an anxiety disorder in its own right. Because of the array of symptoms, the multiplicity of triggers, and the involvement of fear responses and the stress response system, there are many lenses through which clinicians and researchers look at and treat runaway anxiety.

On This Page

• How many types of anxiety are there?
• What are phobias?
• How do phobias differ from generalized anxiety disorder?
• What causes panic disorder?
• What is social anxiety disorder?
• How does social anxiety differ from generalized anxiety?
• What is separation anxiety?
• What is hypochondria, or health anxiety?
• What other disorders are related to anxiety?

There are officially six types of anxiety disorder, all related in some way to activation of the fear system, vigilance in anticipation of some kind of future threat or bad outcome, and behavior marked by caution or avoidance. They differ in terms of what gives rise to the fear or behavioral response. And while stress may trigger any one of them, the anxiety lasts far longer and exceeds the actual danger posed—a fact that provides the rationale for one of the most successful treatments for anxiety, cognitive and behavioral therapy. Human imagination provides the capacity to mentally magnify threats; it’s almost as if we talk ourselves into worry . People who suffer from one anxiety disorder tend to suffer from at least one other.

Phobias are fears of specific objects (snakes, dogs) or situations (flying, being in high places), and the fear, almost always immediate rather than future-oriented, can be so intense as to induce a panic attack. While some phobias seem almost wired into the human species (snakes, heights) and some develop in response to a bad experience, many have no specific cause. Many experts regard phobias as our evolutionary heritage , a legacy of adaptations that enabled our ancestors to survive under less hospitable conditions in the past. Agoraphobia is a specific phobia involving fear of escape or inability to get help and it usually focuses on being in open spaces such as bridges, enclosed places such as theaters or elevators, crowded places such as markets or concerts, or being outside the home alone. People with agoraphobia get highly distressed when they find themselves in such situations and usually go out of their way to avoid them.

Generalized anxiety disorder tends to be just that—generalized. There is concern related to one of the major domains of life and the cognitive load of worry is out of proportion to the likelihood of any bad outcomes imagined to lie ahead. Phobias generally have a very circumscribed focus. There is also an important mental difference: The fear in phobias is quite immediate; it does not reflect a prolonged state of apprehension, although it is out of proportion to the degree of actual risk posed. Phobias tend to focus on specific objects or situations and cluster in several distinctive categories: animals (snakes and spiders lead the pack of feared animals), natural environments (heights, thunderstorms), and injury (blood, injections).

Panic attacks are short—rarely lasting more than a few minutes—intense bursts of anxiety, and what they lack in duration they make up in distress. You feel you are about to die —and your body furnishes proof: Your heart is pounding and you can’t get enough air. Heart attack! Your (mis)perception triggers even more anxiety, intensifying the panic. Almost anyone can have a panic attack; they often occur unpredictably, randomly, out of the blue. The loss of control is extremely disconcerting and compounds the sense of threat.. And the attacks can be so frequent or so incapacitating and generate so much fear of having another that they can bring active life to a near halt—the condition known as panic disorder.

It’s not clear what triggers panic attacks. Much research has focused on the conjunction of a malfunction in brain circuitry of emotion with one or another physiological trigger—a metabolic or inflammatory signal gone awry or heightened sensitivity to some physiologic condition. Nevertheless, panic disorder responds to treatment with behavioral therapy. Making an immediate attempt to lengthen the duration of exhalation may activate the parasympathetic nervous system and set in motion a calming reflex.

Humans are social creatures, wired to thrive on approval and acceptance by others. In our evolutionary past, our very survival as individuals hinged on group inclusion: sensitivity to negative social judgment offered a survival advantage. People may naturally differ in how much fear of negative social judgment they have, and some people may become especially socially anxious only under specific circumstances, such as when they know they are being scrutinized. Early adverse experience may have set the system to be enduringly hypersensitive to criticism or disapproval of others or people may misread social cues and perceive threats of rejection where they don’t exist, resulting in social anxiety disorder.

Those with the condition typically avoid situations in which they will be exposed to the scrutiny of others, such as giving a speech or eating in front of others. They may fear meeting new people or engaging in group conversations. Social anxiety disorder constricts people’s opportunities in and enjoyment of life.

Studies show that people with generalized anxiety disorder and those with social anxiety disorder share heightened sensitivity to negative feedback and learn more under such conditions. But the similarities may end there. Generalized anxiety disorder can encompass any worry in any of the major domains of life—health, finances, work.

Social anxiety disorder reflects a specific worry—negative judgment by others—and it is manifest only in social settings. Scientists now know that optimism and anxiety are related . It’s long been known that most people are inherently biased toward an optimistic outlook in life. But recent studies show that this bias does not exist among those with generalized anxiety. In contrast, people with social anxiety do retain a general optimism.

