Glossophobia is a very common phobia involving an extreme, irrational fear of public speaking and being judged, embarrassed or humiliated when speaking in front of others. It triggers intense anxiety, dread, panic and avoidance of public speaking situations.

If you are experiencing some or all of these signs and symptoms of glossophobia (fear of public speaking) and they are impacting your life and career, it indicates a diagnosable case of glossophobia:

Excessive anxiety before speaking publicly, avoidance of events requiring public speaking (presentations, speeches, meetings, calls and introductions), attempts to manipulate situations to make them more tolerable, freezing or going blank whilst talking, severe physical symptoms like rapid heartbeat and breathing, changes in voice and focus, irrational negative thoughts about being judged, and obsessively ruminating afterwards about what happened. 

Glossophobia is an irrational fear of public speaking where the conscious mind recognizes the situation is safe yet the unconscious mind triggers an automatic fear response. To overcome it, the negative patterns driving the irrational anxiety need to be deconditioned so they don’t trigger and the speaker stays calm and comfortable. This is achieved through specialized therapy.

Public speaking courses often fail to address the core anxiety and fear, leaving presenters still terrified despite having or learning the skills. Because the real issue isn't the skills, but rather the crippling fear itself. Without the right treatment to resolve the underlying fear, the presentation skills remain unusable and ineffective.

Traditional public speaking tips like planning, using visuals, or making eye contact are ineffective for overcoming a genuine fear of public speaking. People with glossophobia have a lower bar - they simply want to get through the presentation, meeting or call without crippling anxiety. So the focus needs to be on addressing and eliminating the underlying fear itself. And that’s exactly what our program does.

Stage fright and glossophobia refer to the same condition - an excessive, irrational fear of public speaking or performing in front of an audience. While "stage fright" is a colloquial term often used for performers on stage, like actors and musicians, glossophobia is the clinical term describing this phobia characterized by fear, anxiety, and panic when speaking publicly or the complete avoidance of the feared situations.

Glossophobia, the fear of public speaking, goes far beyond shyness or butterflies. It's a powerful, often incapacitating fear and anxiety that at its worst can trigger panic attacks. With glossophobia we are talking about white-knuckle hardcore fear around speaking in front of others, not just mild anxiety.

Glossophobia symptoms – rapid heartbeat, changes in breathing, voice, temperature and focus - can manifest in various professional and social situations involving speaking publicly, like presentations, meetings, calls, interviews, introductions, weddings, funerals, family events, party games, and stage performances. These situations are often dreaded and then endured with extreme anxiety or just completely avoided.

Glossophobia (fear of public speaking) is one of the most prevalent phobias, with around 75% experiencing some anxiety when speaking publicly. However, a significant 20-30% suffer from diagnosable glossophobia characterized by intense dread, panic, and avoidance. This implies that in a meeting of just 10 people, 2-3 individuals are likely experiencing high levels of public speaking anxiety.

Glossophobia can trigger highly distressing physical symptoms like rapid heartbeat, sweating, shaking, dry mouth, nausea, muscle tension, shortness of breath, dizziness, and blushing. These symptoms may manifest long before the speaking event itself, with a buildup of dread and anxiety over days, weeks, or even months, potentially culminating in a panic attack before or during the speech. Left untreated, these symptoms tend to get worse over time.

Glossophobia's psychological symptoms include intense anxiety, panic, irrational negative thoughts, fear of judgment/embarrassment/humiliation, low self-confidence, difficulty concentrating, avoidance, obsessive rumination, anticipatory anxiety, and potential panic attacks. Sufferers are plagued by worst-case scenarios, impacting confidence and cognition. Without treatment, the persistent symptoms tend to worsen over time.

Glossophobia often stems from childhood shyness exacerbated by negative experiences like reading aloud or presenting. It can also develop later in life, especially during periods of high stress, where usually manageable situations like meetings or presentations trigger panic, establishing a phobic response.