Maybe you walk into a party and immediately regret coming. Maybe you blank on a job interview question even though you had an answer prepared. Maybe just the sound of your phone ringing sets you into a state of panic. These are all common examples of social anxiety.

Everybody experiences feelings of social anxiety to some extent, but if these feelings are preventing you from doing things you want or need to do or otherwise impeding your life, it is time to try some techniques to help manage and overcome social anxiety. Hypnosis is a safe, natural anxiety option that can be used on its own or in conjunction with treatments such as medication or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

What is Social Anxiety?

Social anxiety encompasses any uncomfortable emotions triggered by social interaction and is often accompanied by the assumption that you are being judged negatively, a fear of intimacy, or both. Some of the physical symptoms of social anxiety include blushing, sweaty palms, stumbling over your words, trembling, and nervous laughter.

The social situation that triggers your anxious response can be anything from a party to a first date to ordering food at a restaurant. Whatever the trigger is for you, it sends an electrical charge to the brain, telling the body it is under threat and instructing a physical reaction. This is what causes feelings of panic and other physical symptoms of anxiety.

This response occurs because we have trained our subconscious brain to respond to specific stimuli in a particular way. We’ve reinforced the idea that this is how we react over time and conditioned our brains to keep doing so. This is what makes it so difficult to change those thought patterns and instigate healthier behaviors, but because hypnosis taps into your subconscious it is a remarkably effective method of changing the negative thought patterns that cause social anxiety.

Struggling with severe social anxiety can make it hard to get close to people and interferes with your career, interpersonal relationships, and daily tasks. However, there are lots of social anxiety management techniques that can help you take back control.

How Can Hypnosis Help?

Many people find hypnosis effective for social anxiety management because it aids in reframing the way you think about socially stressful situations. If you have general social anxiety and wish to treat it or if you have a particularly anxiety-inducing event coming up, you may find that hypnosis gives you the mindset that you need to feel more relaxed in social situations. Many people find it helpful to try hypnosis before an upcoming social event that is causing stress, such as a large gathering or event where they will be expected to make a speech or deliver a presentation.

Does Hypnosis Work for Social Anxiety?

Often, people are hesitant to try hypnosis because they have no idea what to expect. Here is a breakdown of what a typical hypnosis session looks like and how it works to rewire your negative thought patterns.

First of all, relaxation is essential. In order to relax the mind for hypnosis to be effective, you have to relax the body. A hypnosis session usually begins with deep breathing and other relaxation exercises to get you in the appropriate state to rewire the way your brain processes social situations and stressful stimuli—next, your hypnotist will help to relax your mind using affirmations, mindfulness, and visualization. This will ready your subconscious to respond easily to suggestion and help to effectively change the way your brain responds to social situations that would normally make you anxious.

Your hypnotist will then ask you questions about your anxious feelings and how they affect your daily life and will suggest positive changes you could make to the way you think about your anxiety and triggers. By the end of your session, you and your hypnotist will have come up with some strategies that you can work on by yourself in order to improve your social anxiety.

Curious about what hypnosis can do for you? Book a free consultation to learn more.