Social Anxiety - Sub-personalities

I have suffered from social anxiety all my life. I remember instances that happened when I was 4 years old, though I obviously didn't know at that time what was really going on.

It wasn't until much later in my life after seeking professional counseling that I could actually put a name to the problem. During these meetings I have taken many, many notes. Going through my notes, I found a worksheet on the different sub-personalities that most social phobics have.

The Worrier... I fit into this category. This is the strongest sub-personality in people who are prone to anxiety. The Worrier creates anxiety by imagining the worst-case scenario. The Worrier anticipates the worst, overestimates the odds of something bad or embarrassing will happen, and creates actual images of failure. The Worrier is always watching for any small symptom or sign of trouble.

The Critic... The critic is constantly judging and evaluating their behavior. It jumps on any mistake you make to remind you that you are a failure. The Critic generates anxiety by putting you down for not being able to handle your panic symptoms, for not being about to go places, for being unable to perform at your best, or for having to be dependent on someone else. OK, so I fit into this one, too.

The Victim... The Victim is that part of you which feels helpless or hopeless. It generates anxiety by telling you that you are not making any progress, that your condition is incurable, or that the road is too long and you have no real chance at recovering. It believes that nothing will ever change.

The Perfectionist... The Perfectionist promotes chronic stress and burnout. It generates anxiety by constantly telling you that your efforts are not good enough, that you should be working harder, that you should always have everything under control. The Perfectionist is the hard driving part of you that wants to be best and is intolerant of mistakes.

Well, I fall into most of these categories. Take a look at them. Can you see yourself in any or all of these categories?

Until next time...