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Why can't I talk easily in front of my class?

281 Answers
Last Updated: 05/28/2022 at 8:22am
1 Tip to Feel Better
India
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Jui Shankar, Ph.D

Psychologist

My worldview offers a systems perspective that values diverse clients and their struggles. I believe supportive and nonjudgmental therapeutic relationships empower clients.

Top Rated Answers
funnyLynx50
June 21st, 2018 4:31am
This is due to social anxiety or shyness. It can be hard to talk in front of a lot of people. Raising your hand and answering questions can help you get comfortable talking in front of classmates.
Anonymous
June 27th, 2018 4:09am
I can't talk easily because I get bad anxiety. I constantly think about what could go wrong, how I could embarrass myself, and what everyone is thinking about me.
Anonymous
June 27th, 2018 5:50pm
There's something called comfort zone, when in it, we feel safe, when we get out, fligh or fight on!
hopefulParadise73
June 27th, 2018 5:52pm
Lack of confidence makes you shy.You can practice in front of mirror.Start believing in yourself.By realizing that your confidence will get better slowly and steadily.
eliza1616
June 28th, 2018 3:35pm
This might be social anxiety. Everyone feels uncomfortable doing that once in a while. You might just be afraid to fail or afraid of what they think. Once you grow confidence, it will become easier.
SAHURAD
June 28th, 2018 5:59pm
you know the answer for that, its fear ofcourse. like in a family meeting you say something aloud and all eyes on you and that starts some kind of change in your behaviour in you.. thats fear, how do you get over it? its simple.. play chicken game with your fear.. as if the fear is a car racing towards you and you have to stay there as long as you can, thats what i call fighting the fear, once you realize what all you are afraid of and you play this little game every time.. am sure you will get over it.
Anonymous
June 29th, 2018 10:36pm
Large groups are often overwhelming, Social Anxiety is sometimes a limiting factor for people when trying to speak in front of large groups of people. Just remember to breathe and take it slow.
Anonymous
July 5th, 2018 6:20am
It could be anxiety. Many people have a hard time speaking publicly when attention is on them. You’re not alone. :)
EleanorMoon
July 13th, 2018 10:59am
Some people feel more anxious than others expressing themselves in front of a large group. You may be worried about a number of things, including if you'll do a good figure, but also afraid of judgement and mockery. It helps to think the teacher is there to help you and that it is likely everyone in the class is, internally, as troubled as you are. If this is something that severely affects your quality of life (as in it impairs your sleep, eating and interpersonal relationships) you may need medical evaluation and treatment.
SavannahRicoKhan
July 14th, 2018 2:28pm
I can’t tell you exactly by it may be the issue of social anxiety, however I am not a professional so I cannot tell you for certain, how do you feel when you step up to talk in front of the class?
AspynLemon
July 18th, 2018 2:20pm
You may be experiencing some anxiety, and it is completely normal. I know how you feel, and talking in front of so many people can be intimidating. Remeber you are not alone and support is always available.
hollykg
July 18th, 2018 9:14pm
You could be thinking that they're going to judge you for just about anything or you could be thinking negatively about yourself. When you focus too much on your intrusive thoughts, it's much harder to focus on speaking in front of people because you are so concerned with what your mind is telling you.
Vanessaaamarieee
July 21st, 2018 12:40am
It is very normal to be nervous to talk to a crowd, I personally hate talking to a group of people.
Allears247
July 25th, 2018 8:51am
Public speaking is not as easy as it looks. People often underestimate the force of having all attention drawn to you all at once. The different energies can be overwhelming to deal with. Back when I was in speech class in high school I used a stress ball and would squeeze it during my lectures to help relieve my anxiety.
ItzzAlexa
July 25th, 2018 6:12pm
Social anxiety, is completely normal. a lot of people have it, you are perfectly fine! just try talking more in front of others, 1) try talking to your dog, cat fish ect even a pet rock. it’ll make a significant difference in talking aloud to your peers
Anonymous
July 26th, 2018 12:33am
It can be social anxiety or stage fright. I have the same problem sometimes, the way I get through it is to keep telling myself I can do it.
