Most of us have probably stood up at a blackboard once in our lives, had to make a presentation in front of someone, or had to explain something to someone in a meeting due to our job. So why, when we see a crowd listening to us, do we blush, sweat, feel like our hearts are about to explode, and confuse everything we know? What prevents us from explaining something in front of someone and makes us feel anxious about this situation?
What is this Presentation Phobia? Why Does It Affect Us So Much?
Making a presentation is a situation that we may encounter in most areas of our lives. Features such as making catchy presentations and having strong bilateral relations are important factors for an individual's success in business life. We have experienced similar situations in our school life, and some of us still continue to experience them. In order to better understand presentation phobia, it is useful to first know what social phobia is.
Social phobia is an individual's fear of one or more social situations that are open to evaluation and interpretation by other people. It is a state of fear or anxiety. However, presentation phobia is a state of fear and anxiety that an individual feels towards situations involving issues such as explaining something, expressing an opinion, taking the floor and making comments in a public environment. We all feel excited and stressed about speeches and presentations in crowded environments, this is a very natural situation. However, people with presentation phobia are extra sensitive to these situations. Even if they want to, they may avoid working in a job or field where they will make a presentation or taking courses that involve presentation.
Negative experiences that people have had in the past and the negative beliefs that arise from these experiences are the main factors that create presentation anxiety. Individuals have negative beliefs that do not reflect reality, that the audience will make negative comments about them during or after their presentation, that they will be embarrassed, that they will not succeed, that they will sweat, blush and become embarrassed, that they will be ridiculed. These beliefs are based on people's presentation, It prevents them from addressing large groups, such as speaking, and/or even if they do this, they do not perform well. It paves the way for them to encounter loss of employment.
How can we overcome presentation phobia?
Research shows that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) It shows that it is the most useful therapy method for anxiety disorders, compared to other therapy methods. In this sense, cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on the person's wrong and negative thoughts and behaviors before, during and after the presentation.
If you see a piece of yourself while reading these paragraphs, you may consider getting help from a mental health professional. In fact, we are never alone as we think …
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