Stage Fright. What Monster Lives There? (03.05, marine_0204)

Do you fear speaking in front of the audience? Does the thought of giving a presentation make you nauseated? Do you avoid talking to your boss or other people in authority? Do you get anxious and have a racing heart, blushing face, or shaky hands when you speak in front of others? Do you think you should be much further ahead in your career and social life if you were able to be comfortable and confident while speaking in public? Do you avoid telling stories and being the center of attention in social gatherings? 

Do you see yourself in any of these? Check out the following test. Rate each item on a scale of 1 to 5.

Food for thought:

Do you think people who are naturally introverted are more affected by this fear? Share your thoughts in the comment section below 👇 

What is the fear of public speaking?
It’s the fear of being criticized, embarrassed, humiliated, or negatively judged. People often worry that they might come across as rude, unintelligent, boring, or awkward.

There are four components of anxiety: biology, mood, behavior and thinking. 

As for the biological response, we experience increased heart rate, shortness of breath, trembling, dry mouth, etc. Yet we can't stay anxious forever. The sympathetic nervous system produces a release of adrenaline that is eventually destroyed by the parasympathetic nervous system. 

As for our mood, we might experience sadness or even depression. To improve our mood, we can try doing our favorite activities, sports, or do something relaxing.
People who experience social anxiety tend to avoid stressful situations, which leads to anticipatory anxiety. The more you avoid a situation, the more nervously you anticipate it when it comes up. It's important to stop avoiding these situations and start getting experience with public speaking.
Nervous and compensatory behaviors cause more anxiety too. So, try avoiding them: nervous behaviors (nail biting, fidgeting, avoiding eye contact, etc.) and compensatory behaviors (overpreparing before the speech, putting on too much makeup, drinking alcohol, relying on scripts, etc.).

While being anxious, people stop thinking rationally. They tend to catastrophize, fortune-tell, engage in all-or-none thinking (black and white), emotional reasoning, minimization, and tunnel vision. So, be your own judge and practice positive self-talk. Think of the real instances when you were successful while giving a speech. Embrace your fear and allow yourself to make mistakes.

What techniques have you tried (or heard of) for managing public speaking anxiety?

1. Know your objective 2. Connect with the audience, learn about it. 3. Research the topic. 4. Rehearse your talk. 5. Get enough rest. 6. Analyze but don't dwell. 7. Enjoy the process.

Anxiety arises when we are too focused on ourselves. The more you focus on yourself, the more self-conscious you become. The more self-conscious you are, the more the cycle of anxiety can spin out of control. Think about why you are giving the talk. Remember that it’s beneficial for both you and the audience.

Do you have any other tips for managing social anxiety? Share your thoughts in the comments below.👇 

written by marine_0204