Anxiety Forum

[ryan]

Hello. let me start off by saying this site is really nice and helpfull, but i have not found anyone with the same exact symptoms as me so any help would be appreciated.
i currently work at a dealership as a sales man. wierd for someone with anxiety huh? my problem that i have had since 5th grade elementary, is im afraid to be in front of a group of people i make every excuse not to have to do it. i went thru junior high and high school flying under the radar so i would not be called on to read or asked to answer questions. when we would have to do a class presentation we would know a couple of weeks in advance to prepare. everyday after i found out about a presentation thats all i could think about. i would get excited about something and then be like oh crap i have this presentation in 2 weeks. i could not sleep at all some nights. the problem i get is i get so anxius it feels like my throat is swelling up and i cant speak. my voice gets real shakey at first and then i just loose it all together. then its really hard for me to speak again after that until im by myself. i dont have problems making friends or keeping them. i have a girlfriend and dont have the problems with her. sometimes i can just be telling like 2 people a story or something and i get so anxius it happens to me. it happens with just 1 person in front of me sometimes too. a week ago i had to speak with a police officer as a witness, and i was fine then all of a sudden i had an attack. if anyone knows of these symptoms or has experienced this please let me know. i did not go to college because of this. i knew that there are alot of presentaions and group speaking in college and i di not want any part of it. my ultimate goal is to become a police officer but i cant apply because my friend went through it and told me of all the roleplaying and speeches you have to give to the class. im deathly afraid of this. please someone help me out

[amaya]

Im ok talking to friends but when its a group i get so nervous same symptoms as you i have friends and husband but I hate speeches!! I want to conquer this fear so bad because its the only one i have but its so hard right before the speech because you get up there and you make a fool of yourself because your soooo nervous so im taking inderal so i wont be nervous for my speeches but i dont want to take a pill to do good on my speeches i want to say that i accomplished a speech not some pill. but I know what your going through my whole life i dreaded speeches. Life is not ok when you have a speech coming up and when its over your so relieved right?What do we do?