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What is the best way to cope with your anxiety when you have to make a presentation?

30 Answers
Last Updated: 01/18/2021 at 10:02pm
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
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Stacey Kiger, LPC

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My belief is that therapy is not about giving advice, but joining you on your journey

Top Rated Answers
TaylorK17
March 26th, 2015 5:05am
I find the best way to cope is to just be prepared. You will find the presentation to be a lot easier when you are fully prepared with what you are going to say. It may take a little bit more work, but it is worth it. Both for your success and mental health.
lucy1013
May 12th, 2015 4:30am
I like to take many deep breaths. Fill your chest completely with air. Close your eyes. I look at a friend in the crowd and pretend I am just giving the presentation to him or her. If I'm feeling anxious in the middle, I do not hesitate to slow down and go back to my deep breaths.
Mrydel0220
January 18th, 2021 10:02pm
I can understand why making a presentation gives you anxiety. It is difficult to put yourself on that situation. It is important to know that you are not alone and others have to go through the same process as well. Rather than focusing on your anxiety just focus on doing the best you can do for the presentation. By starting your presentation with a positive mindset it can lower your stress and anxiety. Another way to help with your presentation is practice. By practicing it can help reduce your anxiety and make you feel more prepared for the presentation.
therapinto
March 2nd, 2015 7:22am
If the anxiety is while preparing the presentation, go through a Powerpoint tutorial video on youtube so that you know all the animations and stuff that you can incorporate in your ppt to make is presentable. If the anxiety is due to "Stage fright" then you need to rehearse well if possible in front of your family or a group of friends. I am sure someone or the other will volunteer to be the audience of your rehearsal. You just need to know that when you are on the stage, you can say what you've come to day and no one will stop you from it.
MarshmallowTimeWithMe
November 20th, 2018 5:39pm
Anxiety comes when you start overthinking of what people are thinking of you, of the way you talk, the way you close and open your eyes, the way you move, the way you breath, they way you are freacking out, and the list goes on. I want you to stop thinking. Keep in my mind that these are just thoughts. It does not mean they are real if they gigle when you are talking, maybe they just remembered the lame joke they were laughing like crazy about it last night at 2am while laying in bed with not-matched pyjamas and crazy hair. Do not overthink. And if you do, it is normal. IT IS TOTTALY NORMAL. We are humans, if we do not think that means that we are dead. Even people in coma have thoughts in their heads. People looking at you overthink too, "does he think i am not listening?" , "does he think i am sitting in a weird pose that is making me look like i need to pee" ..... and more weirder thoughts .. it is okay to think, but you need to keep in mind that these thoughts will not give you anxiety and make you struggle through your presentation. Keep it simple, do the best you can like it is your last day, becaus3 if you do not, then when you get home and sit alone you will ask yourself why you did not just ignored the thoughts and rock that presentation. You look pretty do not worry, your presentation will be good, and you are doing a good job. Good luck. 💖
Marusew
November 5th, 2018 3:28am
Public speaking can be one of the hardest activities for those with social anxiety. To help yourself more comfortably present it helps to 1. Be very confident in what you are presenting and very familiar with the topic 2. Imagine the absolute best scenario and accept that as your goal 3. Going into the presentation have an air of confidence and a can do attitude for this can attempt to counteract your anxiety about the presentation.
Anonymous
October 29th, 2018 2:57pm
Practices are really important. From my personal experience, it makes a lot of difference. Being confident about your speech helps. It’s like you go on an auto pilot, so you wouldn’t be thinking about other stuff as much - you’ll be concentrating more on the presentation itself than the audience, which I assume is what causes most people to feel anxious. However, if you are experiencing anxiety during, I think focusing on an audience who makes you feel comfortable and supported helps, like a friend. If possible, try having that friend sitting at the front. Also, try asking yourself what’s the worst that could happen?
NoteToMyHeartwarm
June 12th, 2018 1:43am
Do some calm exercise like breathing and have a positive thought. You can do it slowly without pressuring yourself. Try to focus on what you study in the presentation because that's what people cares more. I believe in you, you can do it!
pinkpixie
February 26th, 2018 1:53am
Remind yourself that it will all be over soon! Do something that will help you calm down and breathe. I used to get extremely anxious when I had to present so I would take deep breaths while listening to a calming song on my phone.
