Definition:
Glossophobia, also known as speech anxiety, is a condition wherein a person has a fear of public speaking. It may also be a form of stage fright.
Treatment:
Hypnosis or hypnotherapy has been a popular and effective mode of treating glossophobia.
Symptoms and Signs:
The general symptoms of glossophobia are complete avoiding of events wherein the patient will have to speak in front of a group or command a group's attention, extreme anxiety at the very thought of doing such a thing, or even prior to the event; and feeling stressed, panicky, and nauseous during said events.
Its symptoms may also be more specifically grouped into verbal, non-verbal, and physical. Verbal symptoms include quivering in the voice, repeating “ahh” or “umm”, and a tense voice. The physical symptoms include increased heart rate, dilated pupils, acute hearing, increased oxygen intake, increased perspiration, dry mouth, and stiffening of the upper back and neck muscles.
Causes:
Glossophobia may be caused by trauma from previous experiences, certain beliefs formed during childhood about speaking and sometimes has something to do with failure, or a gradual avoidance of public speaking until it builds up to glossophobia.
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