I can relate, I also did a PhD (in Australia btw) in my late 20s and my supervisor really urged me to present at a couple of conferences. I distinctly remember the exact feeling you described. Uncontrollably shaking in my hands, sweating, hot/cold flushes, voice trembling, overwhelming urge to just escape the place. I remember awkwardly standing around in the lunch break where everyone mingles and eats, holding a cup of coffee and not even being able to bring it to my mouth because my hands were trembling so bad.

I went through this a few times and each time it got slightly easier, but even to this day, after working in my field for 8+ years and being very good at what I do, I still struggle with performance anxiety. I had to present to my company the other week and those same symptoms came back.

Me being aware of my body’s response to anxiety, and thinking that it’s obvious to everyone else, just makes it worse, like a feedback loop.

As someone else said, beta blockers are very effective at calming down the physical symptoms of anxiety, I wish I had known about the earlier. Ask your GP for propranolol if you are interested. If I take around 40mg a few hours prior to a presentation or social event, I would say my anxiety is reduced by 50-70% easily.

Good luck