Can This Be The Magical Cure For Social Anxiety?

 
Social Anxiety is like being shy only it runs deeper than that.

To be shy might mean you blush, or you're too shy to raise your hand in class.

If you have social anxiety, you will not only blush, but you might get an overwhelming fear of the social situation you are attending.

There are several self-help methods to overcome social anxiety and/or just being shy, but I've found one more that looks very promising.

It's part of a Calming Collection.   Goodbye Anxiety, Goodbye Fear is a motivational and hypnosis CD.

I get skeptical when I see the word hypnosis, but this CD just might be the ticket.

The product description reads:

GOODBYE ANXIETY, GOODBYE FEAR is the third in the highly acclaimed Calming Collection Series. This CD includes four tracks: The first is called general fears, and is a very powerful tool , through the use of hypnosis, visualization, and imaginal exposure, to help eliminate and extinguish a wide variety of fears and phobias, including fear of public speaking, medical situations, relationships, confrontations and many other types of fears and phobias one might have. The second track is for fear of flying. The third track for fear of driving. Even if one doesn't have driving or flying issues, it can be useful to listen to the entire CD, as it provides additional reinforcement of the general concepts of relaxation and empowerment in challenging situations. The fourth track is a meditation component, to help one train one's mind to quickly release the thoughts that generate anxiety and fear. The Calming Collection provides simple direct solutions for dramatically reducing anxiety and with frequent use there is a lasting effect. These programs use the concept of hypno-meditation and were designed by Roberta Shapiro, M.Ed, a leading specialist in the field of anxiety management. There were formulated as a more rapid and helpful way to manage anxiety. Roberta Shapiro is a renowned psychotherapist in private practice in Florida, as well as a member of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, The National Board of Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists, the American Psychotherapy and Medical Hypnosis Association and Marquis Who's Who in American Women. She is the author of Birth Pains, and the first CD in the Calming Collection SLEEP SOLUTIONS, and the second in the series, GOODBYE WORRIES.

But more than the description, the reviews by actual people using this CD are great!   And, these are verified buyers, which mean they have actually purchased and used this CD.

Some of the comments range from overcoming their fear of driving and flying, overcoming social anxiety, they conquered being shy, and more.

Take a look for yourself.  Check out Goodbye Anxiety, Goodbye Fear and the customer reviews.  I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Good luck in conquering your Anxiety Madness!

Social Anxiety and the Workplace Don’t Mix!

If you have social anxiety, or social phobia, then you know the workplace can be agonizing.

Social anxiety is an extreme fear of social situations and judgment by others. What worse place to “be judged” or reviewed than by your boss and fellow employees in the workplace!

The way to overcome social anxiety is to expose yourself to social situations. Depending on how severe your social anxiety is though, you may want to take it slow.

If you have severe social anxiety, you probably wouldn’t want to jump into a sales job, but working with animals might be great.

Can you write books, poems, or can you draw? Someone with severe social anxiety could work alone, yet still have contact with others thus exposed to social situations.

Social anxiety and the workplace don’t mix, but taking it slow and exposing yourself to social situations is the key to overcoming social anxiety.

Social Anxiety | How To Help Your Child With School

Does your child have social anxiety? Does your child have school anxiety?

School is right around the corner, how do you help your child handle their social anxiety when school starts?

Butterflies are common on the first day of school, panic attacks are not.

Children with social anxiety have it twice as hard on the first day of school as children without social anxiety.

If your child suffers from social anxiety or severe anxiety, don’t brush it off, by telling them, “It’ll be ok” because they won’t believe you.

Your child “knows” it won’t be ok because their negative thoughts are telling them it won’t be.

They “know” they’ll get on the wrong bus, they’ll go to the wrong classroom, and a million other things that will embarrass them.

How To Help Your Social Anxiety Child With School

Children with social anxiety need to turn off the negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones just as adults with social anxiety need to do.

Do they have certain “school friends” they’ve missed? Have them concentrate on finding this friend and inviting him over after school.

Whether it’s big or small, if your child has one thing they like about school or something they miss about school, or something they are looking forward to, have them focus on that.

If there’s absolutely nothing, invent something. For younger children, you could make a bet that their teacher will be wearing blue, or their desk will have a stapler, or something that will occupy their thoughts.

I’m not a professional, but I have suffered from social anxiety since I was very young. I do know the worst thing you can say is, “It’ll be ok” because I “knew” for a fact it wouldn’t.

Can You Afford To Have Social Anxiety?

Social Anxiety is a fear of social situations. Whether it is meeting new people or attending a family reunion, social anxiety can be crippling.

