What are avoidance of speaking situations?

Avoidance of speaking situations is when someone fears or dreads talking in certain places or to certain people.

Imagine you're at school and it's time for show-and-tell. Your friend gets to go first, but when it’s your turn, your heart starts beating fast, and you want to hide under the table. That’s avoidance of speaking situations, it happens when someone feels nervous or scared about having to speak up in front of others.

Sometimes, people avoid speaking because they’re worried they’ll mess up. It's like being on stage and forgetting your lines. You might feel your face gets hot or your voice shakes, just like when you're trying to say your lines in a play but can't remember what comes next.

Avoidance of speaking situations isn’t about being bad at talking, it's more like having butterflies in your stomach before something important. You might feel that way at school, during a meeting with family, or even when you have to talk to the teacher. It doesn't mean you're shy or weak, it just means you need a little extra time or support to feel ready to speak up.