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Speech Anxiety Facts

Fear of speech is quite common and can be easily overcome by building a person's confidence. In the medical world, speech anxiety is known as glossophobia, where "glossa" means tongue and "phobia" stands for fear. Imagination is the root cause of speech anxiety as it is the mind that fragments irrational pictures of rejection by the audience. A person with speech anxiety worries about the expectations of the people around him and their responses, rather than concentrating on his own abilities.

  1. General Facts

    • Almost a third of the population faces the problem of speech anxiety. At least three out of four people are afraid to speak in front of a live audience. Around five percent of the world's population is affected by fear of speech. It can be found in people of all ages.

    Childhood

    • In the early years of childhood, many children are found to be shy. The child does not mix well or play with other children his age. He may not respond to questions and prefers to remain solitary. These gestures should be understood by the parents who should offer encouragement to help shun their child's shyness and motivate him to verbalize. If not taken seriously in childhood, shyness manifests into speech anxiety in later years. Sometimes, speech anxiety is found to be hereditary as either parent may possess it.

    Speech Anxiety in Men and Women

    • For the most part, both men and women are equally affected by speech anxiety. However, in cultures where women are not encouraged to speak so freely, women may deal with speech anxiety more often than men. Individuals who have to shed their inhibitions in order to earn their livelihood, generally overcome this phobia. However, those who remain reclusive and don't mix well with strangers tend to have difficult overcoming speech anxiety.

    Career Facts

    • Speech anxiety can be a great obstruction on the path to success for a career-oriented person. A person who wants to make it big in the world has to deal with a number of people belonging to different cultures and backgrounds. Confidence of speech is of utmost importance. Speech anxiety can diminish the potential of a person and can stagnate his growth.

    Treatment

    • A number of men and women seek treatment for speech anxiety and many clinics offer treatment to deal with this phobia where patients are encouraged to come out of their shells during presentations. Many schools offer after-school fun hours and classes to help children interact with different age groups. A myriad of books offers strategies for people who want to deal with speech anxiety and how to overcome it.

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