Most young children develop anxiety about being separated from parents or caregivers. It’s a normal developmental stage, and, beginning around nine months of age, the type and degree of distress that children show on separation from caregivers is typically used as a measure of the security of attachment and adaptation to a world of strangers. But the anxiety on separation that is appropriate at age 1 is less adaptive at age 10.

Separation anxiety disorder exists when children show more than a developmentally appropriate degree of distress on separation from home or attachment figures, and it develops in about four percent of children under the age of 12. It can show up as persistent worry about being lost or kidnapped and never seeing their parents again, or about a parent dying. Children with separation anxiety disorder often refuse to go to school, and they can be clingy. A bout of separation can occur during any period of significant stress during childhood, but it can be especially severe after parental divorce.

What was formerly referred to as hypochondria, or hypochondriasis, has been refined into two separate conditions that involve physical expression of psychological suffering but only one of which is seen as aligned with anxiety disorders. Illness Anxiety Disorder encompasses people who have a level of general health anxiety high enough to cause psychological distress and impairment but not manifesting in specific somatic symptoms. By contrast, Somatic Symptom and Related Disorder refers to those people who present with somatic symptoms accompanied by psychological distress and preoccupation with those symptoms. Both versions of hypochondria tend to present themselves far more in medical settings than in mental health settings.

Both post-traumatic stress disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder are closely linked to anxiety and, until recently, were classified an anxiety disorders. People with OCD engage compulsively in repetitive rituals (hand-washing, for example) and non-productive behaviors (say, constantly rearranging objects on a shelf) to as a way to disarm relentless anxiety-provoking thoughts (“Am I sexually deviant?”). Brain imaging studies highlight malfunction of a specific neural circuit that both overalerts to danger and misreads signals of safety. The ritual is meant to restore a sense of safety.

PTSD involves malfunction in other neural nodes in circuits of fear and safety. Like OCD, PTSD is characterized by a misreading of danger signals ; it is, however, typically generated by a highly stressful situation threatening bodily danger. Months and even years later the memory of that event is so vividly triggered by non-threatening experiences it dictates safety measures that are wildly out of place and overwhelm everyday activities. Like some anxiety disorders, such as phobias, PTSD may respond to treatment involving exposure to the fear-triggering stimulus.

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PUBLIC-SPEAKING ANXIETY

Generally regarded as a form of social phobia , public-speaking anxiety is the fear that appearing before the public while giving a speech or presentation will result in being ridiculed by the audience .

What is Public Speaking Anxiety?

You've worked for weeks preparing your presentation. You've tweaked it, read it over, presented it to your friend, and recited it in front of the mirror. The big day arrives, and the conference room is full. As you walk toward the podium, you can feel your heart racing, palms sweating, and you can't seem to swallow the huge lump in your throat. You look back toward the door, trying to resist the temptation to turn around, just as you hear your name being called. Public speaking anxiety, or stage fright , is a very common condition. Many people don't realize they have it, until the first time they are called upon to make a speech or presentation. The following tips might be helpful if you suffer from nervousness and anxiety when simply thinking about speaking in front of a group.

A prevalent symptom of anxiety is shortness of breath or shallow breathing . Take a few deep breaths before walking onto the stage, or entering the conference room. Breathe in to the count of seven, hold it for a moment, and then slowly breathe out. Deep breathing helps relieve many of the symptoms of anxiety. If you feel yourself getting short of breath during your speech, think about breathing, pause for a moment and take a subtle deep breath.

Know Your Material

Being prepared and organized will help you feel sure of yourself. Take the time to study and review your material. If you know your topic inside and out, you'll be able to deliver your presentation with confidence. Visual aids such as slides or flip sheets can be helpful when delivering a presentation. Make sure you have notes to refer to in case you lose your focus.

Engage Your Audience

Connecting with your audience can help you relax. Make eye contact , and open with a personal story or a joke to get the audience loosened up. People who attend your presentation expect to learn something. They are perceiving you as the expert. A question and answer segment is a good way to let the participants do the talking for a moment, and will create a rapport between you and the audience.

Seek the Assistance of a Professional

If these tips aren't enough to help you cope with your public speaking anxiety, there are a variety of short term treatment options available. Most cases can be easily managed with the help of a therapist . Your physician can give you a referral, if the condition is so intense that it interferes with your ability to succeed in the workplace.

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Social Anxiety

How anxiety can affect speech patterns.

• Anxiety is overwhelming, and it is not surprising that it affects speech.
• We identify at least 5 different examples of how anxiety affects speech.
• Speech typically requires focus and concentration, two things anxiety affects.
• Some types of anxiety are directly related to anxiety while speaking.
• Some public speaking techniques can also help with anxiety-related speech problems, but addressing anxiety itself will still be most important.

