Here is my story: I have always been nervous about speaking in public and during meetings but have managed to overcome these fears for the most part. About 2 years ago I started to notice my voice was cracking a little when I was speaking on the phone. Well, being a little compulsive, I began to focus on the issue and before too long it became a big issue and every time I would speak would become a test to see if I could speak like a normal person. Well this just added to the stress of speaking in public. Full blown anxiety set in and I was worried 24/7 about my ability to speak. I would get severe muscle tension in my neck and to compensate I would strain my voice to just get words out. Before too long my throat was sore and that just reinforced that I have a problem speaking. I would get shortness of breath and the adrenalie rush during the flight/fight respone. Unable to get through this episode and not sure where it was headed eventually took a toll on me emotionally and I had bouts of depression combined with anxiety. After some therapy and a short period on medication the emotional swings have stopped for the most part but still battling the anxiety of speaking. At this point I am convinced that I have forgotten how to speak properly and feel out of place when I am in public. Would appreciate any thoughts/comments on overcoming social anxiety and techniques that people have used. Thanks for reading my story.