Maybe, right now, you\u2019re extremely anxious about a presentation coming up. Maybe the only thought racing through your mind is how in the world am I going to get out of giving this presentation?<\/em><\/p>\n No worries. This guide is going to cover everything \u2013 and I mean everything<\/em> \u2013 you\u2019ll need to know. Make sure not to skip the section on \u201calternative ways of presenting,\u201d I think you\u2019ll find those really <\/em>useful!<\/p>\n No need to stress; let\u2019s get right into this.<\/p>\n First things first\u2026 why do we feel presentation anxiety in the first place?<\/p>\n Sure, we might expect our heart to pound and breathing to accelerate as we walk along the edge of a cliff \u2013 but during a presentation? What part of talking about George Washington Carver inventing peanut butter should cause our hands to tremble and our voice to stutter?<\/p>\n Well, as it turns out, presentation anxiety is caused by ancient mechanisms in our brain responsible for our survival. For anxious people, our brain perceives being the center of attention in large group to be a threat. This triggers the \u201cfight or flight\u201d response, causing us to panic as we try and escape our uncomfortable setting.<\/p>\n Obviously, we are in no real danger while giving a class presentation or work presentation. Many years of evolution, however, have trained us to avoid stage fright with a passion. In ancient times, being surround by a (potentially angry) mob could have fatal consequences; as could being humiliated, rejected, or otherwise cast out from the tribe.<\/p>\n For many of us \u2013 especially those of us prone to social anxiety \u2013 such fears have stuck with us since caveman times. It\u2019s important we remember these fears are harmless. Just being aware of their nature can help with this process. Despite what your brain and body may be telling you, these feelings of anxiety are not dangerous; they are going to pass.<\/p>\n Feel free to check out this article for a better understanding of the evolutionary psychology behind anxiety<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n I recommend against avoidance in most cases, as it only reinforces our anxiety in the long-run.<\/p>\n However, I know what it\u2019s like to be a student with presentation anxiety.<\/p>\n I know how hard it is juggling academics, a social life, relationships, and newly blossoming anxieties all at once. I know that it can get so bad the most logical option feels like dropping out of school altogether. I don\u2019t want you to feel like you have to do that.<\/p>\n So, if you\u2019re really just not ready to overcome your stage fright:<\/p>\n If this seems a bit vague, it\u2019s only because I\u2019ve actually dedicated an entire article to this topic already. Check out this piece on how to get out of giving a presentation in class<\/strong><\/a> for more help with this.<\/p>\n Like I said, ultimately, avoidance is a poor strategy. However, I believe it\u2019s just as detrimental to be \u201cforced\u201d into facing our fears before we are mentally prepared to do so. Having been there myself, I want you to be able to rest easy knowing that you do have some options here.<\/p>\n For this guide, however, I want to focus more on how to actually overcome<\/em> presentation anxiety and stage fright.<\/p>\n My secret is \u2013 believe it or not \u2013 I get incredibly nervous before public speaking, no matter how big the crowd or the audience and, um, despite the fact that I laugh and joke all the time I get incredibly nervous, if not anxious, actually, before going into rooms full of people when I’m wearing a suit… And now that I’ve confessed that, I’ll probably be even more worried that people are looking at me.<\/p>\n Prince Harry<\/strong>– Duke of Sussex, Member of the British Royal Family<\/span><\/p>\n When I first started having panic attacks, I had no idea what they were or why they were happening. Prior to my first panic attack, I had never had an issue with public speaking or presentation anxiety at all. In fact, I had voluntarily participated<\/em> in several clubs and activities that required public speaking.<\/p>\n Yet, when my first few panic attacks started (I was around 16 at the time), they would occur in any random situation. Wherever they occurred, I’d quickly develop a phobia associated with that location or situation. One such random panic attack occurred \u2013 you guessed it \u2013 during a class presentation.<\/p>\n While this experience was terrifying, embarrassing, and extremely uncomfortable, I had \u2013 fortunately \u2013 managed to keep it together enough for most people not to notice. For the many class presentations that would follow, however, I had to develop some tricks to stop panic attacks while presenting in class.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what worked for me:<\/p>\n These are just a few ways to stop a panic attack while presenting in class. Of course, just about any method for stopping panic attacks can work well here, so feel free to explore our site a bit to learn some other methods.