mance anxiety
"I've had a phobia of public speaking since age 16. Heart races, voice shakes, neck turns blotchy. I tried confronting my fear: did toastmasters and gave 40+ work presentations. But, the physical reaction never went away. I merely lived with it. Finally, my boss told me that I need to do something about my nerves during presentations (not a helpful thing to say to someone!). I realized that this is an automatic response and not something that my mind can control. I read about Proprananol online and went to the doctor to ask her thoughts. She told me that a lot of people take it, including those in high-power positions. By now, I've tried it 8 times -- every time I was calm and flawless, humorous even. I wish I had found this 15 years ago."