Overcoming Stage Fright: Understanding Glossophobia

Fear of public speaking, technically known as glossophobia, is one of the most common and crippling forms of social anxiety.

However, understanding its evolutionary origin is the first step in learning how to manage it and transform it into an asset.

Fear of public speaking as one of the most common fears

Public speaking is, for many people, one of the most feared activities, often surpassing the fear of heights or even death.

This fear, formally known as glossophobia, is not a rare phobia, but one of the most common fears we experience as human beings.

It is classified as a type of social anxiety, similar to stage fright, and its impact can be devastating, preventing talented people from sharing their ideas, taking risks and advancing their careers.

The "fight or flight" response and its evolutionary origin

This fear is not a sign of weakness, but a physiological "fight or flight" response deeply rooted in our brains.

Its origin is evolutionary: for our ancestors, survival depended on belonging to a group.

To be judged, rejected or isolated from the tribe was literally a death sentence.

Although today the environment is safe, our limbic brain does not distinguish between a real predator and the "danger" of being judged by an audience.

That is why, when we stand up in front of a group, our nervous system activates the same survival alarm, as if our life were in danger.

Physical and psychological symptoms of stage anxiety

The "fight or flight" response triggers a cascade of both psychological and physical symptoms.

Psychologically, the person may experience a sense of impending doom and obsessive thoughts of failure.

Physically, the body reacts with tremors, an accelerated heart rate, sweating, dizziness and nausea.

It is common for the mouth to become dry and the voice to weaken or crack, and for notes to tremble in the hands.

These symptoms are the outward manifestation of the adrenaline storm occurring internally.

How to reframe fear and use adrenaline to your advantage

The key to overcoming stage fright is not to eliminate the adrenaline, but to reinterpret it. The physical symptoms of fear are almost identical to those of excitement.

Instead of thinking "I'm scared," you can reframe the thought to "I'm excited" or "I'm full of energy."

This technique allows you to channel that nervous energy and use it to enhance your presentation.

The adrenaline that used to paralyze you can now become the fuel for a more dy