I ALWAYS shake when I'm nervous. How can I stop?

Question

Even if I don't feel that nervous in my mind my hands and/or legs shake. I did a speech in front of my whole year and my paper was fluttering like mad. I tried meditating the night before and the morning of the speech but I still shook like h**l.

Answer 1

That's normal.  Everyone CAN'T speak in front of people.  The only thing you can do is do the best that you can.

Answer 2

Ya know, I do the same thing. It didn't start until I had a traumatic experience in my life. Anyway, I take Klonopin. It's a prescription antianxiety medication. Good luck. I don't know what else to tell you.

Answer 3

This doesn't help but I'd love to know the answer too. There are times when I can't even answer a question or voice an opinion sitting down at a table because I get tremors, also even when I don't THINK I'm that nervous. It can be really severe and it's got me seriously worried (a serious psychological issue?!). Had to read a speech today and I felt my ears literally heating up. I think I also have a slight genetic issue (lately when I play sport I get very shaky) and I've yet to work up the courage to see a doctor but on the issue of confidence there are sometimes public speaking groups where you can improve confidence and speaking skills as well as hopefully acclimatise.

I've read a few articles on social anxiety recently and really relate to them. I think the attention given to this issue simply doesn't reflect the magnitude of its seriousness for sufferers. Not to make certain people out to be 'special' but somehow 'everyone has their spells of nervousness' doesn't quite cut it for me. There are people who shun society all together and I can't say that there aren't times when I feel like doing that myself. Again, sometimes it's not the state of confidence you feel yourself to be in but the physical symptoms and other than that, an indescribable and inescapable unpleasant pressure. It's just such a nuisance, so completely unwanted that I can't help but feel that it's not something you just 'get over'. Perhaps seeing a specialist or seeking medication is useful if the situation is severe but somehow even for experts I feel such things are not an open and shut case.