What is a Social Phobia?
A social phobia is a form of anxiety where an individual suffers from nervousness, unease, physical symptoms of distress and fear when present in social and professional group settings and environments. The condition usually presents itself for the first time during the teenage to young adulthood. It will generally continue as the individual ages.
Symptoms of a Social Phobia:
- Some of the critical symptoms of the condition include:
- Physical sensations of anxiety include nausea, stomach pangs, blushing, heart palpitations, trembling, shaking, blushing and sweating.
- Intense shyness and a deep hesitation to interact and pay attention.
- Strong negative thoughts and chronic fears about future moments in a social or professional group setting or situation. Persistent doubts about future performance in such a social setting.
Who Comes to See Me?
People from all walks of life come to see me with this condition. From businesspeople who want to help feel more comfortable in public speaking, job interviews and in the work environment in general to people wanting to be more social and friendly in a party setting. Others just want to make friends more easily and better attract a suitable relationship.
Treatment
Doctors will typically prescribe medication such as Zoloft or Luvox and or beta blockers to treat the condition and will often suggest counselling or psychological intervention. Medication works well for some; others will not react as favourably. Hypnosis increasingly is gaining some popularity as one intervention worthy of investigation of its efficacy in treating the phobia.
Hypnosis as a form of treatment for a Social Phobia
Studies
Very little research between hypnosis as form of treatment for social phobia exists. A brief search came up with a singular study that can be found here in abstract form. It simply found that labelling a treatment used in the research study ‘hypnotic’ seemed to increase the likelihood that the person improved in their social phobia condition.
My Social Phobia Hypnotherapy Program
My program consists of three to five sessions. Three sessions are recommended normally. Some see satisfactory improvement after one session. The following aspects will be included in the program: guided imagery, Ego State Therapy, and desensitization.
Case Study Lucy Bank Employee (name changed for privacy reasons):
Lucy came to see me because she did not feel comfortable in attending gatherings and parties. Both her personal and professional lives were affected by this condition. She would often find that she would blush uncontrollably in these environments even when there was nothing to be shy about nor be nervous about. Over the course of the three sessions, we broke the formerly automatic response of blushing and developed a feeling of comfort and confidence. This allowed her to network and connect in a professional environment as well as to help her months later find a suitable relationship.
Residents from Australia can instantly book a private appointment by clicking the green button below. You will arrive at an external booking system where you can choose an appropriate appointment time.
Sources:
- “Social Anxiety Disorder-Topic Overview.” WebMD. WebMD. Web. 20 May 2014.
- “Hypnotic Enhancement of a Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Public Speaking Anxiety.” Science Direct. Web. 20 May 2014.
Please Note: I do not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The content on my website is not, and is not intended to be substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your Doctor or other Government qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding this or any other medical issue or condition.