Do you think that only amateur artists can experience stage fright? We dare to assure you that this is not at all the case. All-consuming nervousness is common to everyone: from a professional singer who has won numerous competitions to movie stars hosting an awards ceremony.
Fortunately, people who often face similar problems in their line of work have developed a whole strategy to counteract their emotions. They can provide amateur performers about to perform for the first time with some valuable advice and guidance.
What is the name of the phobia?
The fear of public speaking is called glossophobia .
There is a definite line between natural fear of public and phobia.
In the first case, anxiety arises before a responsible performance and is temporary in nature.
With glossophobia, an excessive feeling of fear accompanies a person, regardless of the importance of the upcoming event. Difficulties may arise even if it is necessary to voice any information in front of several people.
Fool your own brain
Know that fear, fear and nervousness trigger irreversible physiological processes in the body. Our bodies are capable of convulsing, trying to somehow correct the situation. The only way to deceive the mind is to try to convince it that the threat has already receded. Therefore, to induce relaxation and a state of tranquility, stretch your arms above your head before performing, clasping them together and turning your palms out.
Of course, in the future, when faced with a real danger in the form of a threat to life, you should not practice this method. However, you can find a few minutes before the performance. When alone, meditate quietly and do some stretching. This is how you will send a signal to your brain that you are comfortable here, and the feeling of fear before going on stage will disappear.
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What manifestations is it characterized by?
Glossophobia has specific symptoms . This phobic state manifests itself before the need for public speaking, regardless of the number of listeners and the duration of the report.
The feeling of anxiety arises long before the upcoming event, persists at the moment of contact with the audience and becomes the cause of nervous shock.
The object of anxiety can be numerous factors. Glossophobe is overly afraid of criticism of himself, ridicule of people, shortcomings in his appearance or professional skills.
Features of glossophobia:
- Attacks of severe anxiety occur regardless of the factor of familiarity with the public (fear of public speaking can be directed at strangers or familiar people).
- Psychological discomfort with this phobia is accompanied by physical signs (tremor of the limbs, disorders of the cardiovascular system and digestion, febrile behavior, etc.).
How to get rid of social phobia? You will find advice from psychologists on our website.
Don't think about your audience
This advice comes from Broadway veteran Eileen Atkins. The actress admits that she flatly refuses to hear about who is who from the audience who came to the hall. And despite the fact that those around her find Eileen’s habit too pretentious, she never betrays her principles and even closes her ears so as not to perceive frightening unnecessary information.
The actress recommends that aspiring artists not perceive the audience as a collection of individuals. Instead of sneaking behind-the-scenes glances at the faces of bankers, lawyers and successful businessmen sitting in the front row, you need to perceive the room as a piece of all of humanity. This is exactly what will make it possible not to lose touch with the public, but at the same time to alienate them a little from yourself. In addition, you will never begin to imagine the reaction of an individual to your speech ahead of time.
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Kinds
In psychiatric and psychological practice, several types of glossophobia . The symptoms of these conditions differ slightly, but the objects of fear are different.
Determining the specific form of phobia is necessary to find the most effective methods of dealing with the problem. In some cases, this can only be done by a qualified specialist.
Glossophobia can manifest itself in the following forms :
- peiraphobia (fear of public);
- verbophobia (fear of spoken language);
- lalophobia (fear of stuttering or poor diction).
Perform a duet with someone
Probably, in a few years, after performing several hundred performances, you will forget about fear, as singer Any Lennox did in her time. You will go through all the stages of developing a creative career and understand, based on your own experience, how to overcome fear. But for now, you can take advantage of the stage experience of another popular diva - Cher.
Being a young and inexperienced performer, Cher had a habit of performing in a duet with her husband Sony Bono. She was so afraid to perform solo that the original plan for developing her career could simply collapse. And so, having created a duet, the married couple enlisted the support and love of the public, which later helped Cher enter the stage with a solo project.
Why do people have stage fright?
With glossophobia, the fact of genetic predisposition cannot be ruled out.
This nuance characterizes the predominant number of phobias.
If parents suffer from a fear of public speaking, then the child may have a phobic condition at the genetic level or imposed by the behavior of adults.
For example, if a baby sees mom or dad worrying too much before a report , then the feeling of potential danger can trigger the development of glossophobia.
Possible causes of glossophobia may include the following factors:
- Children's fears (fear of public speaking can be triggered by situations that caused psychological discomfort in childhood, for example, children's ridicule when reciting poems or singing a song).
- Development of neurotic diseases (the main manifestation of diseases in this category is the lack of control of one’s own emotions in certain situations; the consequence may be the development of glossophobia).
- The presence of complexes regarding one’s own appearance or speech (a person thinks that his appearance or speech will definitely cause ridicule or excessive criticism from the public).
- Peculiarities of upbringing (if parents pay excessive attention to the ban on leading a public lifestyle, then it may become a problem for the child to take photographs, speak in front of the public and perform other actions of a similar nature).
- Excessive strictness in upbringing, threats and frequent punishments, as well as constant criticism from parents (these factors provoke self-doubt in the child and are the main reasons for the development of phobic conditions).