<\/p>\n There are only two types of speakers in the world:<\/p>\n 1. The nervous<\/p>\n 2. Liars<\/p>\n Mark Twain<\/strong>– American humorist, novelist, and travel writer<\/span><\/p>\n If you take nothing else from this article, I believe that this is the section that can help anxious students and professionals with stage fright the most. When I was dealing with presentation anxiety myself, most of these options didn\u2019t even exist. If you\u2019re anxious about standing in front of class and presenting, any of these could be fantastic alternatives to presenting.<\/p>\n Basically, any of these presentation software tools can help you to quickly create a visually stunning presentation; all without having to speak in front of the class. They utilize audio, video, and\/or animation to create informative videos that get the point across even more effectively<\/em> than conventional presentations.<\/p>\n For the most part, all a teacher or boss really<\/em> cares about is that you: <\/p>\n Telling the teacher \u201cSorry, I just can\u2019t present today,\u201d won\u2019t meet any of these points, and is likely to land you a failed grade.<\/p>\n Instead, ask your teacher if you can use one of these presentation tools to create an even more engaging and informative presentation.<\/em> This way, it\u2019ll seem like you\u2019ve put in the most<\/em> effort in the class, rather than the least; all without having to speak in front of the class.<\/strong><\/p>\n Here are the automated presentation tools I currently use myself and recommend:<\/p>\n I go into much<\/em> greater detail on these tools here: automated presentation software<\/strong><\/a>. Before buying anything, I strongly suggest giving that article a read. Otherwise, Toonly<\/strong><\/a> and Doodly<\/strong><\/a> are my top picks.<\/p>\n Giving a presentation in high school or college can be extremely<\/em> stressful for many people. If standing in front of the class feels like an impossible task, you may be wondering about presentation anxiety medication. So\u2026 what are the best drugs for presentation anxiety?<\/p>\n Since I\u2019m not a doctor, I can only offer you a friendly opinion here.<\/p>\n In general, I think it\u2019s a good idea to steer clear of anti-anxiety medication whenever it isn\u2019t absolutely necessary.<\/em> If your doctor prescribes you presentation anxiety medication, so be it. In the long-run, however, this can often create cycles of reliance and dependence that are best avoided.<\/p>\n But what about taking an over-the-counter supplement for anxiety before a presentation?<\/strong><\/p>\n I have personally found one supplement to help me relax and communicate more confidently. This is my favorite supplement for stage fright, as it has helped me tremendously in situations where I would normally feel a bit socially anxious. I\u2019ve used this supplement for presentations, job interviews, and even first dates.<\/p>\n My favorite supplement for presentation anxiety symptoms is phenibut. It just helps me feel significantly calmer while simultaneously boosting my sociability and confidence. This supplement is extremely affordable and legally sold online in most countries. If you want to learn a bit more about it, I have an article going into greater depth about phenibut<\/strong><\/a> here.<\/p>\n I do urge responsibility when using phenibut, as you don\u2019t want to become reliant on it. But if it makes the difference between shirking your presentation vs. delivering a great one, I highly recommend it.<\/p>\n Let our advance worrying become advance thinking and planning<\/p>\n Winston Churchill<\/strong>– Former Prime Minister of the UK, Famous Orator<\/span><\/p>\n Few things help to eliminate anticipation anxiety like truly preparing for the situation. If your fears are rooted in delivering a poor or ineffective presentation, take some time to prepare.<\/p>\n Here are some tips for how to present a project effectively:<\/p>\nWhat Causes Presentation Anxiety?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
How to Get Out of a Presentation<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
How to Stop a Panic Attack While Presenting in Class<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
Alternative Ways of Presenting to Help Overcome Stage Fright<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
What is the Best Presentation Anxiety Medication for Stage Fright?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Tips for How to Present a Project Effectively<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/dontpanicdothis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/How-to-Present-a-Project-Effectively-chart.png\" "\\"How")
![\"comfort](\"https:\/\/dontpanicdothis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comfort-Zone-vs.-Growth-Zone-vs.-Panic-Zone.png\" "\\"Comfort")
![\"gradual](\"https:\/\/dontpanicdothis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Exposure-Hierarchy.png\" "\\"Exposure")