Nov 19 2009
Better Options For Social Anxiety
Is Social Anxiety affecting the quality of your life? It’s normal to feel a little nervous and shy when giving a presentation or introducing yourself to a group of new people. People who experience extreme anxiety and fear however during these situations are likely to have social phobia disorder.
This is actually quite a common disorder which falls under the umbrella of anxiety disorders. Social anxiety disorder is very treatable and the success rate of therapy is high. Medication can help alleviate symptoms of social phobia but it is not a long term solution.
In addition to treatments, sufferers can apply self help techniques to help them overcome social anxiety. Daily practice of visualization and breathing techniques can do wonders for sufferers. The subconscious part of the mind can be trained using visualizations and learn new behavior from doing so.
Imagination has more power over your emotions than most of us realize. Hence why we experience anxiety symptoms just thinking about doing something that we fear. The subconscious mind learns both positive and negative emotions and behaviors in the same way. Like riding a bike the brain makes stronger connections each time until it becomes a subconscious ability.
Many pro athletes visualize winning before an event. Pro golfers practice their swing in their minds before actually taking a swing. Every time strengthening their mental reflex and improving their game. New behaviors can be born from practicing visualizations alone. You can use it to overcome your social anxiety and boost self confidence.
Let’s imagine that you have to give a presentation in a few days. On finding out you become very anxious and you start imagining how embarrassed you will be on the day. You might experience anxiety symptoms such as hot flashes, sweats, trembling and a pounding heart. At the meeting you feel totally terrified, embarrassed and a complete wreck.
When a social anxiety sufferer constantly focuses on the worst that can happen it’s easy to see how it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. By using positive visualizations and affirmations it is possible to break from old habits and learn new ones. Routinely practicing these techniques will help conquer fears and anxieties.
If it’s appropriate to do so use your imagination to boost your confidence right now. Locate a quiet place for you to be seated and close your eyes. Start to inhale and exhale slowly and deeply, and relax your muscles on each out breath. Imagine seeing yourself full of confidence and able to tackle any social situation. Visualize in detail the way you would speak and walk if you had this confidence. Think about how your presence would be and how others would see you.
In your mind take the new confident you into all areas of your life and see how great it would be to not suffer from Anxiety Symptoms. Reframe negative thoughts in your head so that they help you in a positive way. Praise yourself and make yourself feel good. Imagine yourself standing in front of everyone at your next meeting and giving an amazing presentation. 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. That felt great right? Giving a presentation now doesn’t seem as daunting as it did before. With regular practice you’ll feel less and less fearful. Remember that confidence is something that anyone can develop. Don’t worry if you feel a little anxious on the day and things don’t go as planned. Just remember to stay calm, breathe and remember it will get easier each time.
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