Why Do I Freeze Up When I Speak in Front of People?
Dear Speechless,
Whenever a problem develops where no problem existed before, my first question is always: what is different now? You mention that you previously gave lectures to 150 people as a teacher’s assistant without the anxiety (or, perhaps more to the point, performance anxiety) you are currently dealing with in your professional life. What feels different to you about the two experiences? I wonder if the stakes seem higher now, the content more complex, or the audience more inquisitive or demanding. It seems reasonable that any of these possibilities, or something else along these lines, could create and/or intensify anxiety around public speaking.
If you can figure out what has developed to cause the problem, perhaps you can figure out some strategies for addressing it. For example, if upon reflecting on the differences between your experience as a TA and as a professional you discover that the content is more complex and the audience more inquisitive, it might be helpful to take some trainings or courses to deepen your knowledge of the content area. This might increase your confidence in your ability to answer questions as they come up. Maybe reflection will lead you to discover that your anxiety is less about content and more about style. Perhaps you have realized that the level of polish expected of professionals, as opposed to student TAs, is quite different and you don’t feel like you measure up. If this is the case, participating in a group like Toastmasters might be helpful in mastering and developing confidence in your public speaking skills.
Sometimes, unexplained anxiety that seems to come up out of the blue can be a way of getting your attention and forcing you to address dissatisfaction with an area of your life that you are not fully aware of.
You also raise the possibility that there is a medical problem that has developed and is to blame for this. The only way to rule that out for sure is to schedule an appointment with your doctor for an exam and discussion about this, and I recommend that you do that sooner rather than later. I am not a doctor, so as much as I hear your desire for explanations, it would not be appropriate for me to speculate as to potential medical issues you might be experiencing.
It is also possible that the problem is neither medical nor a reflection of simple insecurities about speaking in public. How do you feel about your career and where you are professionally? Sometimes, unexplained anxiety that seems to come up out of the blue can be a way of getting your attention and forcing you to address dissatisfaction with an area of your life that you are not fully aware of. If the above recommendations don’t yield any solutions and you land on a vague dissatisfaction with your career, what might be helpful is partnering with a career counselor to explore where you are, where you want to be, and developing a realistic plan for how to get there.
Best wishes,
Sarah
Sarah Noel
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cris
August 14th, 2015 at 9:59 AMI hate speaking in front of large groups of people. Well, if I just have something to read or something then I am fine but if it has to be like off the cuff speaking? Forget it, I am shaking and sweating and generally feeling like I am about to pass out.
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wendy
August 14th, 2015 at 6:26 PMThere is an excellent organisation that nurtures and gently encourages a person’s ability to speak in public. It is called POWERtalk International. Check out the group closest to you. Often there are workshops you can attend to get your journey towards confident public speaking underway. Highly recomnended! Good luck.
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Trav
August 15th, 2015 at 11:37 AMYou may also wish to consider doing some breathing exercises ahead of time.
Great way to calm yourself, focus, and get through those things which might be uncomfortable to you -
melissa
August 16th, 2015 at 1:16 PMI am afraid that if you conveniently “get sick” on presentation days then it will not be too long before people are onto you and they start to notice that this is a part of your job that you are not fulfilling. You are right in that this could definitely have a negative impact on your job if there are not things that you can start doing now to help you overcome some of that anxiety and fear.
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Andrew
August 19th, 2015 at 1:21 PMThis is probably one of the biggest fears that many people have, and I would suspect that it is also one of the biggest obstacles to overcome. I know that there are coping techniques out there that work for some, but for many that fear of being in front of someone and making a big goof just feels to big and scary.
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Maya
August 22nd, 2015 at 8:15 AMIs it too simplistic to ask if you could possibly move into a position where talking in front of other people doesn’t have to be such a large part of your job?
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Carmen
August 25th, 2015 at 3:45 PMI need help to identify stalker and help us to be confident and do a right action to handle them. Guide us in the way we speak to stalker
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Sarah S.
September 7th, 2015 at 1:18 PMDear Speechless,
Perhaps when you were a TA, you had just enough anxiety to feel spurred to excellence. A little bit puts wind in our sails; too much can become incapacitating, as you have described above. Is it possible that you truly love teaching, whereas you feel less enthusiastic overall about your current work? Sometimes what feels like overwhelming anxiety is our body’s way of telling us that we are engaged in something which seems at least uninteresting, and, at worst, pointless at a subconscious level (as Sisyphus must have felt when condemned for eternity to push his boulder up a mountain, only to have it fall again and again to the bottom). Could it be time for you to consider a new job? -
Bill
March 3rd, 2023 at 6:43 PMIt can be a real issue at work and in your social life. I had very similar experiences to you and had to quit 2 jobs in close succession in 2019 due to social anxieties around performance. Like you, prior to this I was fine but a couple of redundancies tipped me over the edge. I would say often it is due to deep-rooted psychological issues which can be triggered right out of the blue, in my case by redundancy. Feeling in a group you’re being evaluated for your contribution to the discussion can literally result in Mutism if the anxiety and discomfort gets too bad, this can be anything from the informal ”banter” of a social group to more formal presentations. It’s a real, serious issue which can wreak havoc through your life if you’re not careful. Employers don’t give a damn though they will of course pay lip-service to mental health and ”reasonable adjustments” Get therapy from the outset and nip it in the bud as best you can would be my advice.
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