What is Glossophobia?

Glossophobia, an extreme and overwhelming fear of public speaking, is one of the most common types of social anxiety disorder. Social anxiety disorders are extremely common, with approximately 10% of adults experiencing them, equating to nearly 6 million people.

Today, we are going to look at glossophobia in more detail, including the common causes, triggers, symptoms and treatments.

What is glossophobia?

Glossophobia is an extreme, overwhelming and irrational fear of public speaking. It is a type of social phobia, which is an extreme fear related to social settings or the fear of being watched or judged by others.

Glossophobia is also referred to as a social anxiety disorder. Someone with glossophobia will experience intense and overwhelming feelings of fear, anxiety or panic when faced with public speaking, even in places or situations that they were previously comfortable with.

Many people think of public speaking as speaking in front of crowds of hundreds of people, for example, at a conference or awards ceremony. However, public speaking actually occurs much more frequently than this.

Examples of public speaking can include:

• Making a presentation to your colleagues or employees.
• Speaking at a staff meeting.
• Speaking in front of your class at school, college or university.
• Ceremonial speaking at a special event.
• Giving a speech at a wedding or party.
• Specific jobs, such as teachers, tour guides, politicians, entertainers and lawyers.
• Addressing a group of people at one time in social situations, for example, at a dinner party.

Up to 75% of people experience discomfort or anxiety when speaking in front of a group and may even experience physical symptoms such as trembling or a racing heart. However, this does not mean they are experiencing glossophobia.

Glossophobia usually includes the inability to function normally in situations where you may need to speak in front of a group, negative thoughts and feelings that you are unable to control and are out of proportion to the situation and avoidance behaviours that impact on your professional and personal life. Someone with glossophobia may also experience fear or anxiety in situations where the risk of needing to speak in front of the group is extremely low.

To classify as glossophobia, your fear of public speaking will include:

• Feelings of intense fear, panic or anxiety that are difficult to manage.
• Fear or anxiety that is out of proportion to the potential danger.
• A fear of public speaking that has lasted for at least six months.
• Avoidance behaviours to prevent situations where public speaking may be required.
• A fear of public speaking that interferes with your day-to-day life, overall well-being or sense of safety.

Avoidance behaviours involve you avoiding any place or situation where you may be required to speak in front of a group, even in social situations where you are comfortable with all of the people present. Avoidance behaviours can negatively impact your ability to carry out everyday tasks, as well as impact your social life.

You may also find that your fear of public speaking interferes with your day-to-day life. Social phobias, such as glossophobia, often get worse over time. Some people with this condition find that they are consumed with the fear that they will be required to speak publicly, and this can cause them to avoid any professional or social situations where they believe a risk exists.

Many people with glossophobia don’t only experience symptoms when they are faced with speaking in front of a group but may also experience symptoms when thinking about public speaking or remembering a previous situation where they were required to speak in front of a group.

A fear of public speaking can be connected to one specific fear or multiple factors that have resulted in the fear.

Some of the fears related to public speaking include:

• The fear of being judged.
• The fear of being laughed at.
• The fear of embarrassing yourself, for example, by falling over or forgetting your words.
• The fear of vomiting.
• The fear of people looking at you.
• The fear of failure.

Avoidance behaviours involve you avoiding any place or situation where you may be required to speak in front of a group, even in social situations where you are comfortable with all of the people present. Avoidance behaviours can negatively impact your ability to carry out everyday tasks, as well as impact your social life.

You may also find that your fear of public speaking interferes with your day-to-day life. Social phobias, such as glossophobia, often get worse over time. Some people with this condition find that they are consumed with the fear that they will be required to speak publicly, and this can cause them to avoid any professional or social situations where they believe a risk exists.

It is thought that glossophobia has an evolutionary basis. Researchers have theorised that our ancestors perceived being watched as an existential threat. If you can see or sense eyes watching you, your body often associates this with predators watching you and therefore perceives the watchers as being a threat to your safety and well-being.

This often triggers the fight-or-flight response which activates your sympathetic nervous system, results in a sudden release of hormones, such as adrenaline, and triggers an acute stress response. This can result in some of the physical symptoms people experience when speaking in front of a group, such as a racing heart, flushing in the face and shaking, as well as the psychological symptoms such as fear and panic.

