Can you be excused from Public Speaking (in school) if you have been diagnosed with social anxiety?

Question

If you pour thousands of dollars into an institution and say a presentation is riding on your grade, shouldn't social anxiety (with a doctors note) be an excuse to somehow get out of it? I am physically limited when it comes to speaking in public, my mind blanks and I instantly have to escape. I really don't want to take medication but I'll try anything...

Answer 1

You are describing how 99% of people feel about public speaking.  You need to practice it, and the more you practice, the less nervous you become.

Answer 2

by law the school must make arrangement to handle your disability.

Answer 3

I think you should get over you fears, stop looking for excuses and just do it

Answer 4

A request for accommodation should never be an excuse for anything.

It is a way of achieving an equal chance of success in school/work/daily life.  If you feel accommodation is necessary, its also going to be necessary to go through the proper channels to achieve that.  There will be more paperwork than just a doctors note.  If you are in college (either that or a private school considering the price) it will be contacting disability services in advanced and having verification that this does truly mean you have a disability.  Most of that 16% (which would mean 'excusing' 3 out of every 20 students) with social anxiety are not impaired enough in their daily life functions to qualify as disabled.  

If you are in highschool, you will have to undergo screening and evaluations and everyone will sit down together (parents, teachers, OTs) and create an IEP that will accommodate you in school.  An IEP doesn't allow you to totally 'opt out' of any type of learning though.  You get accommodations like a reduction of math problems or extra time on a test or English books on tape.

Personally, I think asking to plain 'get out' of the presentation is inappropriate.  I think you really need to look at ways to 'mitigate' this situation.  First, look at your own resources.  It is important to do everything you can on your own before asking for further accommodation.  Have you been dedicated to working with your therapist on these issues?  Typically a therapist will work with you on systematic desensitization and cognitive behavioral modification.  They might also suggest medications.  For me, the meds help me in the moment as I learn the skills to function.  A good therapist typically doesn't encourage total avoidance though they might suggest an alternate to a 2 hour presentation at this time depending on your own situation.  Mine always says we are going to learn how to swim before attempting the triathlon.

After you have done everything you can with your own resources, then you can request proper accommodation.  I personally would not ask to just 'get out of it'.  That sounds like you are lazy.  Instead sit down with them and problem solve the issue.  Can you do the presentation via video-tape?  Can you have extra notes?  Can you break it up into several different parts at different times?  Can you use a podium, props, powerpoint, face a different direction, speak only to the prof...  

There are many different options and I am sure if you put enough effort into this you too can succeed.  Please, just don't live your life using your limitations as excuses.  They are challenges and you will need to find creative solutions to get around them and that might mean not getting a job that requires public speaking, but you are still a capable individual.

Answer 5

Try speaking with your teacher and see if you can do something else for the grade. Let your teacher know that you aren't trying to get out of it completely, that you are willing to do something else for the grade.  They should be willing to work with you. If not, get your parents involved.  Sometimes people who have never had to deal with things like social anxiety don't understand how severe of a problem it can be.  They think it's just something you can get over.  I wish you luck!  

Answer 6

Well, your school district would do anything to avoid a lawsuit, so yes I am sure with mild persuasion they'd be willing to exempt you from speaking. However, forcing yourself to confront your irrational fear is the only way to overcome it. I suffer from social anxiety that at one point was so bad, I couldn't hold down a job and refused to be in the same aisle as a stranger in the store. Logically I just forced myself to interact even though at first I'd sweat, see spots, and feel nauseous. If you simply cannot force yourself to speak in public for even short periods of time, you need an anti-anxiety medication.  

Answer 7

Even your therapist will encourage public speaking. You must overcome your fear by confronting it.  Practice with your family or people you feel comfortable with. When the time comes to do so in class, take a deep breath and just look to the back of the room. Don't concentrate on the students/teachers faces.

However, I don't think you need medication just a therapist.

But I'm no doctor.