Glossophobia

Glossophobia, also known as speech anxiety, is the fear of public speaking. It is a general term for the sense of fear or panic that overtakes a person when he or she is called upon to speak or otherwise perform in public. There are other ways to refer to it: anxiousness, nervousness, “the jitters”, stage fright, fear of public speaking, performance anxiety, etcetera. The symptoms include: intense anxiety prior to, or simply at the thought of having to verbally communicate with any group; avoidance of events which focus the group’s attention on individuals in attendance; and physical distress, nausea, or feelings of panic in such circumstances. The more specific symptoms of speech anxiety can be grouped into three categories: physical, verbal, and non-verbal. Well, the root cause of glossophobia, although occasionally unknown, can usually be attributed to: a single or multiple traumatic incidents, usually experienced personally but sometimes associated with someone who has; or a slow build-up from avoiding public speaking over time until it builds into a more severe form of glossophobia. The causes of this anxiety are self-defeating thoughts and anxiety-provoking situations. Source: Wikipedia.org.