Fear of public speaking (glossophobia) is a problem that can limit people’s lives. People usually have tried everything they can think of that is conventional (mainstream) to get help with fear of public speaking, and only then do they look for more unconventional approaches like hypnotherapy. Below I will explain what is fear of public speaking, the symptoms, how you develop fear of public speaking and relevant statistics. Then I will go over the different treatments available and finally, how hypnosis for public speaking can help eliminate your fear of public speaking permanently.
Table of Contents What Is an Addiction?Types of AddictionWhat Are the Symptoms of Addiction?Emotional Signs of Addiction May IncludePhysical Signs of Addiction May IncludeOther Signs of Addiction May IncludeSymptoms of Withdrawal May IncludeWhat Are the Complications?Current StatisticsSubstance Abuse in AustraliaAccording to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s 2016 National Drug Strategy Household Survey:Gambling in AustraliaSmoking StatisticsSmoking by GenderInternet AddictionHypnosis Addiction ReviewsHow Do You Develop an Addiction?There Are Several Differences Between Drugs and Alcohol and Other Types of AddictionsTreatments for Addiction Excluding Hypnosis for AddictionsHow Can Hypnotherapy Eliminate Addiction Using Hypnosis for Addiction?Different Types of Addiction HypnotherapyTest at the End of My Hypnotherapy for Addictions SessionBenefits of Hypnosis For AddictionFeatures of Addiction HypnotherapyHypnotherapy For Addictions Enquire Now Table of Contents Definition of JealousyMore Accurate Definition of JealousyBehaviours of JealousyHypnosis for JealousyHow Do You Become Jealous?Events That Trigger JealousyFear of Being AloneFeeling Jealous Means I Must Be in Love?The Role of Trust in RelationshipsWhy Can’t I Stop Being Jealous?How to Use Hypnosis for Jealousy to Eliminate JealousyHow Do I Remove Emotions Using Hypnotherapy for Jealousy?Different Types of Hypnotherapy for JealousyTest at the End of My Hypnotherapy JealousyLearn More On Hypnosis for Jealousy?
What is Fear of Public Speaking (Glossophobia)?
In order for us to overcome the fear of public speaking, we have to first accept that this fear is quite normal. When we speak in front of people, it puts us in a vulnerable position of potentially feeling judged. As a result, we may experience sweating, shaking, pins and needles, heart racing, trouble breathing, shaky voice, etc?
Below is a list of things people worry about when public speaking.
- Not being perfect
- Being rejected
- Being exposed
- Not being good enough
- Not being understood
- Looking stupid
- Worry about what people think
Emotional Symptoms of Fear of Public Speaking
- Angry
- Sad
- Anxious
- Guilt
- Resentment
- Resentment
- Shame
- Useless
- Not good enough
- Worthless
- Unlovable
- Lost
- Helpless
- Trapped
- Confused
- Lonely
- Isolated
- Failure
- Exhausted
- Hopeless
- Numb
- Empty
Physical Symptoms of Fear of Public Speaking
- Increased heart rate
- Heart palpitations
- Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation) or shortness of breath
- Sweating
- Twitches, trembling
- Feeling tired or weak
- Lightheadedness, dizziness
- Choking
- Dry mouth
- Chest pain
- Tummy aches, churning stomach
- Diarrhoea
- Blushing
- Difficulty sleeping and nightmares
- Hot and cold flushes
- Feeling tense, wound up and edgy
- Pins and needles
- Muscle tension
- Headaches
What is a Phobia?
A phobia is an intense fear of something that poses little or no actual danger. A phobia is a persistent, excessive, unrealistic fear of an object, person, animal, activity or situation that leads to an intense desire to avoid it. If you’re unable to avoid the phobia, then very distressing symptoms will develop. It is a type of anxiety disorder. Fear of public speaking is a phobia. Most phobias seem to appear out of the blue, often starting in childhood or early adulthood.
What Are Emotions?