Anonymous
January 30th, 2018 7:23am
For me, I've done so many presentations and speeches, yet I get extremely anxious Everytime. Dry Mouth, Sweaty palms and face, pounding heart, etc. Chewing Gum for me, helps me to reduce my anxiety. Practicing and knowing what you're gonna say, helps big time as well. Lastly, I try to look at it as a practice. For me, anxiety tends to make me feel like everything is a test. If I stumble over my words during this presentation, I've failed. If I order the number 3 when she wanted a number 2, I've failed. Hey, mistakes happen in everything we do. Don't beat yourself up over them. Shake it off and keep pushing! Hope this helped somebody out!
Anonymous
November 27th, 2017 6:14pm
When you have to present something, start with taking a deep breath. Remember that people are far more focused on the material you're presenting than you. Just remember: if you know the material, you CAN get through it. Remember to take deep breaths, take a pause if you need it, speak slowly, and focus on the material rather than the people to whom you're presenting. Good luck! :)
Anonymous
June 13th, 2017 3:41pm
-Practice Thoroughly -Visualization and Relaxation Your next step is to try to get used to the fears you're going to have. Do this only after you've practiced thoroughly. Then, imagine a huge crowd of people judging you. Imagine upset faces and anger. Imagine the things that will cause you anxiety. Once you've done that, you should start to experience a bit of anxiety. Your heart rate should increase a little and your fear should start to take over. Once that happen, take some deep breaths. Try to relax. Imagine those frowning faces mean something better. Imagine that they really love your speech, and they're glaring at you because they can't handle it. Try to calm yourself down until you feel better, then keep going. Once it no longer brings you anxiety, give the speech and imagine you're giving it in front of a hostile audience. See if you can calm yourself down while giving the talk without any distractions. That'll help you get used to it. Get Used to Embarrassment You can also try a strategy that some people use to get over their social phobia. You can try to get used to the idea of embarrassment. If you no longer fear embarrassment, your ability to overcome some of your public speaking fears will be cured with it. How to do this is up to you. One of the easiest ways is to dress up in some ridiculous outfit and simply sit outside somewhere public. People will look at you, and people will think you look funny, and you'll feel embarrassed. But if you stay out there for a long time, eventually that embarrassment won't bother you anymore. - Look at No One Don't worry about looking at people. Look around the room as though you're talking to everyone. You may find yourself getting more nervous if you can't help but look at one or two people and they're not giving you the "face" you want. Look around the room to ease some of the tension you have about someone specific judging you. Don't Worry About Stumbles It's easier said than done, but you should never expect it to go perfect. Perfection takes years of practice, and none of the most world renowned speakers were as skilled right away. You can look back at old YouTube videos of well-known speakers and see the way that they stumble. If you lose your place or something happens, just figure out where you were and keep going.
YuukiKuran1996
August 23rd, 2016 8:11pm
Prepare yourself really well so you feel confortable with the topic .. Dont focus your sight on the crowd .. pick a random point in the back wall of the room and pretend theres no one there :)
meghan3
August 2nd, 2016 8:26pm
Doing meditation - especially one that emphasizes focus - has always helped me before a presentation. That will help you get your heart rate down, clear your head, and help you focus on only the presentation. The last thing you need is for all your other stresses and anxieties to creep in when you're already out of your comfort zone! I also find it the most helpful to be as prepared as possible. Know what you're presenting through and through so that you feel confident in yourself and your knowledge.
SAFE8HAVEN
June 20th, 2016 8:52am
Deep breaths and thinking of everyone as your friends. You grew up with these people. It's going to be OK
riverscene13
May 31st, 2016 10:11pm
The best thing you can do is eliminate exaggerated fear. If you feel like they're staring at you, judging you, look around you and see that it's really alright. Practice on acting like the rest of them and realize your not really that different. Calm yourself with your breathing with relaxation techniques and practice until it comes easily to you. You don't have to look directly at them but maybe look right above them.
playfulBeauty22
April 26th, 2016 3:09pm
Many people find visualization helpful. If you know you have an upcoming presentation, work on visualizing yourself in the situation, as a preparation. You might feel the feelings of anxiety. Then what you do is try to shift it, vizualise yourself doing the presentation feeling entirely comfortable and confident. Do this visualization for 5-10 minutes everyday and with time you will notice a shift in how you feel when you do a presentation.
