Effective Techniques for Overcoming Anxiety Associated with Public Speaking

Effective Techniques for Overcoming Anxiety Associated with Public Speaking

It’s very common for many to experience some form of nervousness when expected to speak in front of others. In fact, it has been estimated that as many as 20-85% of the general population experience public speaking anxiety (Katz, 2000). Some use this nervousness to their advantage, giving them the ability to perform to the best of their abilities. Other’s, however, experience anxiety so extreme it hinders their ability to perform at all. Students or individuals who suffer from crippling anxiety may find it so severe, that it even interferes with their life and social interactions. Some students describe this social phobia as restricting, as if they are trapped in box and unable to do even the simplest of tasks that others may describe as elementary (Katz, 2000). This can also be detrimental towards future career fields. Possessing the ability to communicate effectively is one of the most critical qualities employers look for in jobseekers (Hartranft & Schrieber, 2013). There are several techniques marketed towards the reduction of social anxiety. However, while there may be several options available, the real problem dwells in determining which of these techniques is truly the most effective in treating the problem. Just adding words to get to 250. saying some more stuff because this is not working for some reason.

References

Hartranft, M., & Schrieber, L. (2013). Benefits of public speaking. In The public

speaking project (pp. 1-12). San Francisco, California: Creative Commons Attribution.

Katz, L. (2000). Public Speaking Anxiety. UTM Counseling and Career Services, 1, 1-3.