Why are people so afraid of public speaking?

The fear of speaking is rated as only second to the fear of snakes and before the fear of dying.

Effects of fear

What happens to many people is that--even before they start speaking--their heart starts beating faster and their mouth gets dry. Some may even get nauseous or feel like fainting.

Once the person starts talking, the heart keeps beating rapidly and the person may hear his or her voice tremble. The legs or even the whole body may start shaking. The person may also stutter or start speaking rapidly.

Although some people calm down, once they get going, others may ramble through the material incoherently.

Do you wonder why many people don't want to go through that ordeal again?

My experience

When I was in high school, I was terrified of speaking in front of the class. I would tremble and my mouth would fill with saliva. The only way I could effectively give a presentation to the class was to sit in a chair. My English teacher frowned on this and thought I was just trying to be different or difficult.

Looking foolish

The reason most people get anxious when required to speak to a group is that they are afraid of looking foolish or stupid in front of many of their peers and important people. They are afraid that their mind will go blank or that their lack of speaking skills will lower the opinion others have of them.

Being humiliated can destroy a person's ego and confidence. In fact, it can really ruin your day.

Why are elephants afraid of mice?

Elephants are afraid of mice.

I've heard that one since I was a little kid. So to check it out, we went looking for some elephants.

We found them at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, where the head clown let me ask the audience.

The resounding answer from the audience: "Mice. Mice. Mice."

Many people, however, learned about elephants fearing mice from cartoons like "Dumbo."

But why would a big animal fear such a small one? Well, it seems logical to us or at least plausible because if you think about it, as adults we are afraid of little bugs.

And what would one of these elephants do if we showed it a mouse?

Not much. Troy Metzler, the circus' elephant trainer, let me take one white mouse and show it to an elephant that only looked bored by it all.

Metzler says he's seen mice around the elephants. They like the hay, but he's never tested the myth up close.

"We've never really gave it a thought," Metzler said. "I'm glad we got the chance."

Seemed to me the elephant was more likely to inhale the mouse than fear it.

Metzler showed mice to several of his elephants, and not one of them seemed to care much.

He's trained elephants for 24 years and says, elephants fear no animal.

"They're the kings of the jungle because they have no natural enemies," Metzler said.

Why are Americans afraid of dragons?

What you should be asking is: Why are dragons afraid of Americans?