Public Speaking and Presentations

[Ted Sparks]

Hi guys,

I was just wondering if any other aspies had severe problems with public speaking and presentations. One of the modules on my college course requires me to give a 12-minute presentation about an experiment I have done. Public speaking is definitely my greatest fear and I know I just can't do it. I have to do it in front of 60+ people. I have tried to give presentations before that have all ended abruptly after about 20 seconds or so as I have run off crying.

I won't have to do this for another 4 months or so, but I am currently repeating a year and so have had to face the idea of public speaking before. Last year, when I found out about the presentation I dealt with it very badly and dropped out rather than give the presentation. My university knows about my Aspergers and how difficult I find this but at the moment the only adjustment they are willing to make is to give me more time to give the presentation.

This is actually no help at all. If anything it is making my anxiety worse. Instead of being up there for 12 minutes, I'll now be up there for about 20 minutes. I wonder if anyone has any specific advice on this.

At the moment I'm disgusted by my university's reaction and am considering contacting the university regulatory board if nothing else is done.

 

[BraidedPony]

I wonder if they would allow you to video your presentation in a studio instead of doing it live? Most universities have a media program that could video it for you with just a camera operator an audio tech.
That would be a fair compromise I would think.
I assume your major isn’t in a field that requires public speaking like public relations.

 

[Isadoorian]

Yes; I always hated having to do presentations in front of the class; too many people staring at you and the pressure was immense... plus it doesn't help that when I get nervous I stutter/stumble my words

 

[Ted Sparks]

I wonder if they would allow you to video your presentation in a studio instead of doing it live? Most universities have a media program that could video it for you with just a camera operator an audio tech.
That would be a fair compromise I would think.
I assume your major isn’t in a field that requires public speaking like public relations.

Hi and thanks!

Yeah, I'm doing a Masters in Theoretical Physics, so public speaking isn't a big part of it. So far, on all concerns raised, my college has been very accommodating, but this one trumps me. If only it were that simple. My head of department is adamant that this is a very important part of my course. In reality, I think it's more of a logistical issue with regards to making adjustments. I don't think he wants to go through the trouble of booking another room so I can do the presentation on my own.

At the moment, my only route seems to be lodging a formal complaint with the university and maybe getting someone into trouble. I don't want to do this as I get on fairly well with my head of department. But on the other hand, I do feel like I am being discriminated against.

Thanks for the advice though, and sorry about my awfully long reply.

 

[Ted Sparks]

Yes; I always hated having to do presentations in front of the class; too many people staring at you and the pressure was immense... plus it doesn't help that when I get nervous I stutter/stumble my words

I have been forced into these before. Then it takes me about a month to be functional again. I still think there's a subset of people who have this incurable fear of public speaking but try saying that to college professors. I go redder than ketchup, and my voice goes higher than the range of human hearing. Not a good look for a 6 ft tall bearded guy.

 

[Monachopia]

I have had a tremendous fear of public speaking for a very long time, I avoid it whenever possible. I just kind of freeze, my brain just goes blank and all I hear is the blood rushing through my ears. Sometimes I was forced to do them and could not get out of having to deliver some sort of public speaking element... The way I got through them in the past is with a glass of wine and rehearsing every single word to the point that I could recite it in my sleep. More recently, I talked to my psychiatrist and he gave me a small dose of Xanax for the day and it partially helped to keep the core of the anxiety down so I could get through it somehow.

As someone else has said, is there no way you could prerecord a voice over for the presentation slides you will be using? Most universities will at least have a computer setup that you will be able to load your presentation to? And you will still be there to answer questions at the end?

 

[Tom]

Everybody (exceptions excluded) hates & fears public speaking, NTs included. Its one of the most common fears out there. I read one study that said people would actually prefer to break an arm to having to give a public speech.

I also found practicing it (in front of anyone) helped, and it needed multiple times. It doesn't prevent the nervousness of the day so much but helps you get thru it, which is all that matters... just get thru it.

 

[Autistamatic]

I'm obviously in the minority here, but I find public speaking a lot easier than most interactions. Small talk is what drives me nuts, but standing in front of a group who can't really answer back until you're ready for them, I find much easier.
I'm not 100% comfortable with it but it's much easier for me than more intimate situations.
I've done presentations in front of less than 10 people up to a couple of hundred, but I use plenty of hand movements, I'm conscious of voice modulation and I look around the room but without making direct eye contact. It's a strategy that works for me to the extent that I'd rather speak in public than be stuck in a waiting room and having a stranger talk to me.

 

[tducey]

I've never minded public speaking. In college we had to do a public speaking course, I was in the class with all NT's. I was the only 1 that enoyed getting up to speak.

 

[Aliza]

I am so sorry you have to go through that. It sounds like they really should try to come up with some diferent options that would accommodate your needs better. I personally can't do presentations either and I absolutely will NOT do them, I flat out refuse to. Back in school, I would always just tell my teachers to go ahead and give me an F on presentations because I wasn't going to do them. I was (and still am) prescribed ativan, a benzo for anxiety, and even that didnt help. Honestly my anxiety was never this bad until people started pointing out my social awkwardness. I do not know what advice to give that would be beneficial to you, but just know that you arent alone in this and I, as well as many others, can relate with u. Wish you the best of luck

 

[Autistamatic]

I like @BraidedPony suggestion of doing it on video. I find doing video quite easy compared to any interaction. I'm a bit uncomfortable doing it on YouTube but for a small presentation it would be comparatively much easier.

