As the party season gets into full swing the socialites amoungst us revel in their comfort zone of back to back parties. However for many this period before Christmas signals the start of an overwhelming fear. That fear can be summed up as SOCIAL ANXIETY.

Understanding Social Anxiety and Social Phobia
Social anxiety and social phobia affect an enormous number of us to some extent or another. It is very likely that some, if not many, of the following list will be familiar to you:

Don’t like being put ‘on the spot’

Find it very difficult to talk publicly or to give presentations

Find large groups of people intimidating

Find it difficult to make friends

Lack confidence in social settings, being shy

Find parties and small talk difficult

Suffer with pre-exam or pre-test nerves

Try and stick to the rules

Sense of being watched

Find talking on the phone difficult

Frequently blushing, stuttering or stammering

Find maintaining eye contact with people difficult

Hiding, or keep yourself below people’s level of perception

Fear of being judged, criticized, mocked or rejected

Shy bladder (not wanting/able to urinate in public urinals)

Sexual performance issues (e.g. impotence, premature ejaculation)

Feel as though people may find out that you’re a fraud

For many people social anxiety and social phobia creates significant problems in their lives, often without them knowing the root cause. The issues created via social anxiety and social phobia can seep out into every aspect of your life: perhaps you choose to live alone, or begin to avoid social interactions; you lack confidence in your abilities and your lack of confidence creates difficulties on your work; you fail to get appointed to jobs you are more than capable of doing due to your lack of faith in yourself and this leads to others questioning your abilities too; you may dress in dull or dark colours to try and hide yourself, or perhaps you over-eat as a way of avoiding unwanted attention and/or flattery; you don’t challenge others in order to avoid conflict; or you may be chronically insecure about your relationships with others which can progressively undermine even the strongest of relationships.

There are few statistics about the extent to which people suffer with social anxiety and social phobia, and those that are published come with hefty health warnings about the likely inaccuracies. What we do know though is that almost everyone, at some stage in their life will experience feelings related to social anxiety.

Social-anxiety.org.uk state:

Millions of people around the world suffer from Social Anxiety Disorder (also known as Social Phobia) and related conditions. Despite being the most common type of anxiety disorder and the cause of much impairment and suffering, it is under-recognised and under-treated.

However, perhaps because by its very nature sufferers of Social Anxiety are reluctant to talk about their problems or seek help, the condition is still not widely known amongst the general public, and was only recognized as a disorder in its own right as recently as 1980.

How Hypnosis Hypnotherapy Can Help
If you feel you just need confidence to mix more easily then hypnosis, combined with suggestion therapy will enable you to reduce your anxiety and feel more in control.

It will provide you with a greater sense of self; it will boost self-confidence and self-esteem; it will help you build on your self-belief and you will have a strong visual image of yourself being calm, self-assured and successful in your upcoming event. An added bonus is that hypnosis is wonderfully relaxing and reduces stress levels.

Ongoing and Pervasive Issues with Social Anxiety or Social Phobia
Perhaps your issues are more long term or pervasive and you have found that social anxiety or social phobia is having a limiting effect upon your life? Or perhaps you would like to remove and resolve all future issues with social anxiety? In these circumstances it is likely that you would benefit most from a course of analytical hypnotherapy (pure-hypnoanalysis).

This type of therapy would provide you with all the benefits of hypnosis with suggestion therapy, whilst also helping you to fully resolve your issues with social anxiety and social phobia, leaving you free to enjoy a more fulfilled and relaxed approach social interactions in the future. IAPH therapists have found that social anxiety and social phobia can be very effectively treated using pure hypnoanalysis and issues can usually be resolved within 8 sessions. Please call to arrange a FREE initial consultation on 07841 451915