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What's good for low confidence/ public speaking/ anxiety? (not benzos)

T

thewhitebuilding

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Nov 14, 2013
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So I suffer from a bit of general and social anxiety, but I get by generally ok.

However I'm coming up to a part of my uni course which involves a lot of public speaking and role-playing. And I'm absolutely terrible at it. I go red, stutter, and basically fail to speak and embarrass myself. Got to the point where I avoid classes.

Diazepam (unprescribed) has helped tremendously in the past, however I don't want to risk using them as I'm worried it would become habitual.
Beta-blockers (prescribed) work a little bit, but only with the physical side. My brain still goes into a nervous meltdown.

Would pregabalin work?

I've tried valaerian, and that dosen't seem to help.

A drink or two beforehand has helped, but I don't want to start that.

Are there any RCs out there that would help with these nerves?

(By the way, I know the ultimate cure is to face my fear, be healthy, sleep etc and eventually I'll be fine etc etc. I agree.

But for now I need something just to help me out a little bit.
 
Pregabalin is a bit odd for me when it comes to anxiety. I would say overall it helps, but it isn't like a good benzo, it's more... open to interpretation, the feelings it produces.

I took GBL when I needed to speak at uni.. and I did a bloody good job on that.

I would personally get hold of some clonazolam which is meant to be like clonazepam; the best benzo for anxiety (in my experience.) And just don't make it a habit. Easier said than done I know.
 
As much sex as possible. The more depraved the better, right before you are due to speak.

Then just hold the mental image of that happy spot in your mind.
 
Tangerine Dream said:
Pregabalin is a bit odd for me when it comes to anxiety. I would say overall it helps, but it isn't like a good benzo, it's more... open to interpretation, the feelings it produces.

I took GBL when I needed to speak at uni.. and I did a bloody good job on that.

I would personally get hold of some clonazolam which is meant to be like clonazepam; the best benzo for anxiety (in my experience.) And just don't make it a habit. Easier said than done I know.
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GBL does sound perfect. Though I'm wary of the fine-line between its effects and knocking me out......
 
Ffs I wouldn't take any drugs all you need is practise and practise. So maybe you're never going to be the,type who finds presentation work comfortable. What if you end up with a job you have to do that regularly? You going to get fucked on some drugs every time? How are you going to cope with the post presentation networking?


Know your stuff, have an interesting power point and be real - tell them your nervous make jokes about it, most will understand that. It's ok to get stuff wrong and if any questions are to hard to answer then, just say 'I'll get back to you on that and check'

Keep eye contact going around the audience and if you can gather the balls - get them involved and ask them questions.

Ok, I do this often for a living and I don't sweat it at all, I actually love it. So it can be done.

Main tip - know what you are talking about.

Best of luck x


Ps: I tend to be greedy with G and benzos, keeling over and drooling like a spazzy ain't a good look in front of a crowd...
 
A good diet, exercise and generally feeling fit practically irradiates any anxiety for me. I feel it more when I'm not living healthily. Laughing helps too, stressed anxious people tend to be serious people.
 
Agreed on the G notion.
I find it helps tremendously to rehearse as much as possible. Talk to an empty chair first, then to a close friend or two that won't care if you stutter a bit, slowly build up the amount of people in the audience.
It also helps to reinforce the subject matter in your own mind as an added bonus.

Good luck. :)
 
A banana 30 minutes before speaking sometimes helps a bit as they are natural beta blockers.
 
I used to be quite shy. It was always the family joke. I can't tell you what brought me out of my shell but confidence just grew on me. Don't worry what others think. They don't matter. I think when you grow yourself socially speaking publicly comes in it's own terms.

As it's been said before, practice with friends. They'll hold your paw, give you positive feedback. A good friend won't let you down. They'll always be there for you. Rehearse to yourself, Rehearse with a mate, again and again and again.