Emotions are made of two things: thoughts and thoughts comprise images, colour, movies, sound, dialogue, and talking to ourselves and others in our heads. The second part of emotions is a physical sensation in our bodies. Sometimes people will say I have butterflies in my stomach to represent anxiety. They might get a tight chest when you get angry and hot in the face when embarrassed. People who have panic attacks have extreme physical sensations like sweating, shaking, dizziness, pins and needles, heart racing, burning, and many more. During normal life, when not having a panic attack/phobia, most of the physical sensations in your body you are completely unaware of because they are so mild compared to a panic attack/phobia. They are the same sensations but much milder. Sometimes you may be present to the emotions and sometimes you’re not even present to them. It really depends on the intensity of the emotion.The reason you are unaware of these sensations is because when they happen, they may be mild and over time you get used to them and eventually you can no longer feel it. It has become subconscious outside your conscious awareness. Think of wearing a watch for the first time. At first you can feel it all the time, then after two weeks of wearing a watch, you can no longer feel the watch. The sensation of it on your wrist has become subconscious. So emotions comprise thoughts and physical sensations in the body combined they form our emotions. When people have panic attacks/phobia, these emotions and physical sensations become very intense and leave our subconscious and enter our conscious awareness.
What is Fear of Public Speaking Made Of?
As I have described above in “What Are Emotions?” panic attacks/phobia comprise thoughts, usually the memory of a previous panic attack/phobia, and the accompanying physical sensations like sweating, shaking, dizziness, pins and needles, heart racing, burning and many more. These physical sensations are really intense, to the point the person having the panic attack/phobia cannot function or think of anything else.
The Difference Between Panic Attack and Phobia
A phobia presents the same as a panic attack, except they are anchored to a single trigger, where panic attacks have no single trigger. People who have panic attacks fear the panic attack, while people with a phobia are actually scared of the object of the fear that triggers the panic attack, the phobia.
What Causes Fear of Public Speaking?
Most clients I see tell us that the issue is about what they think might happen when they talk in front of others. These include:
- A fear of being judged
- Feeling under pressure to perform
- Being the focus of attention
- Fear that you will forget or stumble over your words
- Worrying about blushing or being embarrassed in front of people
An individual who has an unpleasant experience during public speaking may fear a repeat of that prior experience when attempting to speak again, thus they develop a phobia of public speaking.
Statistics of Fear of Public Speaking
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 affects about 40% of the population.
- Gallup News Service, Geoffrey Brewer, March 19, 2001.
Surveys typically show that between 72-75% of the population fears public speaking. While there are a lucky few that do not experience the anxiety associated with speaking, the rest of us can use some strategies to become more skilled and relaxed speakers.
https://orai.com/blog/fear-of-public-speaking-statistics/#Fear_of_Public_Speaking_Statistics
Fear of Public Speaking Hypnosis Reviews
Fear of Teaching
Hi Rodney,
Kaity here I saw you around a month ago.
Just letting you know I’ve been public speaking with confidence and I now feel excited about my career path rather than anxious!
Thank you for your help this has been a major shift for me.
Kaity
Kaity Leenheers
Farewell Fear of Driving
The sense of pure relief and happiness was phenomenal.
The burden and constant pressure of not wanting to drive, coupled with no one being able to really understand my anxiety, was also gone.
I felt liberated and still do. My only wish is I had found hypnotherapy earlier, in 2 hours a 10-year anxiety had just vanished.
Sylvia Schiavoni
Read her Complete Blog Post Here
Sylvia Schiavoni
Fear of Needing a Toilet (80 Years old)
Hi Rodney,
Just a quick thanks for giving me my social life back. Did a trip on the Ghan in July, 10 days on Sun Shine Coast in August. I have my life back. Have passed your details onto my Chiro, he asked for them obviously to pass on to a patient.
Wishing you Blue Skys & Green Lights.Shirley Pascoe
Shirley Pascoe
Fear of Public Speaking Medical Treatment Options?
Fear of public speaking is treatable, and exposure-based treatments and exercises are the most helpful.In exposure therapy, individuals are taught coping skills and, over time, learn to handle the situation that is causing the fear. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is useful because it helps an individual to manage symptoms.People with fear of public speaking also may benefit from anxiety management and relaxation techniques.Medications may also be prescribed to help you get control of your fear.Once you have successfully worked through the worst of your fear, you might join a speaking group like Toastmasters. They can help you polish your public speaking skills through repetition and constructive advice from fellow members. Building confidence in your ability to speak in public can reduce your anxiety.