Anonymous
July 28th, 2018 2:56am
Some people just have a fear of crowds or public speaking. It is very complicated for many people to do this. I promise you are not alone.
OrageuxJames
August 5th, 2018 10:31pm
Could be anxiety? It can be scary when talking in front of a group of people, whether you know them or not it takes a lot to be comfortable in front of them when they are focused on you. When you need to talk in front of them remember to take deep breaths and make sure you practice if it's a project or speech.
AlfieGammon53
August 12th, 2018 11:01pm
This sounds like it could be possible anxiety or like many being anxious to talk in front of a group of people. However, trying to outline what you think may be the cause can help you start to be more relaxed in talking easier. The problem could be discomfort within yourself or peer pressure perhaps. Maybe, you just need more practice
PaintedLyrics
August 15th, 2018 3:34am
Many people find public speaking terrifying. You may be afraid of judgement or ridicule from your fellow classmates. Just know that everyone is probably as afraid if not more afraid as you. This also might be a sign of social anxiety but in order to diagnosis you would need to see a licensed professional.
Mahony1989
August 26th, 2018 10:27am
stage fright can cripple us and for some people it is easier overcome then others. Just like anything we do it takes practice. Some people catch onto or have a natural ability to do something more easier then someone else, but if you were to trade what they were doing with each other I'm sure they would encounter complications. Pressure naturally feels applied when you have to give a talk in front of a bunch of people and then we over think and worry ourselves with all the butterfly feelings, as "what if i say the wrong thing?" "do i even know what im talking about?" "omg everyone is watching me" ..... Some people thrive off being at the center of attention, and others find an overwhelming amount of panic that gets installed. When speaking in front of a group of people, remember we apply most of the pressure on ourselves, and these people are here or there in some way shape and form to hear what you have to say. Remember when speaking, there will always be one person most likely that will have a difference to what you have to say and that is not your fault. Very rarely will everyone agree 100% with the topic you are discussing. Remember when you are speaking, its about you at that moment, and that crowd anxiety from all the eyes can set in, and make us stumble over our words and get all jittery. In those moments do you best to ground yourself and try not to speak to fast, be calm cool and collected, and maybe rehearse what you have to say a few times before hand, by yourself or even with some close family and friends to help ease the pressure and prep for the real thing. Many people will be faced with times when they have to speak some way shape or form in front of other people! You Can Do It!
brightWriting24
September 5th, 2018 9:22pm
Perhaps you are experiencing some form of social anxiety, this could mean you start to panic or get paranoid when talking in front of large groups, worrying before hand could also be a sign of social anxiety, as well as panic attacks and nausea. These can be overcome with helpful tips and goals, also things you can do yourself to calm your nerves before speaking in front of the class, these can include breathing exercises as well as using an app on your phone to meditate or listen to calming sounds. Talking to someone about this may make you feel better and they may be able to suggest ways to ease the anxiety or paranoia in class.
nerdylistener
September 12th, 2018 7:53pm
This is something that, at one time or another. I myself have problems with it. It takes a lot of practice. I've been doing it for years, and I still shake when I am standing at the front of the room. I find it easier to either focus on the teacher alone, or, if you can't do that, focus on what you are saying. Focus on how each word is formed, on how the sounds come out, on how each word changes into the next. I find that if you focus on those things, it makes it much easier.
CharlotteSupport
October 3rd, 2018 11:44pm
There could be many causes for this. I, too struggle from this quite annoying issue. I've learned it's actually really nice and a lot easier to prepare what you are going to say in front of the class before hand. You might have social anxiety which I have. It can be solved and you just have to try to make whatever you're doing a little easier. Whenever I present in class, I always go over it a few times and making flash cards makes everything easier! Write exactly what you are going too say on the flashcards and you will be able to speak a lot easily in front of the class!