Anonymous
March 1st, 2016 8:11am
When I make a presentation, I focus on the material - what I have to present about - and I look for a familiar object, say a teacher, and force myself to go on. To focus on one thing instead of the audience. That or pretend they're not there.
divinewillpower86
January 4th, 2016 12:29am
A presentation is connected with show off. Its as simple as selling things on road/in a shop. Presentation is just like modelling. Show that you are the Best and grab the opportunity! Thinking makes difference. When we get away from the fear of What... then we say YES why not????
caringIceCream67
November 16th, 2015 1:03pm
Prepare well before hand, practice in front of someone, and believe that u knw wht u r about say, and others knw nothing about it.
TheUnusalInk
November 2nd, 2015 8:59pm
make sure you are prepared properly. try to get passionate about your subject, it helps to get more confident at continuos talking if you get stuck !
blazingwolf
November 2nd, 2015 12:14am
Think of being with the person of your dreams and having a good time. Think about the ideal you you want to become in an another world. Think about things you love and you achieving them. I highly recommend to think about spending good time with the person of your dreams, works a lot for me ;)
HelperMillie
October 29th, 2015 11:36am
I find that the easiest way to get a presentation done is to just know what your going into and get it over with. The truth is that nobody remembers a bad presentation, only the good ones. So if you stuff it up, Don't worry! I always make sure that i go first in presentation situations when there is more than one presenter, and i make sure i practice practice practice! I always feel awful after a presentation, and i know that i will probably always be very nervous around presenting n front of people. But i know that i can do it, even if it feels like the world is going to end. This probably didn't help at all, but at least i tried, right?
IcedTea95
October 28th, 2015 11:32pm
Giving presentations is not easy. People who have anxiety may find presentations anxiety provoking. You may feel anxious about: 1) you may get anticipatory anxiety days/weeks before an actual presentation, or 2) you may experience anxiety when giving a presentation. For case 1, I know it is difficult because sometimes you just can't stop thinking about it. There are so many variables such as audience reactions, technical difficulties and sometimes questions you get from the audience. To feel like everything is under control, you may find practice useful. By practising, you gain confidence because you will have a better understanding of every detail in your presentation, allowing you to speak more fluently. You may also be worried about :"What if someone notices my anxiety?" or "What if I look bad on stage?". Sometimes you are worried that you will be judged. However, when you are listening to a presentation, you pay more attention to the content of the presentation, not the person giving the presentation, right? So remember, practice makes perfect :) For case 2, being in the spotlight can be scary. You may feel uncomfortable when everyone is looking at you, expecting you to give a great presentation. Rather than talking to a whole lot of people, try treat the presentation like a personal conversation. Try to make eye contact with a particular (group of) person- maybe someone you know, and you will find the it less challenging. Also keep in mind that you have done lots of preparation. :)
SaturdaysChild
October 28th, 2015 7:03pm
If you experience anxiety during actual presentation - you are too much "in your head". You are being self-conscious. You pay too much attention to what you say, to your body and your thoughts. You put this mental filter to what you "get out" you inhibit yourself. Get out of your head to a room where you are having a presentation.
GittleLeo
September 28th, 2015 8:20am
Make sure that it is a subject that you are passionate about, if not, make sure you prepare and figure out ways to make the subject interesting and if that doesn't work look at something straight head of you. Of course you can make note cards and power point slides to keep the audience from focusing on you by giving them something else to look at besides you.
soundsculptor
September 1st, 2015 8:44am
Tell yourself that what you fear to happen during your presentation probably wont happen. You may feel like fainting, but when you're anxious, the blood is being pumped to your brain at a higher rate, so that can't happen. You may also feel like throwing up, but that is also just a natural symptom, and most likely it wont happen.
AaronWenny
July 21st, 2015 4:50am
Think about something which motivates you and could make you feel good and confident about yourself. In short, just be yourself. :)
caringSmiles20
June 17th, 2015 5:05am
Rehearse before your presentation. Rehearse in front of friends and peers. Rehearse in front of mirror. Practicing will lessen the anxiety at the time of the presentation. You can also do relaxation and breathing exercises. Just be yourself.
friendlyJoy13
June 8th, 2015 1:21am
i find making sure I'm well prepared for my presentation it helps reduces some of my anxiety. also try practising in front of friends or family..or even try recording yourself and then listening to it when your done to learn from your mistakes...and remember go easy on yourself and be realistic throughout the process! :)