If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.
Read the community guidelines before posting ✨
Social anxiety
Past User
Posts: 0 Just got here
Comments
This sounds really tough, but hope we can help 💜. Can I check - is it public speaking like presenting to people or is it having a conversation in general with people outside family that makes you feel this way?
I used to get very anxious talking in front of strangers, to the point where I have had rapid breathing / sweating too where everything feels like 100 miles per hour. One thing I do to deal with this when I feel my body starting to read is by controlling my breathing now to slow my body down. Have you heard of box breathing technique?
I'm sorry to hear that you have been struggling with public speaking but please know that you are not alone at all and so many people struggle with this. I myself have struggled with public speaking in the past but luckily I have found that it gets easier the more I do it.
There are a few things that have helped me. Controlling breathing like @Lucy307 has suggested, is really helpful so I would definitely give that a try. Focusing on breathing is good because it helps to slow your breathing down but it can also work as a distraction, because your brain has to focus on breathing rather than the public speaking itself.
Another thing to try is visualisation. If you know you have a presentation/ interview or something coming up then before the event try to imagine yourself talking confidently and getting through the public speaking successfully. This might help because it might help your self belief and in the moment you can remember your visualisation and know that you can get through it. Also you could try practising in front of a mirror or even in front of family.
After a while if you find that these sorts of techniques are not really working than it might be best to seek some professional support as you have said.
Hope this helps a little
Talking to us a brilliant first step, and if you’re comfortable with it I do think talking to friends or family would be a good idea .But I understand it can feel scary.
One thing I do which sounds a little silly but helps is colour breathing. Think of a colour you don’t like that much , then imagine all your worried and fears and breathe out and imagine it’s a cloud of that coloured smoke. It’s a silly trick but it helps me feel a little lighter.
Wishing you all the best, always happy to listen if you ever need anything