Help, I am too shy?

Question

I find it difficult to address a group of people. I usually start sweating alot and get find it hard to speak. I am in college and I have to make some presentations in front of my class. Are there any drugs to treat shyness? Please help me, no ridiculing, please.

Answer 1

Please do not take any drugs. I too have the same problem, probably worse. I tend to stammer a lot or at times the words just wouldn't come out of my mouth and this is especially embarassing when I have to present something in front of the whole class. Thus, I memorise word for word my entire script and rehearse it plenty of times before the presentation. This will help in the fluency of your presentation and as you know exactly what to speak, you would feel more confident. Also, I relax my mind before the presentation and think 2 myself, even if i do embarass myself, what the heck? it's only my classmates.they too have flaws.Another advice is act confident (even if you don't feel like it) and have the i-can-achieve-anything attitude. It really helps.

Answer 2

No, you don't need drugs to treat shyness. I'm very shy also. This sort of shyness you are describing is normal. Sometimes even the most outgoing people freeze when they have to present in front of the class. I can give you some advice that helps me out whenever I have to speak in front of the class.
-Beforehand make notecards. That way if you forget where you left off you can just look down and see what to talk about next.
-Practice giving your presentation in front of some good friends first. It's nice to have some input beforehand.
-When you go in front of the class take a deep breath before you start and take your time. This will prevent you from rushing and it will relieve some anxiety.
-You can try looking at the top of people's heads instead of their eyes. They won't know the difference.
-The more you speak in front of a group, the more comfortable you get. I suggest taking a class in Public speaking which is designed to help people like you feel more comfortable while speaking in public.

Answer 3

I used to have the same problem. It still happens a little bit but it's much better now. I just kept practicing and practicing over and over to make sure I knew what i was going to say. I Forced myself to speak up in situations because I was determined not to let this rule my life. I ran worst-case scenarios in my head and realized I'd be able to deal even if the absolute worst happened. I reminded myself i had just as much a right to speak up and give my opinion as anyone else.

Besides the shaking and sweaty palms, my particular trouble was laughing. I'd get so nervous that I'd just start laughing hysterically which was incredibly inconvenient and annoying. And then one day it actually happened during a presentation- that was the worst. And I just turned my head and bit down really hard to make myself stop, cleared my throat and kept going from where I left off. And guess what, I survived. That was a turning point for me.

"Props" are useful. If you need to, it's okay to pause to drink some water, straighten your glasses, point to a diagram, etc. A few seconds of silence really aren't a big deal. Also try to have a podium or something where you can keep your notes. It is very easy to see (and hear) that your hands are shaking when you're holding your notes. The paper rattles and rustles everywhere!

I hope some of that helped. Good luck.

Answer 4

Unfortunately shyness is not treatable with drugs, at least not yet. If possible, it may be good if you can try and figure out what it is that you feel nervous about when going up there...do you feel nervous because people are looking at you? do you feel nervous because you have to say things in front of people? are you afraid of people thinking you're dressed funny? (sorry, I know that one's a bit silly, but it is possible). A good way to get over anxiety is to understand what's causing it and then dissect it ot the point where you realize it may not be as bad as you think. (What's the worse thing that can happen if I stumble on my words? I'm not going to fail the class, people aren't going to hate me or throw anythng at me, people aren't going to think I'm stupid, etc. etc.)
If you are nervous about the speaking part, it may be helpful for you to practice giving your presentations in front of people you feel safe and comfortable around before giving it in class.
I find that often the most intimidating part of giving presentations is being unsure about what exactly you want to say, how you want it to be said, etc. It's good to get that part to flow a bit more comfortably, so you'll have less anxiety about the content of the presentation.
It may be good to try and practice a few times in front of different people. That way, you can feel stronger in the presentation and hopefully feel a little less stressed when going up there.
Good luck in whatever you do!

Answer 5

Join the speakers club on campus or contact toastmasters club for help addressing a large group.
But one sure way that will help is if you volunteer at church during the services. My sister had problems with her last year of law school because she couldn't do public speaking or handle practice trials. So, she started by doing a small, two paragraph reading during mass. Her first one was awful for her. The next one was much easier and so on. She moved on to longer readings and eventually to Sunday mass where the church is overflowing with SRO. She did this in a short period of time and it worked out so well for her, to this day she still does it. Her court room fears were met and she has no problems at work. She says the shyness and nervousness is still with her except she doesn't let it show.
She gets approached to do readings, lead prayers and relate lots of eulogies for funerals from people who absolutely can not,
Forget the drugs, this is something you can overcome, I have faith in you.

Answer 6

Doesn't seem you are too shy, obviuosly b/c you are addressing this to hundreds online. I think you have little self confidence, and it is normal to have anxiety to approach groups of people, but the key is to be your self, no drug can help you over come yoru fears. Can't run away from all of your problems-

Answer 7

What you need is confidence. If you know the material you are presenting 100% then there should be no problem. If you perceive your audience in any way antagonistic then imagine them naked.
If all else fails you could turn to Bach flower remedies.
Here in Australia we have what is called Australian Bush Flower remedies. They do work for me.

Answer 8

Lots of people get anxious in front of a crowd. It's perfectly normal. Just remember that there are others who have the same problem. You have my prayers and may the Lord bless you in every aspect of life.

Answer 9

There are drugs which can help but you would only get them from a psychiatrist after having been diagnosed with anxiety disorder. Even then you would only be prescribed them if your doctor felt that they were the best treatment for you.

Answer 10

i have gone through this same problem when i present slides during my work meetings. the only thing i can suggest to you is try not to think about the acutal speaking in front of people but just relax and try to think of something else.