Does shyness or social anxiety make social situations difficult for you? Many people experience shyness and anxiousness when asked to do something in front of others. Social phobia sufferers are different in that they experience anxiety symptoms and have intense fears of being embarrassed in public.
Social phobia is an anxiety disorder is normally developed from a young age and affects absolutely millions of people. In nearly all cases, social anxiety disorder is treatable using behavioral therapy. Other options such as medication has limited effectiveness at treating social phobia although it can relieve symptoms.
In addition to treatments, sufferers can apply self help techniques to help them overcome Social Anxiety. Self hypnosis has been used for centuries and is effective at changing behavior and emotions. When you vividly imagine something you’re nervous system reacts in the same way as when you’re actually doing it.
Imagination has more power over your emotions than most of us realize. You might feel anxious and scared just by thinking of something you fear. But the imagination can be used to produce positive behaviors as well as negative ones. Like riding a bike the brain makes stronger connections each time until it becomes a subconscious ability.
Most professional sprinters imagine their race before it happens. Champion tennis players practice their swing over and over again in their heads. Each time they create stronger connections and perfect their ability. Your behaviors can be changed using the imagination. The amazing thing is it can be used for practically anything including overcoming social anxiety in specific situations.
Imagine that you’ve been asked to head the next meet. On finding out you become very anxious and you start imagining how embarrassed you will be on the day. You start to get anxiety symptoms like a tight chest, shaking and a racing heart. At the meeting you feel totally terrified, embarrassed and a complete wreck.
People with social anxiety self sabotage by thinking negative thoughts and imagine the worse that is going to happen. Practicing affirmations and visualization techniques can help you recondition the mind. With regular practice fears and phobias can be overcome.
Start practicing being confident and in control now. Locate a quiet place for you to be seated and close your eyes. Begin to breathe deeply and slowly, relaxing the muscles in your body. In your mind imagine what it would be like to be full of confidence and uninhibited in any social setting. How would you look, talk and feel? See yourself being respected and talked about in a positive way by other people.
Build this image and think about you living your life without anxiety symptoms. Use that little voice at the back of the head to give you positive feedback. Tell yourself how confident and strong you are. Now, visualize the next presentation going beautifully right to the very end. Notice that everyone at the meeting has your complete attention and are intently listening to your exuberant presentation.
Focus on this image for 10 minutes and finally open your eyes. Did you feel good? You might even feel that you’re ready to give a presentation now. With regular practice you’ll feel less and less fearful. Part of putting on a great performance is acting. Even if you feel anxious and nervous, project confidence, no one has to know. If you can learn to project confidence, in time your subconscious will gradually make this state more habitual.
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