Public speaking is a vital skill, not only in school but in nearly every career for students in the future. Even though it's the source of one of the biggest phobias in the world, working on it now can help alleviate some of that fear later. Hopefully the information we've gathered can help!

​

Systematic desensitization is a type of exposure therapy that associates a pleasant relaxed state with gradually increasing anxiety-triggering stimuli. It's commonly used to treat phobias. The first step in this process is often progressive relaxation, which allows someone to release tension in one muscle group after another, until achieving a comfortable, complete relaxation. The person would then practice the imagined situation in real life, beginning with relatively easy tasks and gradually moving to more anxiety-filled ones. For example, if you're scared of presentations, you could think of the presentation topic, talk about the topic, present with yourself, then present with family members until you reach the comfort level to present to strangers.

Our personalities shape how we interpret and react to events. Anxious people tend to attend and react strongly to relationship threats, and how we view the world affects what we prepare ourselves for. These are the parts of the body that are responsible for these emotions.

The Peripheral Nervous System (PNS): All of the nervous system except the brain and spinal cord
Somatic Division: Controls voluntary functions
Autonomic Division: Controls involuntary functions
Sympathetic Division: Prepares body in emergency situations. This is the fight or flight response
Parasympathetic Division: Calms body after emergency situations. This is the "rest and digest" response.
 

When you are struck by anxiety over something public speaking, remind yourself that there is no actual danger. The body responds to it with the same fight-or-flight response it would use to escape a tiger. This can make public speaking feel significantly scarier than it actually is. Furthermore, separate your self-esteem from public speaking. It’s normal to fear judgment from your peers. This can make a speech feel like a test of your value as a person. Remind yourself that even if you bomb the address, you’re still a good and worthy human being. 

Take care of your body. Drink water to prevent dehydration, and use the bathroom. If you like coffee, don’t down a cup right before the speech, because doing so can increase anxiety. Caffeine can sometimes cause effects similar to symptoms of anxiety, including nervousness and a fast heart rate, so make sure to take deep breaths. Deliberately copying a relaxed breathing pattern seems to calm the nervous system that controls the body's involuntary functions. Controlled breathing can cause physiological changes that include lowered blood pressure and heart rate and reduced levels of stress hormones in the blood.