Writing in public, sometimes you can't get away from it. For example, you have to fill out a form, your teacher asks you to write something on the board, or you very much want to comment on a blog or article on the Internet. Yet you can be incredibly afraid of writing in public and therefore leave things that you actually secretly want to do best, were it not for your fear.
To help you get back to writing in public, I address the fear of writing in public in this blog.
Fear of writing in public does not have to have anything at all to do with whether you can write. In some cases you can write perfectly well on your own at home and there's nothing wrong with that, but as soon as you have to write something down in front of someone else you slam shut.
Moving that pen is suddenly very difficult.
There have even been cases of people asking someone else to fill out the form because the writing is suddenly blocked.
If you think you are the only one, I can reassure you. It is a fear that many people keep to themselves, because anyone can write and you yourself may even know that you can write, which is precisely why it is such a distinct fear that many people are ashamed of.
This is very unfortunate because it can even reduce your chances of getting a job because you dare not fill out forms.
All the more reason to get involved.
Cause of fear of writing in public
The cause of fear of writing can vary, but experience shows that the fear can be related to things that happened in childhood. Later in life, something may be triggered that makes that unpleasant event suddenly connect with the writing moment, causing you to suddenly have difficulty writing in public.
One example is from someone who had to write something on the blackboard in elementary school. This went wrong and in adult life that fear of writing in front of others suddenly returned.
Another distinct commonality among people with this anxiety is that they often have beautiful handwriting and have often received compliments on this in the past.
However, anxiety causes them to tremble, making handwriting barely even legible. For those who suffer from this fear and who actually have beautiful handwriting when no one is around, this fear is almost extra annoying.
Therefore, the cause can be an unpleasant memory or an unconscious drive for perfection that you cannot live up to.
Other causes are also possible, but these two are the most likely.
People with the following traits have an increased chance for developing this anxiety:
- You are more likely to suffer from anxiety and other fears.
- You are described as nervous and as someone who is easily upset.
Writing on the blackboard
If you are currently undergoing training or are in school, chances are you have to write something on a blackboard, or type on the smartboard at times. If you get all nervous because you have to write something on the board and it makes you appear less smart than you need to be, you can use the following tips.
Tip for writing on the blackboard:
Acknowledge your fear of writing. Ignoring your fear can only make the fear worse. Therefore, acknowledge to yourself that you don't like this, but you have to do it anyway. Stay aware of the objects you use to write and take the time to put the text on the board.
Taking notes while someone is watching
In adult life, even at work you may still have to deal with writing in front of other people. This can be especially common in an office job. For people with this fear who are in a similar situation, the challenge is to confront themselves with this very fear. This at least reduces the anxiety at work.
Tip for being able to take notes while someone is watching
Offer to take minutes of short-term meetings. Confide in your manager or a colleague about your anxiety so that in the beginning it is only about meetings that are not super important and where there can be a check on the accuracy of the minutes made by someone with a good memory.
Fear of filling out forms
Even if you have an office job, the fear of writing for other people can still get in the way of filling out forms. This is necessary, for example, if you are going to a new family doctor or just requesting important documents from the municipality. Precisely because filling out forms is also of great social importance, it is important to overcome this particular fear.
Tip to fill out a form while someone is watching
Other people's experiences with this anxiety show that having a little conversation, such as about the weather, while filling out the form can distract from the anxiety, allowing you to manage to fill out the form anyway.
Other tips against the fear of writing in public
In addition to these specific tips for these particular situations, there are other ways to reduce the fear of writing in public.
Acknowledge Your Fear
Recognize in your mind that you have anxiety about the moment you have to write in public and that this is okay. No one really enjoys writing in public, but most people don't let it stop them from doing what needs to be done.
Perform your writing
Make that note! Just fill out the form! By doing what you need to do, you don't give yourself an excuse not to do it especially. It's a scary moment, but really, what's the worst that can happen when you take a note in public? It won't kill you.
Stay in the here and now
Maybe all kinds of thoughts shoot through your mind right before you start writing.
"Soon I will make a mistake....Soon he/she will think my handwriting is weird....what if the ink runs out?"
These thoughts generally don't help reduce your anxiety. By staying in the here and now with your attention, you ensure that your focus is actually on the task at hand and not on what other people think of your performance.
You can practice this with mindfulness.
Keep breathing
Your brain needs oxygen to function. By continuing to breathe, and not holding your breath while you fill out a form, you ensure that you are filling everything out correctly and not accidentally writing things down incorrectly.
Visualize writing in public
Another way to overcome anxiety is to visualize writing confidently in public. Suppose you have to go to City Hall soon to fill out a form, and your anxiety causes you to put off and put off that task.
By visualizing yourself walking into City Hall, getting to the right counter and filling out the right form there properly and calmly, you build self-confidence in being able to perform the task, making the fear at that moment when you actually go there a lot less.
You visualize your emotions, posture, the environment, movements you make and even the smell of the town hall. By doing this for several days in a row, you will find that filling out the form has suddenly become much easier.
If you find it difficult to perform this technique independently, you can also get a guided visualization from a hypnotherapist.
Check your beliefs
Go over for yourself why you get scared of writing in public and then ask yourself if that fear makes sense.
For example, are you afraid of making a mistake and having people think you're stupid? Then how logical is it for people to immediately think you are stupid because of 1 writing mistake? Everyone makes a spelling mistake once in a while and you don't have a spell check on your pen.
If you know what beliefs you have, you can weaken them with the logic technique, as well as by replacing them with other beliefs. This is something you can do with self-hypnosis. In that case, for example, you can repeat the following beliefs while sitting or lying somewhere relaxed.
No one cares if my handwriting is pretty or ugly.
It doesn't matter if I write fast or slow, as long as I write well.
Making mistakes is human.
I'm not the only one who finds it annoying to write in public.
These are just examples of hypnotic suggestions. A hypnotherapist can help you with suggestions that apply to your beliefs making them even faster and more helpful in getting rid of your anxiety.
Want to learn more about hypnosis? Then come to a workshop or seminar and, of course, check out the Hypnosis Institute Netherlands' training programs.
Sources:
http://www.phobia-fear-release.com/scriptophobia-fear-of-writing-in-public-comments.html
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=65284