Social anxiety can really limit your quality of life if you allow it, so can you really afford to have social anxiety?

If you allow social anxiety to run your life, you could have problems in the workplace, problems with relationships, and even problems with family members.

If you can’t work because of your social anxiety, you can’t get the help you need from therapists or medication.

Can you really afford to have social anxiety? My answer is no. That’s why overcoming social anxiety is so important.

If you find yourself in this pickle already, then self-help is your answer. There’s tons of information on this blog, on the Suffering from Anxiety blog, and on the Internet to cure your social anxiety.

Study articles dealing with negative thoughts or boosting your confidence. Apply what you learn, don’t expect to cure your social anxiety by just reading.

When you’ve overcome social anxiety, stay motivated and be aware of slipping back into paranoid ways.

You can do this, because no one can afford to have social anxiety!

Do You Have Severe Social Anxiety?

Do you have severe social anxiety? Yeah, so did I, or so I thought. Social anxiety is an extreme fear of social situations.

I started researching social anxiety many years ago online. This was after I went to several doctors, was on many, many different medications, and nothing seemed to work.

Every article, website, and blog I read, the message was the same. Medication and cognitive therapy are the best ways to overcome social anxiety.

After every article I read, I would always say, “Yeah, but I have severe social anxiety.” I always thought my situation was worse, and I that’s what I always told myself.

Do You Have Severe Social Anxiety?

So, tell me how bad your social anxiety is. Do you have severe social anxiety? Do you think no one understands your situation?

I had severe social anxiety, too. I “knew” no one else experienced what I did and there wasn’t a cure in the world for me.

I had such severe social anxiety that I couldn’t go out and get the mail. I couldn’t walk out to my car without severe anxiety and at times panic attacks.

I had a swing out in my backyard I couldn’t sit in. I couldn’t answer the telephone or the door. I couldn’t go to the store.

I “couldn’t” do anything because I had severe social anxiety. No one understood. My situation was totally different.

The first thing you have to do is stop believing your situation is worse. In other words, stop the negative thoughts!

Your negative thoughts are holding you back, making you believe you have severe social anxiety.

Sweden Is Not Social Anxiety Friendly!

If you suffer from social anxiety or telephonophobia and live in Sweden, your life might have just gotten more uncomfortable.

Sweden passed a law on Wednesday making it possible for officials to tap phone calls and email, making Sweden not social anxiety friendly!

Supporters argue this ensures safety against terrorist attacks, while critics argue it invades privacy.

Regardless, if you suffer from social anxiety or telephonophobia (fear of the telephone) then Sweden might be an uncomfortable place to live.

Read more on Sweden’s new law at USA Today.

Crazy Easy Confidence Builder!

Social anxiety, or social phobia, often means having low confidence or no confidence at all. If you suffer from social anxiety and have low or no confidence, you can follow this crazy easy confidence builder to build your confidence in no time.

What are some traits of people with confidence? These people believe in themselves, they walk with their head high and shoulders straight and people with confidence don’t need to be judgmental of others to enhance their self-worth.

Crazy Easy Confidence Builder!

What is the crazy easy way to build confidence? Build your confidence by faking that you are confident!

• Walk tall with your head held high and smile a lot.
• Smile and say hi to complete strangers you pass by.
• Tell yourself over and over You CAN do this! You ARE confident!
• Speak slowly and clearly, don’t rush your words.
• Do NOT call yourself stupid, fat, ugly or anything negative; ever!

People are more concerned with themselves and what is going on in their own head than to worry about what you are doing, trust me.

If you practice this crazy easy confidence builder by faking your way to confidence, eventually you will be confident!

Social Anxiety Trust Drug Cure or Curse?

There is a new study showing a trust drug can cure social anxiety or social phobia. Social anxiety is intense fear of social situations.

The trust drug is a nasal spray called Oxytocin, sometimes called the “Love Hormone.” You can read more here.

Social Anxiety Trust Drug Cure Or Curse?

Everyone is excited that this trust drug will cure social anxiety, and although it sounds good, it might be more of a curse.

This trust drug will help cure social anxiety, but at what cost? There’s a statement in that article that says:

They found that people who inhaled the "love hormone" Oxytocin continued to trust strangers with their money - even after they were betrayed.

Curing social anxiety or social phobia is one thing, trusting complete strangers without some kind of common sense reasoning is dangerous.

What are your thoughts? Is this social anxiety trust drug a cure or a curse?

What Is Social Anxiety?

This is a 28 minute video explaining exactly what Social Anxiety is and is not.

