Why do I have such a fear of spontaneous public speaking?

Question

When I'm prepared with a topic, I can speak just fine. I may get a little nervous but people usually don't notice. However, If somebody calls on me to say something about myself or some topic that I don't know anything about, I get so d**n nervous that I can't think straight. My Heart rate goes crazy and I get out of breath. All I can think of is how much I HATE the stupid teacher for making me spontaneously speak in front of everybody. I don't know how to get over this crazy problem...

Do any of you have this problem? How do you deal with it? Now when a teacher is about to call on me spontaneously, I just get up and walk out of the class. I act like I have to use the restroom and I just sit there until the class is over with... Man this is a terrible affliction. Talk to you all later.

Answer 1

you are just timid

Answer 2

Wow!, What a Coincidence!.. My English teacher once told me that a survey about what humans are afraid of the most goes:

1. Apocalypse  2. Public Speaking  3. Terrorism

How in the world do we have Public Speaking on the list between the Apocalypse and Terrorism?.. It must be something really big then.. That same teacher told me that it is a problem for many people, and so what he did was, he told everyone in our class to have a speech about ourselves written by tommorrow.. TOMMORROW!.. He also said we need to memorize our 5 minute speech and wear some Dress Pants and Shirt!

I am soo nervous!!.. I haven't even written my speech yet and we are saying the speech tommorrow!.. But, to ease my mind, I thought about the other students in my class.. they must be really nervous too.. so i should be just a lil less worried.. You should realize that your teacher is not the one you should hate, but you should hate your nervousness because that is more worrying than the speech itself.. You should be thankful for someone to teach you on how to get over your fear!.. Do not hate them.. they seem to be pretty intelligent.. now considering my situation, right now.. late night, i am very nervous and procrastinating.. but you should get to sleep, Good Night and God Bless!

Answer 3

I definitely do.. and so do thousands of people.. you would be surprised.. even politicians have their speeches written out.. because some of them are not at all good at speaking freely.. some others are.. You should join Toastmasters. .. they help people to get rid of that fear to speak in public.. you will get a subject but you will also be asked impromptu to give a little speech.. and people there all have the same problem.. they are uncomfortable to speak in public.. even if they are intelligent. When the audience watches them they start to get really nervous.. Toastmasters is there to help people lose that fear and it works.. they all work together well and never judge each other.. but it improves their self esteem to speak in public.. I wouldn't dare i guess but my husband joined them and it helped him a lot to improve his skills to hold  speech in public.. When we got married and there were only 14 people including me and him.. the address he made to all the folks who came was.. .''Thank you for coming and thanks for the gifts..'' even I could have managed that.. LOL.. x*x

Answer 4

well if the teacher is going round the class asking people to say stuff about themselves, just listen and see what they say and maybe that will give you inspiration to come up with your own stuff.

Answer 5

Relax, it's not the end of the world. Being unprepared for anything gets most everyone in a twist.

It's a character building exercise. Each day, before you go to class, think about stuff you want (or like) to talk about, if the topic is non-specific and think about topics relevant to the class you might be called on which to speak. You don't have to be an expert.  You have an opinion on most any topic you are given. Don't speak from factual knowledge, unless you have it, when you speak, use words / phrases like, "I think;" "I believe;"  "In my opinion;" "allegedly;" "apparently," etc., use rhetorical questions.  Use any opportunity to use humor, have fun with it. Use a friend in the class to focus on and talk like you are BSing with them alone.