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Overcoming The Symptoms Of Stage Fright |
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Submitted by Nigel Harris
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If you suffer from stage fright in any form then I'm sure that you would like to be able to overcome those problems. Since stage fright can take on many different forms and have a wide variety of symptoms so it is difficult to diagnose each case in one article. What we can do, however, is to speak about a few of the most common symptoms of stage fright and what you can do to overcome them. This will help to cover the basics and will also give you an idea of what you can do to overcome any additional stage fright symptoms that you may be experiencing. Here are the top three stage fright symptoms and what you can do to overcome them before you take the platform.
Dry Mouth - this is a very annoying problem to have, especially when you are going to be speaking in a public engagement. Because your dry mouth will cause you to do things like smacking your lips uncontrollably and it will also change the pitch and tone of your voice. If you are suffering from dry mouth then you need to take a moment to relax, and then go suck a lemon. This may seem like a rather flip comment, but it actually works. The sourness of the lemon will cause your mouth to produce saliva for a long period of time. If you are going to be speaking for a long time then have some lemon water on the platform for you to sip during your speech.
Shaky Hands - The problem of shaking is not usually confined to only the hands, but this is where it is typically noticed because of you holding your notes. At times your hands may shake so much that you are not able to read your own notes and this can bring your presentation to a screeching halt. Other then really being able to relax a little bit there are very few options to overcome this problem. I have found, however, that holding my notes with two hands will help a great deal. The only other option that you really have is to have a place to set your notes, such as a podium or perhaps even have them on a clipboard.
Shaky Knees - The problem of your knees knocking together is actually something that has been around for thousands of years, the first written instance of it being recorded in the Bible. So you are actually in good company when it comes to having a problem with shaking knees. There are also a few options to be able to overcome this, but one of the best ways is to shift your weight a little bit from side to side. It is necessary to stand straight with your feet below you in order to appear poised for your speech. But there is nothing wrong with shifting your weight slightly to overcome shaky knees provided you do not draw notice to it from your audience.
There are many other things that could go wrong whenever you are giving your speech. One of the best things to do is just to be prepared to take a deep breath during your talk without being too noticeable about it. The moment that you take a deep breath you will find that you will regain your composure to one degree or another.
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