Even if you are aware that your fear of public speaking is irrational and disproportionate and you are aware that no harm will come to you, you will likely be unable to control your fear and prevent or reduce your psychological and physiological responses to your triggers.

Glossophobia is related to and can occur in conjunction with other phobias, such as:

• Xenophobia: An extreme fear of strangers.
• Anthropophobia: An extreme fear of people.
• Agoraphobia: An extreme fear of places or situations where you feel trapped, unable to escape or may cause you to panic.
• Claustrophobia: An extreme fear of crowded spaces.
• Metaphobia: An extreme fear of vomiting.

Glossophobia also commonly occurs alongside social anxiety disorder, also commonly known as social phobia. In fact, some people classify glossophobia as a type of social phobia.

How common is glossophobia?

It is thought that as many as 75% of people feel some fear and anxiety when faced with public speaking. However, this does not mean that all of these people are experiencing a phobia.

Negative thoughts and emotions when faced with speaking in front of a group, occur on a spectrum, ranging from low levels of fear and anxiety to severe fear, panic and anxiety that can impact your ability to function in your day-to-day life and can impact your decision-making and result in avoidance behaviours of certain places, situations or objects.

Because so many people dislike public speaking and may avoid it as much as possible, this can make it difficult to determine exactly how many people are experiencing a phobia and how many people are experiencing normal levels of fear.

An estimated 10% of adults experience a type of social anxiety disorder, or social phobia, with glossophobia being the most common type of social phobia. These statistics suggest that up to 6 million people across the UK could be experiencing glossophobia.

However, many people with phobias never seek a diagnosis for their condition. This means that not only do they never receive treatment but also that the statistics regarding the prevalence of phobias may not be accurate.

There are multiple reasons why someone may not seek a diagnosis, such as:

• They have never heard of the phobia so are unaware they are experiencing a medical condition.
• They do not discuss their fears with others so are not aware that their fear of public speaking is extreme and irrational.
• The avoidance behaviours they implement mean they are less likely to be triggered and may not frequently experience symptoms.
• They are not aware that treatment is available.
• They are embarrassed by their fear.

Who is at risk of glossophobia?

Although glossophobia is diagnosed in people of all ages and demographics, there are certain risk factors that can result in one person being more likely to develop this phobia than another.

Some of these risk factors include:

• Having a previous negative or traumatic experience involving public speaking.
• Being a naturally more anxious, worried or introverted person.
• Having a previous experience of being embarrassed, ridiculed or rejected publicly.
• Having another related phobia, such as anthropophobia or xenophobia.
• Having another social anxiety disorder, for example, a fear of meeting new people.
• Having a close family member, such as a parent or sibling, with glossophobia.
• Having a close family member, such as a parent or sibling, with another phobia.
• Having a history of anxiety, depression, panic attacks or another relevant mental health disorder.
• Having low self-esteem.
• Being exposed to the fear of public speaking during childhood or adolescence.
• Experiencing high levels of stress or a significant life stressor or being in a heightened mental state.
• Having a substance use disorder, such as misusing drugs or alcohol.
• Having a lack of professional or social support (depending on the situation).
• Previously or currently experience physical, emotional or sexual assault, violence, abuse or bullying.

Glossophobia is more common in younger people, particularly adolescents. It is also diagnosed more frequently in females compared to males, with prevalence rates for social anxiety disorders being 15.5% for females and 11.1% for males.

It is important to note that although the above risk factors raise the likelihood that you will develop glossophobia, they do not guarantee that you will develop the condition.

A child or adult with none of the above risk factors may develop glossophobia, whereas someone with several risk factors may never develop the condition. For example, you may be a more anxious person and had a previous embarrassing experience while public speaking but are able to overcome this and be a confident public speaker in the future.

How to deal with glossophobia

Although formal treatment options are available for glossophobia, they are most effective when combined with coping and calming strategies and lifestyle changes. Coping and calming strategies can be implemented long term, which means you engage in them regularly on a long-term basis.

This can help to reduce the frequency and severity of your symptoms over time and reduce the likelihood of your phobia being triggered. You can also learn short-term coping and calming strategies which are designed to be implemented in the moment – when you are faced with your triggers.

