It might be just another day for you at work, school or your favourite café. You approach a group of people you were supposed to meet. Maybe you’re meeting them for the first time, or maybe you’ve seen them around a few times already.

Whichever the case, you find yourself stammering and unable to make eye contact. As you struggle to find the right words, you find yourself thinking about what people might be thinking of you.Many of us may have experienced something of this sort before, but for some, this difficulty in relating to other people can be downright debilitating.

If this scenario is an everyday occurrence for you, this could be affecting your performance in the office, or in school. And even the simplest activity involving any form of human interaction such as asking for directions or asking someone how they are, could turn into a major undertaking.

Over time, what appears to be a “simple lack of people skills” will affect the person’s confidence and self-esteem. A person with difficulty in approaching and interacting with others on a daily basis see themselves as unworthy of the company of others.

If you have this difficulty, you might have groundless worries over other people’s perception of you, and these worries might get in the way of your opportunities for advancement. Your opportunities might include making new friends, applying for a new job, or getting help you need to complete your project.

What is social anxiety?

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) stated that the defining characteristic of social anxiety disorder or social phobia, is an intense anxiety or fear of:

• Being judged
• Negatively evaluated
• Rejected in a social situation

Because socially anxious people worry about looking stupid in front of others, or boring them, or even about looking worried, they avoid social situations altogether. When these situations cannot be avoided, these people experience symptoms including:

• Rapid heart rate
• Nausea
• Sweating
• Trembling
• Muscle tension
• Dizziness
• Shortness of breath
• Stomach trouble

The ADAA also notes that while people with social anxiety may know that their apprehensions are irrational and extreme, they feel helpless in face of their fear, and feel unable to do anything about it.This increases their risk of developing a major depressive disorder, as well as alcohol abuse.

While some 15 million American adults have social anxiety disorder, the Department of Psychiatry at Singapore General Hospital lists social phobia as one of anxiety disorders suffered by about 10 per cent of Singapore’s population.

It is important to note that social anxiety is not the same as shyness. The National Institute of Mental Health has discussed a study suggesting that social phobia is separate or distinct from shyness in some cases. The study also showed that social phobia sufferers were more likely to have another psychiatric disorder, have poorer performance at work or school, and were less able to relate to family or friends.

Social anxiety is not experienced in the same way by everyone who has it, nor has it been determined to have a single, definite cause. Some socially anxious people may have no problem meeting people but may have a problem with public speaking. A person might have a family history of social phobia, while others might have developed it because they were abused or bullied in their youth.

Getting Help for Social Anxiety

The very nature of social anxiety makes it difficult for someone with it to reach out for help. But what is important to realise is that a person with social anxiety can be helped.

Hypnotherapy is an effective way to help socially anxious people to overcome their difficulties in relating with others.

Let the caring, consulting hypnotists at Mindlife Hypnotherapy make a real difference in your life by helping you conquer social anxiety and renew your confidence.

We are offering a special complimentary “Break Free Session” where we will work together with you to…

• Create a crystal-clear vision for the kind of future you would like to have.
• Uncover hidden challenges that may be sabotaging your success, and…
• You will leave the session renewed, reenergized and inspired to finally reclaim your freedom from social anxiety and take back control of your life.

When you are ready to take advantage of one of those sessions with us,

Call / SMS / WhatsApp us at +65 9785 6255.

Or email [email protected].

When you are ready to take advantage of one of those sessions with us,

Call / SMS / WhatsApp us at +65 9785 6255.

Or email [email protected].

Mindlife Hypnotherapy offers the following excellent services:

1. Life Coaching
2. National Guild of Hypnotists (NGH) Hypnotists Certification Course
3. 7^th Path Self-Hypnosis Course

Visit Mindlife Hypnotherapy for details, and do like and follow us on Facebook for updates.