Social anxiety is nothing new. If you’ve ever experienced debilitating fear or worry over things like having to speak in a group of people you don’t know, or even going to a party, you could be struggling with it. 

While social anxiety can impact people differently, its symptoms can make life extremely difficult. You might withdraw from people and social situations, assume others are thinking/saying the worst about you, and you might even start to believe some of the negative self-talk threatening to take over your thoughts. 

In this post-COVID world, social anxiety has become a bigger problem than ever. 

Many of us got used to two years of isolating and distancing. Now, as things are getting back to normal, you might be worried about how to interact with people safely and effectively, which can worsen anxiety symptoms. 

There are plenty of options for treating and managing social anxiety, including talk therapy. 

However, if you’ve tried other management techniques already or want to experience something different, consider hypnosis. 

How Can Hypnotherapy Work? 

When it comes to social anxiety, the goal of hypnosis is to separate the response in your brain from the experience of finding yourself in a social setting. 

Maybe you’re worried about social events because you had a bad experience in the past. Or, maybe you’ve just been conditioned (especially after COVID) to be hesitant around people. 

Hypnosis gives you the opportunity to fully relax, so you can enter into a state that allows you to discover the root of your social anxiety. Once you’re able to understand that, hypnosis techniques can make it easier to overcome your fears. 

What to Expect

Hypnosis has fallen victim to plenty of stereotypes over the years. However, you’re not fully asleep or unconscious when you’re going through the process. 

Rather, your mind and body fall into a deep state of relaxation. That makes it easier to think about your fears without letting them overwhelm you.  It also opens you to accept suggestions from your hypnotherapist.

Studies have shown that during a typical session, your blood pressure lowers, your heart rate goes down, and brain wave activity changes. Your therapist can help you distance your thoughts of fear from social situations. 

Beyond that, hypnosis is effective in helping you accept new ideas and experiences, removing the fear as you develop new perspectives. 

You’ll also be able to develop new skills you can use in social settings. They will quickly become automatic responses. So, you won’t have to overthink or put too much pressure on yourself to act on them. The idea is to carry these skills with you forever, so you don’t have to continue going to therapy for years. 

Is Hypnotherapy Effective? 

When it comes to social anxiety, more research needs to be done on the impact of hypnotherapy.

However, there have been countless success stories from people who have used hypnosis to overcome their fears of social interactions. 

The benefit of hypnosis over other therapies (or in combination with other therapies) is that it can completely change how your brain sees and understands these situations. You’ll be able to feel more in control as you separate your worries from the setting you’re in. 

With that in mind, it’s understandable to have questions about hypnosis. If you’re wondering whether it’s the right treatment option for you, please don’t hesitate to contact me for more information. 

It’s not uncommon to deal with social anxiety, especially in this post-COVID society. However, you don’t have to let it control your mind and your actions forever. Anxiety hypnotherapy can put you back in the driver’s seat. You’ll end up actually enjoying social interactions again, rather than worrying about them. Reach out soon to get started.