Coping and calming strategies can help you to alleviate your symptoms and reduce the impact that your phobia has on your day-to-day life and overall well-being.

Some long-term and short-term strategies you can implement to help you deal with your phobia include:

• Desensitise yourself
  Practising speaking in front of groups of people can help you to desensitise and train your mind to be more comfortable with public speaking. Start by practising in front of two or three people you are extremely comfortable with, such as close family members. You can then gradually increase the number of people you practice in front of. When trying to desensitise yourself, you should also begin by practising in places you feel comfortable in, such as your own home. Ensure the people you practice with are aware of and educated about your phobia to ensure their reactions are appropriate and they are supportive.
• Prepare and practise
  Many people with glossophobia find that their phobia is rooted in the fear that they will embarrass themselves or that people will judge them negatively. Feeling prepared and more confident in your speech can help to reduce your anxieties. Ensure you know your speech inside out, giving particular focus to the beginning of the speech, where you are likely to feel the most nervous. Practise speaking out loud multiple times, including projecting your voice, the way you will stand and holding a microphone (if relevant). If you have to give a computer or video presentation, practise using this or any other technology that you need to avoid any additional anxiety. You should also ensure you are familiar with the room you will be speaking in. You could also practise your speech in front of someone you trust or videotape yourself to help you become more comfortable.
• Learn about your phobia
  Identifying what initially caused your fear of public speaking and thinking about the initial onset of your symptoms and the situation surrounding it can help you to understand your phobia in more detail. This allows you to address the root cause of your fear and any negative thoughts and emotions that are connected to it. Understanding your phobia can help you to rationalise and understand your thoughts and emotions related to your fear, reduce your automatic fear response and reduce the impact your phobia has on your life.
• Learn about how prevalent your fear is
  Learning about how prevalent a fear of public speaking is can help you to be more comfortable in triggering situations. Up to 75% of people experience fear or anxiety when public speaking so are likely to understand the fear and anxiety you may be experiencing and are likely to judge you kindly. This can help to remove the fear of judgement and the fear that people will laugh at you, which can make public speaking seem less daunting.
• Create a fear ladder
  A fear ladder can help you to analyse and understand your fear of public speaking and determine which situations create more severe fear, anxiety and panic than others. A fear ladder allows you to organise these situations from least triggering to most triggering. Because phobias are highly individualised, everyone’s fear ladder is different.
  However, an example fear ladder is shown below:
  – 1 = Speaking in front of a large audience of people you don’t know.
  – 2 = Speaking in front of a small group of people you don’t know.
  – 3 = Speaking or presenting at a work meeting.
  – 4 = Speaking in front of a large group of people you know.
  – 5 = Attending a work event or conference.
  – 6 = Starting a new job.
  Once you have created your fear ladder, you can then confront your fears one at a time, starting at the bottom of the ladder (the trigger that results in the least phobic response). This can help you to build up your tolerance of your triggers gradually and reduce your fear of public speaking.
• Challenge negative thoughts and feelings
  Many people with glossophobia find themselves thinking about public speaking in a negative way or dwelling on negative memories involving public speaking. If you find yourself thinking about public speaking negatively, try to disrupt and challenge any negative thoughts and memories to prevent your fear from escalating. Remind yourself that the risks are low and that nothing bad is likely to happen. If you begin to experience symptoms of glossophobia, remind yourself that the feelings will soon pass and that your fear is irrational. This can prevent your fear or anxiety from escalating.
• Avoid negative depictions of public speaking
  There are multiple negative depictions of public speaking in films and TV shows which can worsen your phobia by reinforcing your fears and making your feelings seem rational. Seeing negative portrayals of public speaking can validate your negative thoughts and feelings and increase your fear and anxiety responses. Avoid any negative depictions, such as someone becoming embarrassed or humiliated when speaking in front of a group, to prevent your phobia from escalating.
• Practise yoga, meditation or mindfulness
  Yoga, meditation and mindfulness can all be implemented as long-term coping and calming strategies to help you manage or reduce your fears. They teach you how to control your breathing and manage your body’s response to your triggers and can help you to feel more in control and calm. Yoga, meditation and mindfulness can all reduce the physiological and psychological responses you may have when faced with your triggers in the future. Practising yoga, meditation or mindfulness every day can help to improve the symptoms of glossophobia over time and reduce the likelihood of you experiencing a phobic response. You could also practise yoga, meditation or mindfulness just before you speak in front of a group to ensure you are calm and relaxed and are in a positive state of mind.
• Practise deep breathing exercises
  Deep breathing is both a long-term and short-term calming strategy that can help you to reduce the impact your fear of public speaking has on your life. Deep breathing exercises are proven to be an effective way of lowering your stress levels, relieving tension in your body and reducing anxiety and panic. Deep breathing sends a message to your brain to relax and calm down. It can also help you to control your central nervous system, which is central to your phobic responses. Practise deep breathing regularly, as part of your daily routine, and implement the strategies you have learnt if you are required to speak in front of a group in the future.
• Implement lifestyle changes
  Multiple lifestyle factors can worsen the symptoms of glossophobia. For example, lack of sleep and high stress levels can worsen anxiety and make your symptoms more likely to occur. Implementing a successful sleep routine and reducing your daily stress can reduce the severity of your phobia both short term and long term. Other lifestyle factors that could help you deal with your phobia include eating a healthy, balanced diet and increasing the amount of exercise you do. In the lead-up to public speaking, you should avoid caffeine, sugar and other stimulants as these can raise your heart rate and blood pressure and worsen your symptoms.
• Implement visualisation techniques
  Visualisation is a short-term coping and calming strategy that can help you to reduce the symptoms of your phobia when you are speaking in front of a group. If you are in a triggering situation, visualise a place or memory that keeps you calm or elicits positive emotions to help you to alleviate your symptoms and prevent your phobia from escalating.