Dr. Granet is talking with Dr. Murray Stein who is a professor of psychiatry at the University of California.

These two discuss the differences between social anxiety and simple shyness.

The video is called Health Matters: What Is Social Anxiety Disorder? Enjoy!

Social Anxiety | Stop Your Paranoia!

Paranoia or being paranoid is a magnified mistrust of others not based on fact, and characterized by excessive anxiety or fear.

Paranoia is often experienced by those suffering from social anxiety or social phobia. Paranoia can often be misdiagnosed as social anxiety, schizophrenia, and other conditions. Social anxiety can also often be misdiagnosed as paranoia.

Stop Your Paranoia!

Whether you have been diagnosed with paranoia or with social anxiety, depression, or any other condition, living with paranoia is extremely difficult.

You’re in constant turmoil believing everyone is “out to get you” so to speak. You feel everyone is talking about you and judging your every move.

Most people will experience paranoia at some point in their lifetime. Anxiety and stress factors can play a huge role in paranoid feelings.

To stop your paranoia is to stop and redirect your thoughts. Negative thoughts play a huge role in how we feel about ourselves and they play right into feelings of paranoia.

An easy way to stop these negative thoughts is to visualize a huge, red stop sign in your mind and say the word STOP! Say it out loud and loud if you must to redirect your thoughts.

Practice makes perfect, so it will take time to stop the negative thoughts and to stop your paranoia, so don’t give up!

Social Anxiety | Telephone Fear

If you have social anxiety, chances are high that you also fear the telephone. I touched on fearing the telephone and just how crippling it can be on my post The Telephone Call.

That post was more for explaining what telephone fear is and how someone suffering from social anxiety feels regarding making or receiving phone calls.

Overcome Your Telephone Fear!

For help with overcoming your fear of the telephone Do You Have Telephonophobia lists some simple steps you can take to put your telephone fear behind you once and for all.

Don’t let your social anxiety or your fear of the telephone stop you from living your life to the fullest. Good Luck!

Social Anxiety | Public Speaking Fear Has No Cure!

Social anxiety is the fear of being judged by others in social situations. With that thought in mind, public speaking is the ultimate fear for those suffering from social anxiety.

Unfortunately, you don’t have to have social anxiety for public speaking to be a huge problem. Public speaking, or making any kind of presentation in public, is the number one fear reported by people of the United States.

Public Speaking Fear Has No Cure!

A new study has shown people with low anxiety had nervousness at the beginning of their public speaking, but lower anxiety at the end.

Those with higher anxiety by nature started with high anxiety and by the end of their public speaking had even higher anxiety.

You can read the full article on the study here.

Learning Public Speaking Skills

Although there’s no cure to magically stop the anxiety and fear when speaking in public, it can be managed with a few tricks.

• Try to focus on your speech and not your anxiety.
• Treat symptoms as soon as they arise, like sipping water for a dry mouth for instance.
• For shaking hands, put them behind your back or clasp them together.

So, although the fear of public speaking has no cure, even those suffering from social anxiety can get through a speech with practice and a few tricks.

Does Paula Abdul Have Social Anxiety? Video!

I am a huge American Idol fan, and after last night’s shocking episode, I’m wondering out loud: Does Paula Abdul have social anxiety? It’s not uncommon for celebrities to have social anxiety even though they are in the public eye.

Donny Osmond and Barbra Streisand both experienced social anxiety as well as hundreds more just like them; so again, it is not uncommon for celebrities to have social anxiety.

Some of the ways people have tried to deal with social anxiety are with drugs or alcohol. I am not saying Paula Abdul uses drugs or alcohol, I am just saying that is a common way of dealing with social anxiety.

Does Paula Abdul Have Social Anxiety?

If you have ever watched American Idol or have read the news at all about Paula Abdul, you know that at times she acts a little out of the ordinary. Last night’s American Idol episode was no different except that she really screwed up.

Read about her screw up HERE. Watch the video HERE.

Paula was acting very, very strangely and she also judged Idol contestant Jason Castro on two songs, despite him only singing one of the songs. Paula was very confused and said she thought he sang two songs.

I don’t want to surmise that she was under the influence of anything because I love Paula, but she really screwed up last night and that’s what got me wondering if she is trying to deal with social anxiety.

She is in the public eye; she gets scrutinized by the public A LOT; she acts very strangely sometimes like she’s really not all there; and she is always the “nice” judge, wanting to please everyone.

If Paula Abdul does have social anxiety, I hope someone can help her because social anxiety is awful to deal with every day.

