What Is Glossophobia?

Biological Factors:

Glossophobia, for some, may be due to genetics. Some people are naturally very shy from birth, and as a result, struggle in social situations.

Learned Behaviors:

Children who grow up around shy parents might also start to develop Glossophobia. If a parent protects their child from social interactions for example, the child tends to isolate from said interactions in the future.

Past Experiences:

Those who have experienced traumatic events in Public Settings are likely to develop Glossophobia. Interactions in uncomfortable settings can cause or further develop Glossophobia.

Glossophobia has been seen as a direct result of social anxiety, and is diagnosed as such.

Psychological Interventions, like therapy, are known to be effective treatments for Social Anxiety and Glossophobia.

Two of the most common types of therapy for Social Anxiety are as follows:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Therapy based on talking to fix issues like anxiety and depression.

Exposure Therapy - Helping one overcome their phobia by slowly exposing them to it more and more.

There are many ways that you can cope with Glossophobia without avoiding social situations:

1. Recognize where your anxious feelings are coming from (This can help you talk in public without wondering why you are feeling anxious).

2. When giving a presentation, focus on the topic (People are not thinking about you but rather about what you are saying).

3. Try to make eye contact (Individuals are more likely to be interested in your presentation if you make eye contact).

4. Experiment with different strategies to calm your nerves (This can help you stay confident in the moment).

Glossophobia is a very widespread phobia and causes feelings of anxiety in social situations.

It leads to symptoms like anxiety or low self-esteem and can be caused by genetics, learned Behaviors, or past experiences.

Luckily, there are lots of ways to treat this phobia, and eventually it can be reduced or even resolved.