I posted forever ago about having to take a speech class...

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And after hearing how so many people here had positive experiences in college public speaking classes, I was pretty sure I could handle it too.

I was really really incredibly freaking wrong.

I gave my first speech last Thursday. It was supposed to be two minutes long and it was to tell the class something about me. I made it about a minute in before things went really wrong. I had been looking at the wall across the room, not at the other students, then I looked over and saw the professor looking at me. Total panic attack.

My mind went totally blank; I couldn't breathe or think anymore. I just went and sat down....I was freaking out. My legs went numb and I was trying really hard not start crying right there in the classroom. Words make it sound weak. What I'm typing here doesn't really explain it. I went home and I pretty much cried for 3 hours.

I worried about it all weekend. I know a few of the students noticed. I'm pretty sure the professor did.

Then Monday afternoon I was working on the outline for the next speech, and running through what I wanted to say in my head, and I had another panic attack at home, in my own bedroom. It was horrible. I think after it I was pretty much hysterical until I fell asleep around midnight. I think my mom was gonna call for medical help at one point it was so bad. I've never had an attack at home like that before. And I never want to again.

I could not go back to that class today. I couldn't do it. I skipped it. And I'm going tomorrow to see the professor to get him to sign the drop form; I'm not going back to that class. My parents want me to go see our family doctor soon. A friend of mine recommended that I go see one of the counselors on campus, and I'm going to do that too.

I feel horrible. Like I failed. And I still have to do this class eventually, it's a requirement to graduate. But I know that I can't do it. I just can't. I don't know what to do.

Wow, I'm sorry you had such a bad time. I'm really hating speech class too, but I'm coping...

I think speech class is discriminatory toward people on the spectrum, and certainly should not be required.

Right now, we're doing a unit on nonverbals... basically the science of how to manipulate people, if you can, and make judgements about them via the most superficial criteria--appearance, body language, quality of voice, etc. You know, spreading/promoting ideas and attitudes that make life harder for autistics.

God, do I hate humanity...



Anyway, good luck. I hope you find some help.

Sorry to hear that.

I took speech in highschool, largely because an expert told Mom and I that "the people who fear taking the class are the only ones who need it".

It turned out to be a blast.

Back then I was incapable of holding one on one conversationa with peers and had no friends, but for some reason I took to speaking and light acting in front of a class, and collaborating with other kids to create little sketches.

It helped that we had a good mix of personalities in the class whom the guy teacher said that he knew from the start was "a class of superstars".

Maybe you too can find some inner part of you is actually liberated by public speaking.

At anyrate I would like to see you slay this dragon.

I took speech/public speaking in 9th grade. It was a requirement, like gym, and I took it early so I could get it out of the way and concentrate on math, physics, chemistry and metal shop. I got a B in the class.

Things that gave me trouble were that I became aggressive during group activities, where I tried to take the lead and I should have been nicer. I also had problems with the persuasive speech part. I could do factual presentations OK, but I really didn't have anything that I wanted to persuade anybody about, and I had to come up with something for the assignment, so it ended up being boring. I would have done better if I had taken this class later.

If a new skill is likely to be stressful, then it is much better to learn it somewhere you won't be graded. I would start with speech therapy. I would never have thought that speech therapists could do so much for my amazingly articulate son, and yet they do. This year a speech therapist will be teaching my young teen to read conversational signals, like "it's my turn to talk now." As you go up in level, so do their services.

I can relate, I'm currently in speech class, and I don't know if I will pass it. I hope to improve during this semester, so I don't freak out so much. Maybe it will help, and I could still be terrified of public speaking for a long time.