 

[Ted Sparks]

I am so sorry you have to go through that. It sounds like they really should try to come up with some diferent options that would accommodate your needs better. I personally can't do presentations either and I absolutely will NOT do them, I flat out refuse to. Back in school, I would always just tell my teachers to go ahead and give me an F on presentations because I wasn't going to do them. I was (and still am) prescribed ativan, a benzo for anxiety, and even that didnt help. Honestly my anxiety was never this bad until people started pointing out my social awkwardness. I do not know what advice to give that would be beneficial to you, but just know that you arent alone in this and I, as well as many others, can relate with u. Wish you the best of luck

I'm kinda thinking of being just as stubborn as them. It seems like the only possible way to be otherwise I'm not going to be taken seriously.

 

[BraidedPony]

How about this...you create some kind of visuals that go along with your presentation, visuals best seen with the lights dimmed. We used to have slide shows or PowerPoint, so something like that. This way you are in a dim room and you will have a computer to focus on part of the time while you present the visuals.
I would think a presentation on theoretical physics could use some visuals! Good grief.
Ask your doctor for a Xanax or Valium too, just to get through it.

 

[Fino]

I'm just as terrified of public speaking, and I always wondered if anyone else was as afraid I was! I've dropped classes and nearly failed classes to avoid them. For one that was required, I was drunk, a couple others I was high on various things. Maybe you can use a beta-blocker? I used those for a while, and then an anxiety medication. Something like that?

 

[Mr Allen]

Public speaking doesn't bother me.

In fact about 15 years ago I did a talk at an Autism conference in Northern Ireland, and in a roomful of Irish women I got a "standing ovation".

 

[OlLiE]

i used to hate it
i used to memorise every word i had to say

until i realised:
- many fears are irrationally inflated: the stress about the stress actually often outweighs the actual 'threat' of doing something you are not comfortable doing
- what to say: memorising everything was adding stress, not decreasing it, i just remembered the logical structure of what i wanted to say, i realised what was important was just getting the message across and not just trying to speak every word i had written in preparation
- the audience: i am not talking with them, i am talking at them, i am not interacting, i am talking to myself about something that interests me and that i know well, it just happens to be standing up in front of some people, look over their heads, don't make eye contact and sweep from left to right and back

stop caring what people may think, there is nothing physically stopping you from talking, if there are other people in the room, so be it, life became a lot easier for me when i stopped caring what other people thought of me, not being able to do something perfectly is not a reason for shame or fear, very few people 'enjoy' talking to groups, it's all in your mind, its just another challenge to overcome

ps be aware that depending on what it is you are studying, it is more than possible that you will have to talk to groups of colleagues in a work situation

good luck!

 

[OlLiE]

pps i don't have the links, but there are a few youtube talks of autistic people talking to a crowd about talking to a crowd, i found them quite inspirational

 

[Pats]

I go into an anxiety attack and freeze up if I even start thinking of speaking up in a small group. I once had to do a presentation at work and what I did was video taped my daughters doing a puppet show that I had written on the subject. Then I was there to answer questions. Everyone loved it and I breezed my way through it.

 

[Sid Delicious]

Public speaking isn't something I mind. It's just a routine part of a lot of jobs I've had (boardroom meetings, training, teaching kids, etc) and I was forced to get used to it early on as I had a primary school teacher that made us stand up and give book reports or answer questions in class even if it terrified us. I remember one kid who would always get really upset, but he would still be forced to do it. I hated that teacher, but in hindsight it probably helped me avoid developing a fear of public speaking as an adult. I'm far worse at having my photo taken or being filmed if I'm put on the spot and would hate giving a presentation on something personal to me. But if the topic is something academic then I can put myself in teaching mode and just focus on the subject rather than the people watching.

I would say try to focus on the information and have lots of things for the audience to look at, so they aren't staring at you while you speak. Most people prefer looking at powerpoint slides or some other visual focus point rather than the speaker (even NTs find that awkward) and will naturally move their attention to whatever you are pointing at instead of watching you.

Also, as others have pointed out, the vast majority of people hate public speaking and will completely understand if you are nervous too. Some people are great at covering up that fear after enough practice, other people like me have just developed a more blasé attitude but still understand that fear, but no one will be surprised if you are nervous. I know a few people that do TV or media jobs that will jump up and down and wave their arms around to get rid of excess nervous energy before going on stage or in front of a camera. They seem to find that helpful.

Lastly, there are tons of organisations that help people get used to public speaking. Toastmasters is the one I've heard about a lot. They have groups all over the country that are great for anyone who has this phobia (or just wants to generally improve their social skills with likeminded people in a structured environment). You could try going along to something like that a few times beforehand. You don't have to return if you don't want to, so no one there will remember if you do anything terrible like faint on stage!

 

[BraidedPony]

This is one of those things I call a Have To. You are going to do it, even if you do it badly, you are going to get up there and give your presentation. Even if you are crying, stammering, forgetting your material, you can do this.
Hopefully your entire grade isn’t based on this one presentation, but if so you only need a D to pass.
Don’t even think about dropping out. Don’t let them win. It’s a Have To.
There won’t be 60 people there anyway. Ten percent never show up to class. If it’s a Monday morning or Friday afternoon add another 3 percent. Bad weather 5 percent more. NBA game, another 4 percent no shows. And of those that do show up how many will be paying attention anyway?
A world shattering event to you is just another boring day to everyone else.
So, get this presentation over with so you can get on with doing theoretical physics which sounds pretty important.