Reading aloud etc

Hi Aya Red,

This is due to a metabolic disorder due to hypoglycemia.

Please adopt the Hypoglycemic Diet.

Also have a look at Glycerine as a temporary remedy.

Hey Aya Red! This is my first time on this website, I signed up because I just read your post and was thinking, "that's exactly how I feel when asked to read out loud." Really, any kind of public speaking that is planned, I can't deal with. It's weird, I'm fine when it's not planned, but things like presentations, reading out loud, introductions in front of a groug and I just thinking about it makes me sick. I even get nervous when I see other people public speak like at weddings and stuff.

I remember in college, we were reading some book in class, each person did a paragraph out loud. I had never been scared at all about public speaking, reading out loud, up until this moment. I was always the brown nose kid in class volunteering to read before what was about to happen to me. About 10 seconds before it was my turn to read, I sneezed. I'm a horrible sneezer, I sneeze loud as hell and pretty much can't talk for the next 30 seconds after I sneeze because of dry mouth and loss of breath. Well, now it's my turn and I start to read and get choked up. I maintain my cool and try to keep going but the words weren't coming out right. Some of my friends start laughing and I got really embarrased. I asked to get a drink, the professor said go ahead. I came back in after getting a drink and like a light switch, I was terrified with fear of reading out loud from that point on. Ever since that day, that moment, my life changed due to a simple, stupid sneeze. That is when my speaking anxiety started and it just grew from there.

I wish I had some great advice for you to help you out with this problem, had some magic and could tell you how I got over this fear, but I don't and I never got over this fear myself. Now, I'm 31 years old, married with a 3 year old son. I have been avoiding public speaking situations since that day in college. I have been to a doctor about this. I was prescribed something called Lorezapam. I only take it when I feel I may have to do a little public speaking, am going to a meeting where I know they will be asking us to go around the room and give an introduction to yourself, etc... It works by slowing activity in the brain for relaxation. Now, it's not the greatest drug, I still get pretty damn anxious and nervous before I speak, but it has helped. I recently had to read aloud in a meeting that I didn't expect. Thankfully I had taken a few Lorezepam before this meeting and I made it through it, even though my voice trembled, I didn't run out of the room or make an excuse. If I had not taken it, I don't think I would've been able to talk because my heart beats so fast, it literally takes away my ability to speak.

I have been researching beta blockers tonight and have seen many positive things about them from people with speaking anxiety. Lot's of musicians take them for stage fright. You have to get them from a doctor, so maybe you should start there and then try some other type of therapy like cognitive behavioural in the future. By the way, don't pay attention to the post from Jurplesman and think you're hypoglcemic. That's just ignorant. I am not hypoglycemic and I have the exact same problem as you. It's anxiety.

I wish you the best with this and hope you get the help you need. Take care!

Beta blockers are a good management technique, but will not treat (cure) the underlying biochemical cause of stage fright.

It is sign of hypoglycemia. Test it out.