We don't have a speech class at my school, but we do have to give presentations. I am technically able to get out of presentations because of my autism, but I never do. I figure if I start letting go of things that I used to do before my diagnosis, then I will get lazy. So, this is what I do instead: whenever I have a presentation, my worker in the disability office contacts the professor and tells the prof that I will do the presentation, but because of the autism, they should pay more attention to my effort and the content of the material rather than my eye contact, tone of voice, etc. I understand yours is a SPEECH class, but still, SOME people with autism can only offer so much in a situation, and the prof needs to understand that if you are one of those people. If you do the best that you can do, and have good effort and good content, you should not be penalized severely. Perhaps you want to talk to the disability office about this (if you have a professional diagnosis--if you don't, they won't be able to do anything without documentation)?

A speech class sounds like an absolute nightmare to me. I don't like feeling pressured into talking in front of people. Then again it may be good to help people's self-confidence. I have had to do presentations though.
Perhaps as littlelily613 suggested, you could contact your disability office and ask for advice. That is if you have a diagnosis and are under them.
Or maybe you could ask your professor if there was another way you could take part in the class. For example if you could do the speeches in front of him/her only.

I don't have a diagnosis, so I don't think that campus disablity services can help me. I am going to see a doctor and meeting with one of psychologists on campus next week though. Which sucks, because I hate all kinds of doctors.

And likely the psych at your school will not be able to diagnosis it (at least none of the ones are at my school---that was the first psych who identified it professionally for me, but absolutely could not diagnosis it). Obviously you should go, even though you really don't like the idea of it...but would it be possible for you to make an appointment with someone who can give you a proper evaluation? Perhaps the psych at your school can even recommend someone. As soon as you get the paperwork, doesn't matter how new the diagnosis is, your school will be able to work toward accommodating you. It can be expensive, but totally worth it!

If you have to take this class to graduate, then you may as well finish it now. If you take it later, you're going to have to do that first speech again. Sure, you may not end up with a good grade in the class. Oh well. As long as you pass, that's all that matters. It sounds like you only have issues if you look at anyone, so just make sure you don't do that again and you should be fine.

I'm lucky that I didn't have to take a speech class. I probably would've had to have a cigarette and a shot of whiskey before every speech.

As a Disability Rights Advocate who has knowledge about Aspergers Syndrome and Autism as well as the college environment/ required classes may I suggest talking with your Disability Services Counselor? He or she may be able to get the reasonable accommodations you need to pass the class.

Think of what makes you comfortable when giving a speech. Perhaps giving a speech to a small room of other instructors and your professor.

Are you feeling stressed because they give you a limited amount of time for you to say what is required/

Is the lighting in the room too bright?

Are you not allowed to use your notes? Possibly being able to use Notecards with your topics that you write up on the computer can help you to jog your memory.

Is making eye contact hard where you have to look up at the class and then return to your notes etc?

Please rethink your decision to drop the class.

I took an online speech class in Junior College where we had to give 5 speeches. On the first speech I put my hands in my pocket without noticing it the instructor told me and I was able to take his criticism.

On the other speeches I did really well and got full credit. I admit it was hard preparing but once I gave the speech it all went well.

I got an A in the course and even told the instructor how I had a learning disability in one speech and how I overcame it. The entire class was receptive and I did not need any accommodations.

I would love to take an Honors Level Public Speaking Course just to improve my skills-not for a grade just for personal growth. I love writing speeches and delivering them.

My point is try your best to get over the initial anxiety and you should do well. If you get a B in the class so be it.

This issue should also be discussed with the teacher.

Some teachers grade on how much you IMPROVE in your public speaking skills. Thus, the grade for each person is unique. If the teacher knows you have serious problems, he/she may have very low expectations and allow you to pass with a C even if you struggle the whole time. If they don't know, they won't take your issues into account in how to grade you fairly.

That is like making physical education a compulsory module, and forcing a quadriplegic to go through with it.

^ You can quote that if necessary to persuade the medical professionals at your school to be more understanding.

It's ridiculous even on the surface what they're asking you to do. As much as you might dislike doctors though, I bet you going through the medical process will be significantly less painful than going through a whole module of this BS.