General / Mental Health Support Thread

[skillman]

I have spoken to fairly large audiences a number of times.

What specifically are you anxious about?

I'm not particularly fussed about the content. It's just when I stand in front of an audience I can feel myself getting worked up.

Can feel a pulse in my throat, heart rate goes through the roof, voice shakes, blushing etc.

 

[Mr Kobayashi]

I have a public speaking event in Feb next year and have high, high anxiety about it. I can't stand getting up in front of people and speaking (despite being confident in everyday life/with my job that requires it) to a large audience.

I am assuming it's a common thing to those on here too? If so, when you needed to do a speech of some sort, how did you 'get over it' and be confident?

Cheers.

I'm not particularly fussed about the content. It's just when I stand in front of an audience I can feel myself getting worked up.

Can feel a pulse in my throat, heart rate goes through the roof, voice shakes, blushing etc.

I wouldn't put this as a mental health issue. You're just creating more anxiety by placing the stigma on it. It's totallly normal to have nervous, it's not freaking out outside a Taylor Swift concert.

Four months is far enough away that you could speak with a coach to sort this out.

Check out "anchoring". There are various techniques you can use to feel more at ease.

 

[Manc in London]

I'm not particularly fussed about the content. It's just when I stand in front of an audience I can feel myself getting worked up.

Can feel a pulse in my throat, heart rate goes through the roof, voice shakes, blushing etc.

Is that due to how you think you will be perceived?

• Prepare thoroughly to the point where you could do the presentation without notes (always have notes just in case though) and to the point where you feel very confident in what you are saying
• Take a breath regularly between each sentence. Don't starve yourself of oxygen
• To reduce the number of people staring at you, stand to the slide of any projection of your slides
• Practice in front of the kids, missus or a colleague. You could even record yourself
• When looking at your audience, trying looking at hairlines rather than eyes and facial expressions (reduces chances of you being distracted. If you really want to know if the audience are interested, then you will need to look at their facial expressions
• Focus on the purpose of why you are presenting the information (i.e. what your audience needs to hear)
• Don't go into the presentation with a high dose of caffeine
• When we deliver a presentation, we are often talking more quickly than we realise. Thus, don't get anxious about one or two seconds or 'dead air'. It will feel much longer to you than the audience
• Stick to presenting 'need to know' and minimise 'nice to know'
• Make clear that questions are to be asked at the end. This will reduce the probability of you being thrown of course
• Occasional smile to the audience may lead to reciprocation
• If you cool with meditation and practising breathing techniques, do this beforehand

What's the presentation on? I am curious now.

I hope it goes well.

 

[skillman]

Is that due to how you think you will be perceived?

• Prepare thoroughly to the point where you could do the presentation without notes (always have notes just in case though) and to the point where you feel very confident in what you are saying
• Take a breath regularly between each sentence. Don't starve yourself of oxygen
• To reduce the number of people staring at you, stand to the slide of any projection of your slides
• Practice in front of the kids, missus or a colleague. You could even record yourself
• When looking at your audience, trying looking at hairlines rather than eyes and facial expressions (reduces chances of you being distracted. If you really want to know if the audience are interested, then you will need to look at their facial expressions
• Focus on the purpose of why you are presenting the information (i.e. what your audience needs to hear)
• Don't go into the presentation with a high dose of caffeine
• When we deliver a presentation, we are often talking more quickly than we realise. Thus, don't get anxious about one or two seconds or 'dead air'. It will feel much longer to you than the audience
• Stick to presenting 'need to know' and minimise 'nice to know'
• Make clear that questions are to be asked at the end. This will reduce the probability of you being thrown of course
• Occasional smile to the audience may lead to reciprocation
• If you cool with meditation and practising breathing techniques, do this beforehand

What's the presentation on? I am curious now.

I hope it goes well.

Brilliant, thanks a lot mate. Really appreciate those.

It's a generic work presentation in front of a load of corporate people. You know the type.

 

[Marklr]

Brilliant, thanks a lot mate. Really appreciate those.

It's a generic work presentation in front of a load of corporate people. You know the type.

...and don't forget to imagine them all naked. That's the most important bit.

 

[Manc in London]

Brilliant, thanks a lot mate. Really appreciate those.

It's a generic work presentation in front of a load of corporate people. You know the type.

You may get to like doing it. It happened to me. I really enjoy talking to audiences

 

[rowarta]

...and don't forget to imagine them all naked. That's the most important bit.

or on the toilet

 

[ZenHalfTimeCrock]

I have a public speaking event in Feb next year and have high, high anxiety about it. I can't stand getting up in front of people and speaking (despite being confident in everyday life/with my job that requires it) to a large audience.

I am assuming it's a common thing to those on here too? If so, when you needed to do a speech of some sort, how did you 'get over it' and be confident?

Cheers.

One thing I do before a public speaking event is to visualise an occasion when I felt very confident and then to assume exactly the same posture/body language. The body feeds this confidence back to the brain and this usually helps to diminish any anxiety.

Also, if during your presentation you start to feel nervous again, simply pause and assume the same mindset and posture.

Works in job interviews too.

Other ways to deal with anxiety are described in this book. Unfortunately, I no longer have my copy so I can’t check but I think it covers giving a presentation.

Regardless, it’s a valuable resource and can be purchased secondhand online very cheaply.

I would also add that although I don’t think mindfulness is quite the mental health panacea it is claimed to be, this book is one of the better ones on the technique.

The Mindful Way Through Anxiety

mindfulwaythroughanxiety.com

 

[skillman]

One thing I do before a public speaking event is to visualise an occasion when I felt very confident and then to assume exactly the same posture/body language. The body feeds this confidence back to the brain and this usually helps to diminish any anxiety.

Also, if during your presentation you start to feel nervous again, simply pause and assume the same mindset and posture.

Works in job interviews too.

Other ways to deal with anxiety are described in this book. Unfortunately, I no longer have my copy so I can’t check but I think it covers giving a presentation.

Regardless, it’s a valuable resource and can be purchased secondhand online very cheaply.

I would also add that although I don’t think mindfulness is quite the mental health panacea it is claimed to be, this book is one of the better ones on the technique.

The Mindful Way Through Anxiety

mindfulwaythroughanxiety.com

Thanks mate!

 

[Twisted-wheel]

Thanks mate!

Or have a cheeky line before you get up, talk the pants off em