Social Anxiety Sufferers | Stop Being Doormats!

Stop being a doormat! You know you are, because you are stressed and full of anxiety. Those suffering from social anxiety are higher on the list of doormat placement. Why, because those with social anxiety want to please everyone.

Social anxiety sufferers would rather be a doormat to those around them then to be judged by everyone around them. The problem is being a doormat can increase anxiety and depression.

Social Anxiety Sufferers Stop Being a Doormat!

Social anxiety sufferers listen up because you need this probably more than anyone. You will start following the items below and stop being a doormat today.

• Rehearse saying the word “no” as often as you possibly can. If someone asks you to do something and you planned on doing something else, then politely say no. You don’t have to go into a long drawn out explanation as that will only make you look weak.
• Take care of yourself. This is a big one for anyone, social anxiety sufferers too, as it makes people feel selfish. No one else is going to take care of you so you must take care of yourself; that is not being selfish. Do what you want to do whether it’s gardening, jogging, reading, or napping, take time every day and take care of yourself.
• Give yourself some time before committing to anything. If someone asks you to do something and you might have the time so you don’t want to say no, but you’re not sure, tell them you will think about it. If you are not ready to make a decision do not let anyone rush you.

One more important thing to look out for is to not let anyone manipulate you or make you feel bad for any of the above. You deserve respect, so start giving yourself respect and you will receive it as well.

Social Anxiety | Bullying Can Hurt You!

I’ve been reading that a new study has found that bullying can hurt you and cause anxiety and social anxiety in adulthood. Remember what you were told to say to bullies? “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Well, I guess that was all a lie!

Bullying in childhood can actually cause anxiety and social anxiety in adulthood according to this study. 210 college students were studied and the University of Florida researchers have found a link between social bullying in childhood to depression and anxiety in adulthood.

Bullying Can Cause Social Anxiety

I can see how the bullying and gossiping and shunning of children by other children can really affect the psyche of another child. Social anxiety is a fear of being judged by another, and that’s all bullying is to a certain degree.

When you’ve grown up being bullied and shunned by your peers, it sounds very normal that one would carry those feelings into adulthood, but now what do we do with this information?

Do we try to convince other parents and schools that bullying isn’t just child’s play or just a part of growing up? I can tell you from experience that probably won’t work.

My child was bullied many years ago, and it got to the point that she was even cornered in the bathroom. My husband and I had a talk with the principal at the time and she said my daughter needs to stop wearing her feelings on her sleeve.

Thank goodness my child doesn’t have social anxiety to the point I did when I was her age. Some children will develop severe anxiety, social anxiety, or depression, however, and I hope everyone reads this study so they can be aware.

After all, bullying can hurt you, and living with anxiety and social anxiety is nothing to laugh at.

Social Anxiety | Recipe For Success

I found the recipe for success for anyone, and especially those with anxiety, social anxiety, depression, procrastination, and just plain feelings of worthlessness.

Recipe for Success!

What are the ingredients for this recipe for success? Well, it is called The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey. There are only 7 ingredients in this successful recipe, but very, very highly effective ingredients.

This 384 page book is a manual for performing better in both your personal and business life. Covey takes you through a life change which affects how you see and act in several areas including time management and positive thinking.

Learning and applying the 7 habits in this book is a learning process as this book isn’t a quick-fix kind of book. Once you have mastered the lesson you will be successful in all that you do.

Over 500 people have given this book a 5-star review and it has sold more than 10 million copies. It has been called a powerful seminar in book form. Read more on this recipe for success HERE.

Social Anxiety | DASH Diet Laugh!

Contrary to what I originally thought, the DASH Diet has nothing to do with Mrs. Dash. You know the Mrs. Dash seasoning line? Go ahead and laugh. We all know it feels good to laugh. It helps release tension and it lifts our mood. So what better way to get out of our depressed state and social anxiety tendencies? Here is your laughter for the day.

Let me back up for a second. I am searching for healthier eating habits as I could stand to lose some weight. I gained a few pounds when I quit smoking (again) and I don’t want my weight to get out of control. I’m not looking for a diet because I hate that word, but some healthier food choices won’t hurt.

I was on the WebMD.com site looking for anything of interest as far as eating, or healthy foods, or what have you, when I came across the DASH Diet. I thought, the DASH Diet? I use Mrs. Dash all the time and it tastes good, but I haven’t noticed any weight loss. LOL

Well, the DASH Diet doesn’t have anything to do with Mrs. Dash. It actually stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It is a “diet” that helps with hypertension. And although I don’t have high blood pressure, it runs rampant in my family so I think I’ll give it a try.

