Page "Glossophobia" Paragraph 6

The more specific symptoms of speech anxiety can be grouped into three categories: physical, verbal, and non-verbal.

Physical symptoms result from the sympathetic part of the autonomic nervous system ( ANS ) responding to the situation with a " fight-or-flight " reaction.

Since the modus operandi, or method of operating, of the symphatetic system is all-or-nothing, adrenaline secretion produces a wide array of symptoms at once-all of which are supposed to enhance your ability to fight or escape a dangerous scenario.

These symptoms include acute hearing, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, dilated pupils, increased perspiration, increased oxygen intake, stiffening of neck / upper back muscles, and dry mouth.

Some of these may be alleviated by drugs such as beta-blockers, which bind to the adrenalin receptors of the heart, for example.

The verbal symptoms include, but are not limited to a tense voice, a quivering voice, and vocalized pauses — which tend to comfort anxious speakers.

One form of speech anxiety is dysfunctional speech anxiety, in which the intensity of the fight-or-flight response prevents an individual from performing effectively.