Why Do I Have Trouble Speaking When I'm Nervous?
Have you ever asked yourself, “Why do I have trouble speaking when nervous?” It’s a common experience—one moment you’re the most confident speaker, and the next, your nerves take over, leaving you searching for words. Maybe it happens during an important meeting or while talking to someone you admire. Suddenly, you can’t find the right words, and your thoughts feel jumbled. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
Even celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence, Billie Eilish, and Chance the Rapper have admitted to freezing when meeting their idols. So, why do we have trouble speaking when nervous? What’s going on in your brain and body that makes speaking so challenging under pressure? Let’s dive into the science behind it.
Why Do I Have Trouble Speaking When Nervous? The Science of Stress and Speaking
When you feel nervous, your body perceives stress. This triggers a chain reaction in your nervous system. It activates the “fight or flight” response. As Harvard Health explains, this is an evolutionary mechanism designed to help us survive. However, it can also interfere with our ability to think clearly and communicate under pressure. For a deeper dive into the fight-or-flight response, check out this article from the Cleveland Clinic, which details the physiological effects and how they impact communication.
Here’s what happens:
Hormones Are Released: Your body releases adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones increase your heart rate and redirect blood flow away from your brain to your arms and legs, preparing you to fight or run. Learn more about how stress hormones affect the body in this APA article.
Physical Changes Occur: Your breathing becomes faster and shallower. Your muscles tense up. Your palms sweat, and your mouth may feel dry.
Brain Function Is Affected: With less blood flowing to your brain, it becomes harder to focus and think clearly. Cortisol also interferes with decision-making. This makes it difficult to organize your thoughts or find the right words.
These physical and mental changes are survival mechanisms passed down from our ancestors. Back then, these responses helped them escape predators. Today, though, they can make speaking in stressful situations feel nearly impossible.
Why Words Get Stuck When Nervous
Think of speaking as driving a car. When you’re calm, the road is clear, and your brain can easily access the words you need. But when you’re nervous, it’s like running into detours and roadblocks. Your brain has to navigate through stress signals, which slows everything down.
The part of your brain responsible for language gets overwhelmed by the flood of stress hormones. It’s busy processing your emotions and the situation at hand. This leaves less capacity for finding and expressing the right words. This is why you might mix up words, stutter, or feel like you’re drawing a blank. Therefore, staying composed and using strategies to calm your nerves is crucial. Programs like LeaderSpeak focus on active listening and building confidence. They help you navigate communication challenges under pressure.
Why Your Body Reacts This Way
It might seem extreme that your body prepares to fight or flee just because your boss asks you a question in a meeting. However, to your brain, any perceived threat—even the fear of embarrassment—can trigger this response.
Since blood flow to your brain decreases, it’s harder to focus and think quickly. Without enough mental energy, forming a clear message feels nearly impossible. No wonder speaking feels so challenging in these moments!
The Good News About Nervous Speaking
If you’ve ever wondered, “Why do I have trouble speaking when nervous?”, know that it’s a normal reaction. Your brain is simply juggling stress and survival mechanisms. With the right techniques, you can manage these responses and speak with clarity and confidence.
How Corporate Speech Matter Expert Can Help With Nervous Speaking
At Corporate Speech Matter Expert, we specialize in helping people overcome nervous speaking. We teach techniques to:
- Manage Your Breathing: Learn how to slow and deepen your breaths to calm your body and mind.
- Control Your Speech Rate: Practice pausing and pacing yourself to reduce stress.
- Identify Stress Triggers: Recognize moments when you feel nervous and apply strategies to stay in control.
- Build Confidence: Develop skills to speak clearly and confidently in any situation.
With these tools, you can stop nervousness from hijacking your words and start speaking with confidence. Whether in meetings, presentations, or conversations with important people, we can help.
If you’re looking for a solid foundation in effective speaking, the Foundational Speaking Skills program at Corporate Speech Matter Expert is a great place to start. This program can help you build the confidence and clarity you need to succeed in any communication scenario. With these tools, you can stop nervousness from hijacking your words and start speaking with confidence.
If you want to take your communication skills further, explore our Persuasive Playbook Progam, which provides actionable tips to master persuasive speaking and handle high-stakes situations effectively.
Don’t let nerves keep you from expressing yourself. With guidance from Corporate Speech Matter Expert, you can master the art of calm and confident communication.