If you've ever been anointed to speak in front of a group, you're aware that public speaking is not so much an easy undertaking as it is a testament to your bravery. And with good reason — being put on the spot in front of people you don't know can make even the most confident person break out into a cold sweat. But, like any other fear in life, one thing is for certain: if you're going to overcome it, first you need to know what's fueling your anxiety!
That's why we've put together this post all about factors that cause public speaking anxiety and how they manifest themselves, complete with info on what causes them and how they can be controlled or eliminated.
The list is made up of two components: physical and mental. Physical anxiety causes are your body telling you that you're in danger, while mental ones are rooted in your brain's processing powers. Both have their place in the public speaking process, so if you master them, you'll be on your way to a more secure and enjoyable presentation than ever before!
Physical Anxiety Causes for Public Speaking
Fear of Nervous Breakdown – Your body is trained to react to the stress nerves cause by releasing adrenaline into your system. That adrenaline freezes your motor skills so that you can focus on what you're doing (i.e. controlling your breathing, controlling the flow of your speech, etc.) Good news: you can train your body to react less (or even not at all!) by engaging in breathing exercises while you're giving your speech or giving a presentation.
– Your body is trained to react to the stress nerves cause by releasing adrenaline into your system. That adrenaline freezes your motor skills so that you can focus on what you're doing (i.e. controlling your breathing, controlling the flow of your speech, etc.) Good news: you can train your body to react less (or even not at all!) by engaging in breathing exercises while you're giving your speech or giving a presentation. Panic Attack – You're having a sudden episode of fear and your body is saying "unleash the fight or flight response!" Unfortunately, that's not the kind of response you want in the middle of your presentation. Breathing exercises are a great way to control your breathing, which helps calm your nerves and focus on what you're saying instead.
– You're having a sudden episode of fear and your body is saying "unleash the fight or flight response!" Unfortunately, that's not the kind of response you want in the middle of your presentation. Breathing exercises are a great way to control your breathing, which helps calm your nerves and focus on what you're saying instead. Your Body Not Responding – You may not be nervous at all but you're still not getting the response your body is telling you it can offer. You can't see your audience, and you're starting to feel some tightness in your cheeks, throat or stomach area. That's because your body is saying "these muscles are going to lock up if I don't get some kind of release." To calm the nerves, take deep breaths and do a few yoga stretches to soothe those muscles.
– You may not be nervous at all but you're still not getting the response your body is telling you it can offer. You can't see your audience, and you're starting to feel some tightness in your cheeks, throat or stomach area. That's because your body is saying "these muscles are going to lock up if I don't get some kind of release." To calm the nerves, take deep breaths and do a few yoga stretches to soothe those muscles. Body Confusion – You're having trouble taking one key piece of information from a sentence or sentence pattern which makes the rest of it seem confusing. When that happens, your body is having a hard time processing the information you're trying to get across. To help get your brain back in the game, try repeating what you had just said to yourself early during the presentation. If possible, write it down so you can have a quick reminder when you need it again.
Mental Anxiety Causes for Public Speaking
Fear of Thinking – You're afraid that when you start to think about what you're going to say next, your mind will go blank and lose track of what's being said. In reality, that can be a good thing! Instead of thinking about your next words and phrases too much, let them come out naturally. When you do that, you minimize the chance of that dreaded blank moment happening.
– You're afraid that when you start to think about what you're going to say next, your mind will go blank and lose track of what's being said. In reality, that can be a good thing! Instead of thinking about your next words and phrases too much, let them come out naturally. When you do that, you minimize the chance of that dreaded blank moment happening. Fear of the Unknown – No one likes to feel stupid or to find themselves floundering for air. But that feeling is just another way of putting yourself into a mental state of "unknown." And while this certainly applies to public speaking, it can be prevented by utilizing the power of vocal variety. By varying your volume and intensity, you can make each sentence feel just as significant as the last, which reduces the amount of time you spend thinking about what comes next.
– No one likes to feel stupid or to find themselves floundering for air. But that feeling is just another way of putting yourself into a mental state of "unknown." And while this certainly applies to public speaking, it can be prevented by utilizing the power of vocal variety. By varying your volume and intensity, you can make each sentence feel just as significant as the last, which reduces the amount of time you spend thinking about what comes next. Fear of Rejection – You're afraid that if you say something stupid or awkward, your audience will laugh at you and not pay attention to what they're supposed to be paying attention to. Don't worry! Just because someone might be laughing AT your speech doesn't mean they don't like it! Most of the speakers I coach discuss this topic a lot and I never hear anyone suggest that other people think poorly about them. Just remember: a bad performance may cause you to think negatively about yourself but it won't make the audience stop liking what you're saying.
Conclusion
When it comes to public speaking, your body and mind are usually working together to get you through a speech. But there are always going to be times when one of them seems to be more engaged than the other. That's why you should never feel like you're alone when going through some of the mental or physical obstacles that may occur during a speech. Utilize them to your advantage and let your feelings be known!
Chris Howard is a professional speaker, certified coach, and author of the book The Art and Science of Public Speaking: How To Become A Fearless Presenter, where he teaches others how to conquer their fears so they can become better speakers.
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