Glossophobia

A survey was conducted several years ago in which people were asked to name what they were most afraid of. Not surprisingly, such things as a debilitating disease or injury, the loss of a loved one, snakes, bankruptcy and death received a great many mentions. But the one happening that reportedly received the most tallies was public speaking or speech anxiety (glossophobia). Out of those results came a funny observation by comedian Jerry Seinfeld in which he mused that, if true, it is therefore quite likely the person giving a eulogy at a funeral in all likelihood would actually rather be the deceased. Funny. Right?  But is the same time, it also quite telling.


The results demonstrate just how intensely people want to avoid putting themselves in a position of public embarrassment Such a circumstance, one can surmise, is to be avoided at literally all costs. If one would literally rather die than speak before a room full of people, then the risk of one poorly representing themselves before others is, indeed, viewed as the most terrible of fates. Forget water boarding. Never mind electric shock. It would seem we have a new form of torture that surpasses all others: public speaking. Need a criminal to confess to a crime? Easy. Interrogation is not necessary. Simply have them stand up in front of a room full of strangers and talk about, say, how they spent their summer vacation.
Speaking before others is a key form of communication. In a class room, for instance, students are called upon to speak out nearly every day. At the workplace, it is not uncommon for employees, not just supervisors, to make known their views or share information in front of others. Do those afraid to do this have any problem cheering at a sporting event? I raise this question to suggest that such a fear might be more situational rather than across-the-board. In such cases, perhaps professional communicators can play a key role in helping those dealing with such an anxiety find their voice.