- Excessive shyness (this character trait is one of the main reasons for the development of fear of public speaking).
- Excessive fear of criticism from the public (this factor can be both a character trait and an accompanying symptom of certain neurotic deviations).
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Symptoms and signs
Glossophobia provokes a certain biological reaction in a person. The degree of intensity of the symptoms of a phobic state depends on the individual characteristics of the psyche.
In the presence of severe forms, the phobia can cause disruption of the functioning of internal organs.
Somatic signs in this case will be supplemented by vegetative signs.
If a glossophobe has serious neurotic disorders, then the fear of public speaking can cause a panic attack.
Before the performance and before it begins, a glossophobe exhibits the following conditions :
- redness or pallor of the skin;
- nervous gestures;
- disturbance of intestinal tone;
- inappropriate laughter;
- excessive sweating;
- dry mouth;
- attack of nausea;
- increased heart rate;
- voice trembling;
- severe muscle tension;
- fainting;
- change in facial expressions;
- feverish condition;
- increased blood pressure;
- sensation of a “lump” in the throat;
- speech and voice disorders;
- involuntary urination;
- tremors or numbness of the limbs.
Read about who xenophobes are here.
Barbra Streisand's method
Many years ago, while performing in front of an audience in New York's Central Park, the famous actress and singer forgot the lyrics to a song right in the middle of the show. From now on, the star always uses a prompter. The thought that if you forget your text, you can always rely on hints, pleasantly warms the soul.
Everyone notices that many actors and politicians read their texts from paper. This does not mean that the speakers do not know the text, it only means that they will never forget it. Prepare cheat sheets and hide them in your pockets. Carry a handkerchief with you to wipe your palms in a timely manner. Knowing that your knees may buckle in fear, ask the event organizers for a chair. To prevent your throat from getting dry, always carry a bottle of water with you. Thus, having all the necessary means at hand, you are quite capable of coping with your emotions.
What difficulties does it create in life?
Glossophobia can cause many problems in a person's life.
An important role is played by the age at which the symptoms of this phobic condition appeared.
serious complications may arise regarding the psycho-emotional state and self-realization.
The consequences of glossophobia can be the following factors:
- poor performance at school and college;
- excessive isolation and shyness;
- lack of prospects in professional activity;
- difficulties with employment.
How to overcome fear?
Ways to overcome glossophobia include several stages and techniques. The best option for dealing with such a phobic condition is to seek help from a psychologist or psychotherapist.
Specialists will not only identify the exact causes of the phobia, but also select individual methods for eliminating the problem.
You can supplement the course of therapy with exercises that are carried out at home and are aimed at increasing self-esteem, developing personal qualities and correcting the psycho-emotional state.
techniques can be used in the treatment of glossophobia :
- hypnosis (one of the most effective methods);
- individual and group sessions with a psychologist;
- drug therapy (in the presence of neurotic disorders).
What to do if you are afraid to speak in public?
Psychologists recommend fighting glossophobia using a specific algorithm.
It is necessary to go through four stages of working on your fears - awareness of the problem that has arisen, a step-by-step analysis of the factors that provoked the phobia, the search and development of ways to eliminate fear, consolidation of the result and testing of skills in practice.
This effect is achieved with the help of special exercises and techniques.
- Carrying out auto-training (it is necessary to increase your own self-esteem by regularly praising yourself, identifying advantages of a different nature).
- Training in relaxation and mediation (mastering the technique of muscle relaxation and mental balance is one of the most effective ways to combat the prevailing number of phobias).
- Creating a positive attitude (before a performance, you should think only about the favorable outcome of events and in no case analyze possible negative factors).
- Control of your appearance (impeccable appearance increases self-esteem and reduces anxiety on a psychological level).
- Consultation with a psychologist if there is no result in fighting glossophobia on your own (do not be ashamed of your fears; fear of public speaking can significantly reduce the quality of life, progress and be complemented by other phobias, and also interfere with career growth and self-realization).
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Exercises at home
There are several techniques for increasing self-esteem and eliminating fear of public speaking that can be done at home.
These methods are effective for mild phobias.
If the cause of glossophobia is serious psychological trauma or neurotic disorders, then it will be almost impossible to deal with them without the help of a specialist.
Examples of workouts:
- regular rehearsals in front of a mirror or loved ones;
- awareness of the importance of the upcoming performance (for yourself or others);
- drawing up a clear plan for the speech and studying its topic as much as possible;
- work on facial expressions and gestures (in front of the mirror during rehearsal);
- replaying various situations that may arise during a performance;
- increasing one’s own self-esteem (searching for the maximum number of advantages).
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Call on your body and spirit to help
Janet Esposito, best-selling author and motivational coach, recommends calling on your body to help you before going on stage. Every person can “trick” the mind with the help of simple techniques: relaxing breaths, a smile and a confident posture. In this way, negative thoughts and fear of public will be able to transform into positive ones. At a crucial moment, do not concentrate on yourself, think about others. Remember also about your goal in life, the one that brought you to the stage.