What triggers glossophobia?

Glossophobia can be triggered by many different things. Because phobias are highly individualised, different people often experience different triggers. Your phobia may be triggered by certain situations, places and even objects. Your triggers can vary, depending on what initially caused you to develop a phobia of public speaking, your perception of danger, the severity of your symptoms and your current mental health and mindset.

It could be that you only have one trigger or that multiple things trigger the symptoms of glossophobia. In many cases, certain triggers result in a more severe phobic response than others.

The most common triggers for glossophobia are:

• Speaking in front of a group of people you don’t know.
• Speaking in front of a group of people you do know.
• Speaking in front of a group of people in a professional or formal situation or setting.
• Speaking in front of a group of people in social or informal settings.
• Speaking in front of a large group of people.
• Speaking in front of a small group of people.
• Attending a conference, meeting or event, even if you are not expected to speak.
• Attending a party, a wedding or another event with a large gathering of people.
• Going to any place where you may be expected to speak with other people.
• Starting a new job.
• Receiving a promotion or being in a position of authority.
• Starting the first day of school, college or university.
• Attending a team-building event.
• Getting married or having another life event, such as a retirement party, that could require you to speak in front of a group.
• Anticipating speaking in front of a group of people.
• Remembering a previous experience of public speaking.

Some people with glossophobia are triggered by any situation that involves speaking in front of a group. Other people are only triggered in formal or professional settings or in front of people they don’t know but feel comfortable speaking in front of groups made up of people they do know.

To prevent the occurrence of glossophobia symptoms, some people implement avoidance behaviours to avoid situations or scenarios where they may be required to speak in front of a group. However, although avoidance behaviours may seem beneficial short term, they can instead reinforce your fear and worsen your phobia over time.

Avoidance behaviours can also have a significant impact on your life, particularly if they cause you to avoid professional and social situations or impact your day-to-day life. Failure to deal with your phobia can also cause you to experience more severe symptoms when faced with public speaking or triggering situations in the future.

What are the symptoms of glossophobia?

The symptoms of glossophobia can happen at any time, including when you are faced with public speaking, when you are anticipating public speaking or when you are remembering a previous experience of public speaking. Symptoms can vary significantly in their frequency, severity and the way they manifest. Symptoms can also differ from person to person and from situation to situation.

The symptoms of glossophobia can be both physiological (related to your body) and psychological (related to your mind) and can range from mild to severe. Different people experience different symptoms, with some people experiencing more severe symptoms than others. Symptoms can also differ from situation to situation, with different triggers and different situations resulting in more severe symptoms than others.