Fact Checked

Micah Abraham, BSc

Last updated March 1, 2021

In many ways, anxiety is an overwhelming condition. It overwhelms your senses, it overwhelms your thoughts, and it overwhelms your body. That's why it should come as little surprise to anyone that is suffering from anxiety that it can affect your speech patterns as well.

Anxiety is often apparent in your voice, which is why people can sometimes tell when you're feeling nervous. In this article, we explore some of the ways that anxiety affects speech patterns and what you can do to stop it.

How Anxiety Affects Speech

Different forms of anxiety seem to affect speech in different ways. You should absolutely make sure that you're addressing your anxiety specifically.

Anxiety causes both physical and mental issues that can affect speech. These include:

• Shaky Voice Perhaps the most well-known speech issue is simply a shaky voice. When you're talking, it feels like your voice box is shaking along with the rest of your body (and it is). That can make it sound like it is cracking or vibrating, both of which are a sign to others that you're nervous.
• Quiet Voice Those with anxiety - especially social phobia - often find that they also have a hard time speaking up in public. This type of quietness is very common, and while not technically a speech pattern, it can make your entire voice and the way you speak sound different to others. Although many will think of this in terms of volume, talking down at your feet will also exacerbate the effect.
• Dry Throat/Loss of Voice Some people find that anxiety seems to dry out their throat, or cause them to feel as though they're losing their voice.. One possible reason is that anxiety can make acid reflux symptoms worse, and those with acid reflux do have a tendency to wake up with sore throat and a loss of voice. Anxiety also increases the activity of your nervous system; when your fight or flight response is activated your mouth will naturally produce less saliva as a natural side effect.
• Trouble Putting Thoughts to Words Not all of the speech pattern symptoms of anxiety are physical either. Some of them are mental. Anxiety can make it much harder to for you to think about the words you're going to say, which can cause you to step over yourself, forget words, replace words with incorrect words, and more. Speaking generally has to be natural to be clear, and when you overthink it's not uncommon to find the opposite effect.
• Stuttering Similarly, anxiety can create stuttering. Stuttering itself is a separate disorder that can be made worse by anxiety. But beyond that, those that are overthinking their own sentences and word choices often find they end up stuttering a considerable amount, which in turn can create this feeling of embarrassment.

These are only a few of the issues that anxiety has with speech and speech patterns. There are even those that are bilingual that find that when they have anxiety they mix up the languages. Anxiety can do some unusual things to the way you talk to others, and that means that your speech patterns are occasionally very different than you expect them to be.

Are There Ways to Overcome This Type of Anxiety Issue?

Changes in speech patterns can be embarrassing and very unusual for the person that is suffering from them. It's extremely important for you to address your anxiety if you want these speech issues to go away. Only by controlling your anxiety can you expect your ability to speak with others to improve.

That said, there are a few things that you can do now:

• Start Strong Those with anxiety have a tendency to start speaking quietly and hope that they find it easier to talk later. That rarely works. Ideally, try to start speaking loudly and confidently (even if you're faking it) from the moment you enter a room. That way you don't find yourself muttering as often or as easily.
• Look at Foreheads Some people find that looking others in the eyes causes further anxiety. Try looking at others in the forehead. To them it tends to look the same, and you won't have to deal with the stress of noticing someone's eye contact and gestures.
• Drink Water Keeping your throat hydrated and clear will reduce any unwanted sounds that may make you self-conscious. It's not necessarily a cure for your anxiety, but it will keep you from adding any extra stress that may contribute to further anxiousness.

These are some of the most basic ways to ensure that your anxiety affects your speech patterns less. But until you cure your anxiety, you're still going to overthink and have to consciously control your voice and confidence.  

Summary: Anxiety is a distracting condition, making it hard to speak. During periods of intense anxiety, adrenaline can also cause a shaky voice and panic attacks can take away the brain’s energy to talk – leading to slurs and stutters. Identifying the type of speech problem can help, but ultimately it is an anxiety issue that will need to be addressed with a long-term strategy. 

Questions? Comments?

Do you have a specific question that this article didn’t answered? Send us a message and we’ll answer it for you!

Where can I go to learn more about Jacobson’s relaxation technique and other similar methods? – Anonymous patient

You can ask your doctor for a referral to a psychologist or other mental health professional who uses relaxation techniques to help patients. Not all psychologists or other mental health professionals are knowledgeable about these techniques, though. Therapists often add their own “twist” to the technqiues. Training varies by the type of technique that they use. Some people also buy CDs and DVDs on progressive muscle relaxation and allow the audio to guide them through the process. – Timothy J. Legg, PhD, CRNP

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