Do you experience Social anxiety when asked to do speak in front of people? Feelings of apprehension and nervousness are natural when you’re at the center of attention. People who experience extreme anxiety and fear however during these situations are likely to have social phobia disorder.
Social phobia is an anxiety disorder is normally developed from a young age and affects absolutely millions of people. Therapies have been highly effective in the treatment of social anxiety disorder. Although symptoms of social phobia can be treated with medication there are better long term options.
In addition to treatments, sufferers can apply self help techniques to help them overcome Social Anxiety. Relaxation and visualization techniques can be highly effective especially when practiced regularly. The subconscious part of the mind can be trained using visualizations and learn new behavior from doing so.
Your imagination and thoughts influence your feelings and behavior. You might feel anxious and scared just by thinking of something you fear. Just as the mind picks up negative behaviors it can also learn positive ones. Associations are made stronger when a person practices or experiences something repeatedly.
Many pro athletes visualize winning before an event. Some top major league baseball players imagine swinging and making perfect contact repeatedly. Through mental practice they improve their ability just like through normal practice. By using the imagination you can change your behavior. The amazing thing is it can be used for practically anything including overcoming social anxiety in specific situations.
Let’s imagine that you have to give a presentation in a few days. When told this, thoughts of embarrassment spring to mind and you become very nervous. You start to get anxiety symptoms like a tight chest, shaking and a racing heart. On the day you feel like a total wreck and the experience is one you’d rather forget.
In social situations the behavior and thoughts of social anxiety sufferers is self sabotaging. By using positive visualizations and affirmations it is possible to break from old habits and learn new ones. In time with enough practice anyone can overcome their fears.
Start practicing being confident and in control now. Find somewhere quiet to sit 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. Think about how you would stand, talk and gesture. Imagine how others would respect and treat you.
Build this image and think about you living your life without Anxiety symptoms. Let that internal voice in your head tell you positive things. Give yourself praise and motivating words. Vividly imagine the next presentation a complete and utter success. Imagine everyone reacting positively and you full of confidence and charisma.
Play this visualization over in your head a few times and then finally stir yourself out of deep relaxation. 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. Part of putting on a great performance is acting. Don’t worry if you feel a little anxious on the day and things don’t go as planned. The more you practice the more you will improve.
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