Generalized fear of public speaking is the most prevalent fear of public speaking type. If you are diagnosed with this type you will find that you fear becoming the focal point of other people's attention, anywhere you have the need to perform or do presentations in front of other people, especially those you don't know. This will be intensified by an unreasonable concern with if people are noticing you and if they are taking note of everything you may be doing.

With generalized fear of public speaking sufferers, what may seem like the easiest tasks for everyone else, like presenting a business proposal in front of a small group of colleagues, may be an extremely distressful and anxious experience. In other situations, simple things like doing a project performance in front of your employer may seem like a very fearful situation, one that you may even choose to ponder over for many hours, instead of just simply getting up and doing it. Even the pleasure of doing toasts at parties seems like a doomed and possibly humiliating undertaking.

Specific fear of public speaking is specifically related to entering into performing situations. This may include performing in the presence of others, or simply doing a quick sales pitch in public. In fact, the most common of all these are an unreasonable fear of speaking in public, which in itself relates to an anxiety about performance. To most people this would simply be called stage fright, but for some the experience is much more intense and in some cases very traumatic.

A person with fear of public speaking or social phobic disorders may also do some or all of the following:

?Over exaggerate any possible physical dangers, risks or difficulties that may occur in doing the most normal tasks.

?Has only one or no close confidants or friends outside of their immediate relatives and they may well avoid all other performance activities outside of these people.

?Show an unwillingness to perform or do presentations with new people unless they can assure themselves or be assured that they will not meet disapproval, be hurt or criticized, and/or be definitely liked.

?Have an intense and unusual fear of being embarrassed in front of others to the point of noticeable anxiety, crying or blushing.

?Avoid public speaking for fear of speaking out of turn, or being seen to have said something foolish or possibly inappropriate.

?Find that concentrating on individual tasks, hobbies or jobs are very difficult and may not achieve their potential in life.

There are two types of fears of public speaking that define a patient's affliction with this disorder. Sadly, most people will fall into the category of the generalized fear of public speaking. However, there are those whose affliction is so severe that their ability to function in daily life is not just fractionally compromised, but detremented to the point that the person cannot go outside their home without specific assurances that they will not be hurt or otherwise embarrassed by social interactions, isolating themselves almost completely from other people or simply just sticking to their immediate family or the one person they trust above all else. If you find that one of these types describes what you are experiencing then you need to speak to your family doctor, who can refer you to someone who can specifically help diagnose your condition, treat it and help you move forward into a happier, fear of public speaking free existence.

Fear of public speaking does not have to be a lifelong affliction, but a treatable, even curable condition that can go away with time, treatments and understanding. Never be ashamed to admit that you have fear of public speaking as there are so many people that suffer it and never get treatment. Those people do not have the opportunity that you do to fix the problem so that in the end you get what you deserve, enjoying a happy and distress free life just like everyone else.