The differences in the manifestation of symptoms can occur for several reasons, including because of different triggers, your perception of the situation, the perceived risk, your current mental and emotional health and well-being and any treatments you are undergoing or coping strategies you have implemented.

The symptoms of glossophobia can be similar to the symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks, particularly if you are experiencing severe symptoms. Symptoms are usually automatic and uncontrollable. They may feel like you are unable to control or reduce your feelings and that your phobia is taking over your body, your thoughts and your feelings.

Some of the physical and psychological symptoms of glossophobia include:

Physiological Symptoms:

• Increased blood pressure (hypertension).
• A rapid heart rate, heart palpitations or feeling like your heart is pounding.
• Shortness of breath, hyperventilating or feeling like you cannot breathe.
• Increased or excessive sweating or clamminess.
• Muscle tension or stiffening of your muscles.
• Trembling or shaking or feeling like you have chills.
• Nausea, vomiting or stomach pain.
• Dizziness or light-headedness.
• Confusion or disorientation.
• Feeling like you need to use the toilet.
• Experiencing a panic attack.
• A choking sensation, difficulties swallowing or feeling like something is stuck in your throat.
• A prickly sensation or feeling like you have pins and needles.
• A dry or sticky mouth.
• Unusual flushing or paleness, particularly in your face.
• Unusual or severe headaches.
• Feeling hot or cold or being extra sensitive to temperature.
• Unusual fatigue or tiredness.
• A lack of appetite when in triggering situations or in the lead-up to triggering situations.
• Insomnia in the lead-up to triggering situations.

Psychological Symptoms:

• Overwhelming fear, anxiety or panic in triggering situations.
• Anticipatory anxiety in the lead-up to public speaking.
• Avoiding situations where you may have to speak in front of a group.
• Feelings of fear, anxiety or panic that are out of proportion to the risks.
• Being unable to control your negative thoughts or feelings, even if you are aware that they are out of proportion to the true danger.
• Feeling like you are about to lose control, or you are out of control.
• Difficulties concentrating or functioning normally in triggering situations.
• Experiencing frequent or distressing nightmares about speaking in front of a group.
• Feeling defenceless or vulnerable when faced with speaking in front of a group.
• Feeling afraid that you will vomit, fall over or forget your words.
• Having a sense of impending doom.

The symptoms of glossophobia are often related to the fight-or-flight response, as your body overreacts to the perceived threat by producing adrenaline. This can result in some of the symptoms people with glossophobia frequently experience, such as increased blood pressure, a fast heart rate, sweating and shaking.

What causes glossophobia?

The cause of glossophobia is usually highly personal, meaning that it is specific to that person. In fact, the exact cause of developing a phobia of public speaking can differ from person to person. Some people with glossophobia can pinpoint one clear event or situation that caused them to develop a phobia, whereas, for other people, multiple factors contributed to them developing a fear of public speaking.

In some cases, the individual is unable to identify exactly what caused them to develop a phobia, particularly if they developed the fear during childhood or a long time ago. However, identifying the root cause of your phobia can be extremely beneficial and can help you to address your initial trigger and any negative patterns of thought or negative feelings that are attached to the initial onset of your phobia.

This can make it easier to treat your phobia and for you to develop coping strategies. Being aware of the cause of your fear of public speaking can make your phobia easier to manage.

The causes of phobias can be environmental, psychological or genetic. Some of the most common causes of glossophobia are:

• A negative or traumatic experience involving public speaking
  This is the most common cause of glossophobia and is known as a direct learning experience or traumatic conditioning. The traumatic experience could have happened during childhood, adolescence or adulthood and often results in the individual avoiding public speaking in the future and developing a fear of the situation repeating itself. In many situations, the experience involved no real danger or risk. However, as long as you experienced significant fear, distress or trauma, this could have led to the development of glossophobia. For example, you may have experienced people laughing at you or ridiculing you, you may have frozen and forgotten your words, or had an embarrassing experience, such as falling over or vomiting. Following the negative experience, you may have experienced intrusive and negative thoughts or memories of the trauma and began to avoid trauma-related triggers, for example, by avoiding group settings or missing days at work or school. This can cause the fear or anxiety you felt at the time of the experience to linger or worsen.
• Fear rumination
  Fear rumination is a common cause of phobias and usually occurs following a negative or traumatic experience involving public speaking, such as the examples listed above. Fear rumination is when you engage in a repetitive negative thought process and persistently and repetitively recap a traumatic, scary or negative experience speaking in front of a group. Over time, these thoughts and memories become increasingly scary, upsetting and intrusive and can make you remember the experience as being more traumatic, humiliating, embarrassing or scary than it was in reality. Fear rumination reinforces your natural fear responses and can result in you developing a phobia of public speaking in the future.
• Genetic factors
  Although genetic factors are unlikely to be the sole cause of your phobia, they can contribute to or predispose you to develop a fear of public speaking. Biological factors can determine how your brain regulates thoughts and feelings related to anxiety, stress, nervousness and introversion. If you are a naturally shy and nervous person and find it difficult to regulate stress and anxiety, you may be more likely to develop a social phobia such as glossophobia.
• A learned phobia
  A phobia can develop because of an observational learning experience, meaning you observed a fear of public speaking in another person and subsequently developed the fear yourself. You are more likely to learn a phobia if you are exposed to it during childhood or adolescence. Observing or experiencing a family member or role model disliking or avoiding social situations or speaking in public can result in the child having limited exposure to social situations or developing the same fears. Children who grow up with a close family member, such as a parent or sibling, with glossophobia are more likely to develop the condition themselves.
• Experiencing significant stress
  Significant, long-term stress can result in a disproportionate fear response or an inability to manage intense situations, which can make it more likely that you will develop a phobia. A stressful and distressing event, such as a bereavement, can also trigger glossophobia, as it can result in an individual being less able to manage their emotions and thought processes. If you have a negative experience with public speaking while experiencing significant stress, you are likely to develop a phobia.

How is glossophobia diagnosed?

Although social anxiety disorders and social phobias are well known, compared to many other phobias, they are still thought to be significantly underdiagnosed. Because social anxiety and the fear of social situations, including public speaking, can occur on a spectrum, many people are unsure if they are experiencing a true phobia.

Glossophobia includes:

• Fear, anxiety or panic that is out of proportion to the actual risks.
• Fear that impacts your ability to function in your everyday life or in certain situations.
• Thoughts and feelings surrounding public speaking that negatively impact your quality of life, your mental health or your well-being.
• Symptoms that occur when faced with your triggers or when thinking about public speaking.
• Fear or anxiety that results in avoidance behaviours.

If you think you may be experiencing glossophobia, your first step in receiving a diagnosis will be to visit your GP. To ensure you receive a full assessment and a correct diagnosis, your GP will likely refer you to a psychologist or a phobia specialist. However, before making a referral, your GP will look at your symptoms.

Because phobias can manifest differently in different people and can occur as a result of a combination of factors, diagnosis can include a variety of techniques.

In order to receive a diagnosis of glossophobia, your doctor will look at:

• Your symptoms, including the type and severity of symptoms you experience and how frequently they occur.
• Your medical history, including any anxiety disorders, panic disorders, phobias or other mental health conditions you have experienced.
• Your previous experiences of social situations.
• Your family history, for example, whether you have any close family members with glossophobia.
• Whether your fear of public speaking interferes with or affects aspects of your life, your social relationships, your professional life and your well-being.
• Whether you are experiencing any other health conditions or taking any medications that could explain your symptoms.

If you are referred to a psychologist, during your appointment, as well as the information above, you will also be asked additional information, such as what initially triggered your fear. When diagnosing social phobias, your doctor or psychologist will likely conduct a physical examination and discuss your symptoms. You will also need to answer a phobia questionnaire.

To receive a diagnosis of glossophobia, your symptoms will need to correspond with the diagnostic criteria for social anxiety disorders, as listed below:

1. Persistent and intense fear or anxiety related to speaking in front of a group which is related to the belief that you will be judged negatively or be embarrassed or humiliated.

2. Avoidance of situations that could involve public speaking or experiencing these situations with intense fear or anxiety.

