Aspies and Speaking in Public

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Faramir said

This describes me to a tee. I have felt little fear of standing in front of a big audience at least in part because I don't care much about their emotional reactions (is that a lack of empathy or a healthy independence?) I do care about honoring the information that I have to provide (over-attention to detail?) so I work hard to speak slowly and evenly (hyperfocused?).

I might feel very differently if I had ever been ridiculed as a speaker. In that case, however, the fear or panic seems like a universal reaction, experienced by neurotypicals and neuro-atypicals (aspies, ADD, OCD, etc) alike.

I know for one thing I'll never be a public speaker.

What happened was people were talking in the back of the room in my direction, and the teacher got seriously pissed. She asked the question "Did any of you hear what I just said?" Of course my dumb self forgot that you are never supposed to answer that question. So I was trying to say "You were confused about whether or not to credit the persuasive speech and the group speech together or to make them seperate grades." But all I was able to get out was "you were confused" before she said " EXCUSE ME? I WAS CONFUSED?" And I stammered "no not confused". I accidently chose the word confused cause at that moment confused and trying to figure out meant the same thing in my head. So of course she assumed I was being a smart ass so she chose me to speak RIGHT AFTER that experience. Mind you I was already stressed out before all this mess, so I ended up stammering through the whole thing.

I do extremely well teaching one-on-one or lecturing a group. However, a small group of 4 to 10 and I start to flit about the room, and the subject, like a leaf in a breeze.

I cannot handle the open question and answer session after the lecture, so I tell people to see me off stage, one-on-one, after the talk. It is most embarassing to vomit during a Q&A.

Pops