Health Library Home>Wellness Centers>Mental Health>Article

Conquering the Fear of Public Speaking

Sweaty palms. Upset stomach. Lightheadedness. Short breaths. Fast heartbeats. These might sound like symptoms of the flu. But if you have a fear of public speaking, you may know the feeling.

A Common Condition

First, know that you are not alone. Fear of speaking in public is very common. It includes fear of:

However, a bit of fear can actually help you be a better speaker. You can use it to push yourself to success!

Ways to Overcome Your Fear

You can overcome your fear of public speaking. Try these tips:

RESOURCES:

The National Speakers Association
http://www.nsaspeaker.org

Toastmasters International
https://www.toastmasters.org

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Canadian Management Centre
https://cmcoutperform.com

Canadian Institute for Knowledge Development
https://cikd.ca

REFERENCES:

Public speaking tips. Toastmasters International website. Available at: https://www.toastmasters.org/resources/public-speaking-tips. Accessed June 24, 2021.

Social anxiety disorder. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/social-anxiety-disorder. Accessed June 24, 2021.

Speech anxiety. University of Pittsburg website. Available at: https://www.comm.pitt.edu/speech-anxiety. Accessed June 24, 2021.

30 ways to manage speaking anxiety. University of Iowa website. Available at: https://counseling.uiowa.edu/self-help/30-ways-to-manage-speaking-anxiety/. Accessed June 24, 2021.

Last reviewed June 24, 2021 by EBSCO Medical Review Board