You'll be fine.
 
koneko said:
Ffs I wouldn't take any drugs all you need is practise and practise. So maybe you're never going to be the,type who finds presentation work comfortable. What if you end up with a job you have to do that regularly? You going to get fucked on some drugs every time? How are you going to cope with the post presentation networking?


Know your stuff, have an interesting power point and be real - tell them your nervous make jokes about it, most will understand that. It's ok to get stuff wrong and if any questions are to hard to answer then, just say 'I'll get back to you on that and check'

Keep eye contact going around the audience and if you can gather the balls - get them involved and ask them questions.

Ok, I do this often for a living and I don't sweat it at all, I actually love it. So it can be done.

Main tip - know what you are talking about.

Best of luck x


Ps: I tend to be greedy with G and benzos, keeling over and drooling like a spazzy ain't a good look in front of a crowd...
Click to expand...

Thanks. And to everyone else.

I think I knew that was the answer. Just checking I wasn't missing a magic tonic everyone else was in on I guess.....

I will be doing a job where these kind of situations are an everyday thing eventually. It's more role-playing in front of an audience that gets to me. I know for a fact that in "real life situations" I'm ok in these sort of situations, without the audience. It's just a bastard that you've got to show you're a great actor and do it in front of an audience first.

Oh well. Let's see how today goes...
 
I used to be really nervous when public speaking, I too feared it at Uni - one time I got myself some cocaine and hoovered a line or two up in the bogs, my mate also had a talk to do on the same course, so I slipped him the coke, but the idiot went to the toilet and rubbed it on his gums instead of doing a line, nae cunt could understand what he was saying 'cause his mouth was all numb. Eejit!!

Anyway, now I am older, I've been best man twice, I have done readings at weddings, I'm still nervous but I can handle it more. Funny thing is, I can be quite confident in a large group of people, it's the idea of standing up and preparing for something that seems to make it more difficult for me.

As it's been said, if you know your stuff you'll be fine, people expect you to be a bit nervous and if it shows it really doesn't matter, as long as you get your point across. That was my problem, I probably fucked about too much, didn't prepare properly; therefore, I made the task a million times harder on myself. I realise this now, years later when practicing best men speeches, they turned out good even though I was nervous because I prepared.
 
i used to be really shy about public speaking... then i got into debating and all that during highschool. helped a lot... my best advice would be to just keep doing it... and prepare ahead. practice in front of a mirror, as stupid as it sounds, its always a good idea to hear yourself speak.
and one could also open with a joke or remark about being nervous. i found that the first few lines are always the most difficult... then once you get started... things fall into place...

but thats just general advice and not drug related...
 
Sid said:
A good diet, exercise and generally feeling fit practically irradiates any anxiety for me.
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This. If you are exercising well it will actually lower your heart rate at rest, leaving you less susceptible to nervous panic attacks. There are also other physical changes within the endocrine system which will make you feel naturally calmer and more positive.

koneko said:
Ffs I wouldn't take any drugs all you need is practise and practise.
Click to expand...

This also. It is something that is learned through experience, the more you have done it the more easier it becomes.



Oh I also recommend a couple of shots of rum just to dull the nerves if you are worried about it still.
 
At uni I had the same problem, I think everyone does in their own (a different) way. I once used booze and 5 mg benzo before for 1 presentation and made a tit of myself as forgot what I was saying mid-sentence a gd few times, so did everything else from that point on sober (minus weed:\) - lucky I made it through still but at least I had a better chance of remembering what to work on for feedback. Just try your best - it's all you can do - and you will be stronger for it no matter what happens. Like others said rehearse, plan and even if you feel stupid just fake it til you make it - without bullshitting admit if you don't have a worthy answer as bottom line is you've got to know your stuff e.g if it's a question on something. I take it you have a script if you're role-playing in the presentation? Is that the part you're not looking forward to most?
 
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I think meditation can help with this, as it teaches you to focus without interrupting your thought process. It really worked for me at the time, I've never had any trouble with public speaking but was a nervous wreck and "mindfulness meditation" really helped me cope with a bunch of things.
 
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