3. Fear or anxiety that is out of proportion to the situation.

4. Fear or anxiety that interferes with your day-to-day life.

5. Fear or anxiety that is not explained by another medical condition, medication or substance use.

If your symptoms fit the diagnostic criteria and you have been experiencing symptoms for at least six months, you will receive a diagnosis of glossophobia. Depending on the severity of your phobia, treatment may be recommended.

How is glossophobia treated?

The type of treatment you will be offered will depend on how significantly your social phobia affects your ability to function in your day-to-day life and your previous medical history. There are several effective treatment options available for someone with glossophobia. However, not everyone with a phobia requires treatment.

If your symptoms are mild or do not impact your everyday life or well-being, or you have implemented successful coping strategies, you may not require formal treatment. However, you should still discuss your treatment options with your GP or psychologist before making a decision.

If your glossophobia causes you to avoid situations where you may have to speak with a group or it affects your professional or social life, your day-to-day life or your well-being, treatment will likely be recommended. Because there are multiple treatment options available, your doctor will create a personalised treatment plan that is designed to effectively treat the cause and symptoms of your phobia.

In some cases, you may be offered a combination of two or more treatment options.

When creating your treatment plan, your doctor will consider:

• How severe your symptoms are.
• How frequently your symptoms occur.
• What the root cause of your phobia is.
• How significantly your phobia impacts your life.
• Your overall health and well-being, including your mental health.

Some of the most common treatment options for glossophobia are:

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT):

CBT is a popular type of psychotherapy, commonly referred to as talk therapy. It teaches you how to recognise and change negative patterns of thought to help you change the way you think, feel and react to social situations. CBT will focus on the root cause of your phobia and any negative or harmful thoughts, feelings and behaviours that are triggered by public speaking.

You will also learn how to challenge negative thoughts about yourself or about what other people think of you and learn skills that will make you more confident in challenging situations. CBT helps you to replace cognitive distortions with more realistic views of public speaking. CBT aims to change your mental, emotional and behavioural processing of triggering situations.

As part of your CBT sessions, you will focus on:

• Negative beliefs you have about your own abilities and self-worth.
• Any embarrassment, anxiety or anger you hold about previous triggering situations.
• Any thoughts and feelings you have about people judging you.
• How to reduce avoidance behaviours.
• How to reduce your anxiety and feel more in control.

Exposure Therapy:

Also known as systematic desensitisation, exposure therapy is another type of psychotherapy. It focuses on challenging socially anxious behaviours. In a safe and controlled environment, you will gradually work up to facing situations you find the most triggering. Exposure therapy aims to give your mind the chance to adapt to and become more comfortable with your triggers. This allows you to manage and reduce your fears.

With the psychologist, you will create a fear ladder of situations and scenarios you find triggering. You will then tackle these situations one at a time, starting gradually with the situation that creates the least phobic response. Once you are comfortable, you will move on to the next situation.

The aim is that through systematic desensitisation, you will eventually be comfortable with the most triggering situations, such as speaking in front of a large group of people you don’t know. You will use a combination of role-playing and skills training to make you more comfortable with public speaking.

Exposure therapy aims to teach you how to be more confident in anxiety-inducing situations. You will also learn coping strategies and relaxation techniques. Following your sessions, you should be able to be in triggering situations without experiencing fear and anxiety responses.

Exposure therapy can help you to overcome your phobia in several ways:

• Emotional Processing: The sessions help you to create realistic thoughts and beliefs about public speaking.
• Extinction: The sessions help you to unlearn any negative associations, negative patterns of thought and negative feelings associated with public speaking.
• Habituation: Because exposure is repetitive over time, this can help to decrease your reactions to your triggers long term.
• Self-Efficacy: The sessions will show you that you are able to overcome your fear and reduce your anxiety, making this seem more achievable in the future and more likely that you can speak in front of a group in the future without experiencing fear or anxiety.

Medication:

Medication is usually more effective at treating social phobias, compared to other phobias. You may be prescribed one or more medications. In many cases, medication will be used in combination with psychotherapy.

Some medications that may be effective in treating glossophobia include:

• Anti-anxiety medications, such as benzodiazepines, to prevent or reduce the symptoms of anxiety or panic attacks.
• Beta-blockers to reduce physical symptoms, such as increased heart rate or dizziness.
• Anti-depressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), to help manage your social anxiety.