Hello,

i am new to the board and have a problem that has been bothering me for the last few years of my life. It started my first year of college when I became very depressed. I assume the depression stemmed from the changes that were taking place in my life in the transition from high school to college. As a side effect of my depression (i presume) I started to become very nervous around new and large groups of people. This grew into an intense fear of public speaking which developed about 1/2 way through my freshman year of college. I had never had a problem giving speeches during high school, I didnt much like it, but I could always get through it. In that first year of school I had to give a few speeches in one of my classes, which went fine. But one day as my turn came to give one of my speeches I started to have a severe panic attack, my heart raced, I sweated profusely, my entire body trembled and when I went to talk I could barely squeak out the words.

I am currently entering my fifth year of college, I should have graduated this past year but I feel this fear I have had ever since that experience has prevented me from taking the classes I need which involve public speaking. I used to get anxious just thinking about giving a speech, but that has gone away though I still fear actually giving a speech.

Does anyone have this problem and what can I do to overcome this fear and graduate and get on with my life?