I am not advocating the DASH Diet, but if you want more information on it, just click HERE. I just thought I would give you your laugh for the day.

Social Anxiety | The Bachelorette?

So what does social anxiety and The Bachelorette have in common? We all know social anxiety and dating go together like oil and water.

The Bachelorette fans out there probably remember Trista Rehn when she chose Ryan Sutter in the finale episode. Well, social anxiety has nothing to do with either one of them, but it does have something to do with Jamie Blyth.

Jamie Blyth was the first contestant to step out of the limousine to meet Trista, and he suffered from social anxiety. He even appeared on the Oprah show to talk about his problem, except he doesn’t have social anxiety anymore.

Jamie Blyth, like many others, has managed to overcome social anxiety and panic attacks. He is living proof that it can be done. Imagine going from locking yourself in your dorm room for a month like Jamie did to being a contestant on The Bachelorette!

He also wrote a book called Fear Is No Longer My Reality where he explains what worked and didn’t work on his journey to overcome social anxiety. It is also chock full of comments and advice from experts in social and other anxiety disorders.

Read more about Jamie Blyth’s book on how he was able to overcome social anxiety and panic episodes HERE.

Social Anxiety | Stress Zappers!

Social anxiety and stress seem to go hand in hand. Stress can come from several different areas in our life, and when it gets out of control, we need to zap that stress!

Do you work under pressure of deadlines at school or at your work? Is there an illness in your family or has there been a recent death? Do you have money problems? Or do you just suffer from social anxiety and everything seems to cause stress?

Stress can cause all kinds of problems from an increase in anxiety to a decrease in sleep. Obviously the benefits of reducing stress then are a reduction in anxiety, and better sleeping, which will increase your energy and focus.

If you can identify where your stress is coming from, the easiest way to decrease the stress is to be rid of the stress causing problem. If FiFi is causing you stress, maybe FiFi would be better off living elsewhere. I don’t think getting rid of FiFi would be very easy, though.

So we are going to learn how to relax instead. One way is to lie down in a quiet room and focus on one part of the body at a time. For instance, concentrate on your foot and only your foot, all the while telling your foot to relax. Allow your foot to fall slightly towards the floor as it relaxes. Once your foot feels warm and relaxed, continue this method to the rest of your body parts.

Another stress zapper is to picture in your mind a nice and relaxing place. Maybe you think the beach is relaxing or the woods or some special place you feel is relaxing. Immerse your mind into that scene. If it is at the beach, feel the sun on your face and the spray of water on your body. If it is the woods, smell the fresh air and the pine trees.

Some people over-look their diet when they are complaining about stress. How many cups of coffee or soda do you drink per day? Pay close attention to the caffeine you consume every day.
Still others need a little extra help to zap that stress, and that is okay too. Whatever it takes to reduce stress and live a healthier life is all that counts.

PureCalm is a natural way to promote inner calmness. Use this to help balance unsettled emotions from everyday pressure and stress.

Stress Management Training is a great tool to prepare you to handle stress, and to help bring stress down immediately. Instant Stress Relief is another great tool that will trigger the release of hormones and neurotransmitters that flood your body and mind with pure, cleansing relaxation.

It doesn’t matter which stress zapper you choose, as long as you choose to zap stress out of your life.

Social Anxiety | Compliment Time!

Oh, the dreaded compliments! If you have any kind of anxiety, especially social anxiety, you understand just what that statement means. Giving and receiving compliments is a great social skill to have, but it is the worst feeling when someone with social anxiety feels the compliment time approaching.

So, what is one to do when it comes compliment time? Well, if you are receiving a compliment, that’s great! First and foremost, accept the compliment, as compliments are gifts. Don’t try to minimize the compliment, don’t slam the compliment, and don’t disagree with the compliment. Accept the compliment graciously at least by saying Thank You.

It would be nice if you could add something to that like Thank you I picked it up (your outfit) at such and such store. Or, thank you I love working with little kids (great with kids). If not, the least you say is a thank you if you are complimented for something you have or for something you did.

If you are giving the compliment, please be genuine. If you tell someone you like their dress and you don’t, well, that’s not genuine and if might come across that way. Try to be specific with your compliment, also.

If you like someone’s jacket or shoes, what is it you like about the jacket or shoes? Do you like the color? Do you like the design? If you can be more specific with your compliment, it will sound more sincere and genuine.

Compliments are great when they are sincere, so if you suffer from some forms of anxiety, like social anxiety, keep these tips in mind the next time it is compliment time.