Originally Posted by
krug 
Defense mechanisms if you will, to deal with the eventual; sweating, out of control, "I look like a complete idiot" syndrome.
You know the one, you're sitting in class, or a meeting, and all of a sudden, your boss calls on you or asks you to get in front of the group for a demonstration. You just die, your heart and blood instantly race, your face flushes, you quit breathing, you don't even care/hear what is being said, you focus entirely on your out of control body breaking down into a sweaty embarrasing mess.
So...you can, (and I've done all these)
1. Bring a huge bottle of ice cold water, and slam it down before you get up there.
2. Start "fake" coughing or sneezing, and then excuse yourself because you're sick.
3. Just deal with it as you sweat through your shirt and the beads of sweat pour down your forehead and over your face, dripping from your nose. Shakingly applying a paper towel to your very sweaty face.
Of course there are preventative measures.
1. Sit way in the back and then leave whenever the meeting goes into demo mode or call on mode.
2. Put a bottle of ice water between your legs to cool you down, continually drink ice water.
3. Act sick, and use klenex and just keep them handy in case you may need to do your "coughing routine"
4. Take an ice cube out and put in on you wrists to cool your blood temperature.
5. Put antipersperent, deoderant on your face...YES...actually roll it on your face to prevent moisure. (works)
OR...
1. Limit coffee
2. Pray
3. Deep breath
4. Try not to resent others and don't feel judged yourself
5. Don't care
6. Focus on what is being said, not on what is happening to you.
7. Don't take yourself so seriously.
8. Know that this is not life or death, at the most extreme, just excuse yourself and walk away. This knowledge alone will save you.
I'm not an expert, I've lived this pain and suffered the anticipatory anxiety of the eventual meeting. What's different now is that I am sober/spiritual, I try not to obsess, and try not to care/think about what others may be thinking. This is a maladaptive cognition, "psychic thought" thinking I know what others are thinking, when most just really don't care anyway. Most are checking their email or texting, or just thinking about being somewhere else.
Hope this all helps. Coffee is probably the worst thing you can do in my opinion.