Glossophobi Fear Of Public Speaking

If speaking in front of a massive crowd terrifies you, you are not alone. Glossophobia or in layman 's term, fear of public speaking is strikingly prevalent. In fact, 75% of the world 's population has some degree of anxiety when it comes to speaking in public. Even prominent personalities such as Barbara Streisand and Prince Harry of Wales admitted upon suffering this phobia. As cited by McClafferty (2015), the term "glossophobia" came from the Greek word "glōssa" which means tongue, and "phobos" meaning fear or dread. "It can be defined as a very specific form of stage fright or speech anxiety which is the fear of speaking in public" (Carelse). According to McKay (2011), glossophobia is classified by psychologists simply as a social anxiety disorder, although glossophobics (people who suffer from glossophobia) are not actually afraid of any other social interactions. They may just intentionally avoid circumstances where they would have to present or speak in public.

Glossophobia can be so severe that some people would rather jump off a flying airplane than to give a presentation in front of a crowd. In other words, people fear it more than they fear death. Making Glossophobia, fear of public speaking, the most common fear in the world. As stated by Carelse, Glossophobia may hinder the sufferer’s ability to advance his or her academic, social or career opportunities. If left untreated, this can lead to loneliness, poor self-esteem, depression and isolation. That is why