Self-Help Suggestions
- Know your topic – The better you understand what you’re talking about, the less likely you’ll make a mistake or get off track. And if you get lost, you’ll be able to recover quickly. Take some time to consider what questions the audience may ask and have responses ready.
- Get organised ahead of time – carefully plan out the information you want to present, including any props, audio or visual aids. Use an outline on a small card to stay on track. Visit the place where you’ll be speaking and review equipment before your presentation or arrive early.
- Practice – Practice your complete presentation several times. Do it for some people you’re comfortable with and ask for feedback.
- Visualise your success – Imagine that your presentation will go well. Positive thoughts can help decrease some of your negativity about your social performance and relieve 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.
- 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’s likely your audience won’t mind a pause to consider what you’ve been saying. Just take a few slow, deep breaths. Most people are focused on themselves, anyway.
- 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.
- Get support – Join a group that offers support for public speaking. One effective resource is Toastmasters, a nonprofit organisation with local chapters that focus on training people in speaking and leadership skills.
- 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.
- Practice but don’t memorise – There’s no disputing that preparation will build confidence. Memorising speeches will mislead us into thinking there is only one way to deliver an idea. Forgetting a phrase or sentence throws us off and hastens the brain freeze.
- Practice with written notes – Writing out the speech may help plan 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 internalise 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.
- 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.
How to Eliminate Fear of Public Speaking?
So the only way possible to eliminate fear of public speaking is to remove or disconnect all emotions and physical sensations associated with your anxiety around public speaking.Can you think of an acquaintance that you bump into now and then maybe you talk to them maybe you don’t maybe it’s someone you see on the train going to work, well you don’t have many emotions associated with them so you don’t think of them ever unless you see them and you don’t think of them much or for long. This is what will happen when we remove the emotions associated with fear of public speaking. You just will stop worrying about it.So by removing the emotions and thoughts of fear of public speaking, we are effectively stopping you from having any of the thoughts or fears from crossing your mind, you will remember you used to have a fear of public speaking but you just won’t be able to have anxiety for public speaking anymore.So as you can see, emotions are the cause and solution to your problem.
Remove Emotions Using Hypnotherapy for Public Speaking
Well, the only way I know we can achieve this is through using NLP and hypnotherapy for public speaking, by removing the emotions associated with them. But be careful not all hypnotherapists practising hypnotherapy public speaking know how to work with emotions and remove them.
Different Types of Hypnotherapy Public Speaking
Most hypnotherapy approaches don’t work to eliminate the fear of public speaking in this way. Most hypnotherapists work by introducing suggestions into your subconscious mind to change your thoughts and hence your behaviours, so it can work great with behaviour problems but not emotions. Unfortunately, most hypnotherapists are taught this behavioural suggestion type of public speaking hypnotherapy.As a Hypnotherapist, I was lucky to be taught by someone who knew how to work with emotions, and I have helped many people with all sorts of problems, including public speaking hypnotherapy, by removing anchored emotions from the fear of public speaking.So we will remove all emotions and physical sensations that trigger the fear of public speaking.
Test at the End of My Public Speaking Hypnotherapy Sessions
At the end of my hypnosis for fear of public speaking sessions is a test, I get you to go back to all the times you can remember having a fear of public speaking and you won’t be able to get any of the old emotions, and physical sensations from those memories. This means you will not automatically go into your old automatic emotions and behaviours from the past because we have broken the old patterns. This is how we know the fear of public speaking hypnosis session has worked.These days I am seeing more and more people with this problem and helping them eliminate their fear of public speaking so they can have a more fulfilling life.
Learn More On Public Speaking Hypnotherapy?
Would you like to learn more about how Synergy hypnotherapy can help you eliminate your Public Speaking and related problems? So you can feel more relaxed, happier being able to cope with life easier and things just won’t bother you like they used to.
Then visit our Hypnosis for Phobias service’s page or…