Fear of public speaking

Fear of public speaking also known as Glossophobia is really common, ‘mostly in the
young than the elderly and may be more frequent in females than males.’1 Experts say
that nearly 77% of the population has some fear against speaking in public some are
able to control and manage the fear. Glossophobia is a part of social phobia. Most
people with Glossophobia do not show symptoms of other types of social phobia such
as the fear of meeting new people or performing tasks.
Some symptoms of Glossophobia
 Sweating
 Increased heart rate
 Dry mouth
 Difficulty breathing
 Muscle tension

The phobia may happen because of

 Learned behavior
overprotective parents or parents that avoid socializing with others my influence the
child and cause social phobia such as glossophobia
 Biological factors
The fear of speaking may be because of genetics as they determine the way the brain
controls the feeling of stress, anxiety, and nervousness.

Treatment options
 Exposure therapy
The person learns how to handle the situations that cause the fear and learns coping
skills.
 Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
It helps to manage the symptoms, anxiety effectively amd other techniques
Considering joining a speaking group or activity can improve one
one’’s speaking
skills through the repetition and builds the confidence to speak in public.

Rana Riyadh Elsayed 