SamListener
October 26th, 2018 7:55pm
Speaking in front of others is difficult. I have a hard time with that too. Feelings of stress and anxiety are common when talking to a crowd. Our minds want the acceptance of others above anything else. Speaking to a large crowd can either make us feel a lot more accepted or a lot less accepted. This puts pressure on us to do well, which is why it's difficult to talk in front of them. Most of the time, that stress is unnecessary and people won't dislike you for what you said, so try to think of everyone else there as just another person. That helps me, so it might help you.
Anonymous
November 2nd, 2018 1:25am
For most people public speaking is very challenging for many reasons. It's very challenging to face a class full of people watching you, every move you make and everything that you are saying not to mention that you have to make sure that your notes and homework is done, prepared and ready to go. We all care about what others think of us and about us especially someone that has to deal with anxiety and depression. All we can do is be prepared, make sure all of your notes are in order, prepare flash cards and practice in front of someone you trust, like a friend or roommate.
PositiveMindset1
November 9th, 2018 2:48pm
I believe it may come from various fears: - being ridiculous - being uninteresting - being the focus of all classmates - being blamed by the teacher for any reason - risking that classmates may make fun of you... Once you accept to live with the risks above and in particular the risk of being ridiculous (which is only a low probability risk not a certainty btw) then you can dare talking in front of your class which in turn will boost your self confidence, and subsequent similar situation will be easier to handle. A vertuous circle can thus be created. These risks are inherent to living in society so they just can't be fully avoided, it's an illusion. Hence a positive objective could be to accept them in order to make your life easier. Besides fear is often a bad driver in life (apart from vital or emergency situations) and I believe it is postive to perceive fear as an ennemy to fight in my views. On top of accepting risks in order to overcome fear, a major aspect that can motivate the shyest people: the most difficult moment is just prior to talking in front of an audience but once you've started, the fear is gone most of the time. You're focused on what you have to say which doesn't leave room for fear anymore. Of course this would apply not only in the class but also to adults at work or in any situation where talking in front of an audience is required. Nothing more than a personnal view based on my own and other people's experience I've had the chance to observe, but I hope this helps a bit.
empathicRiver85
November 10th, 2018 5:38am
One of the biggest fears for humans, according to research, is public speaking. We are usually consciously or unconsciously fearful of embarrassing ourselves. Having a large group of eyes staring at you can also be very intimidating to anyone. When we experience stress or fear, our "flight or flight" survival instinct kicks in: your heart may start to race, you sweat, breathing gets shallow, etc. This can cause the difficulty speaking, your nerves are stimulated by the "F.O.F." instinct, so your voice may shake or you might get tongue twisted easier (etc.). It is your body's natural reaction. Taking deep breaths before speaking and mentally reassuring yourself that "you can do it" are good ways to relax yourself a little more.
PradaWithAnO
November 10th, 2018 4:27pm
Public speaking is an incredibly common fear, and there’s nothing wrong with it. Presenting your thoughts and beliefs to your peers can be a scary thing for anyone, whether it be in class or at work. It can help to practice in front of a mirror or rehearse a presentation with your parents, but the best thing you can do is just take things at your own pace. Get used to the thought of talking in front of others, and if you ever get anxious in the middle of a presentation, just take a moment to take a few deep breaths. You'll grow more comfortable with experience, but don’t force yourself to take on anything you’re not comfortable with.
Caroline878
November 21st, 2018 10:50pm
Social anxiety and a feeling of not being able to talk easily and openly in front of peers is very natural. It is certainly not uncommon and will happen to most people in their lifetime. I was that person then I went on to become a teacher and now present at work regularly. An experience now doesn’t have to hold you back. Seek help if you feel there is a wider issue or practice with friends, family and smaller groups to start to build some confidence. There are also so many resources on the internet to help to build skills in this area.