Sociophobia (from English - "fear of society") - one of the most common psychological disorders, lies in a man's excruciating fear of society. It is recognized as a disease of youth: most often it affects people from 15 to 30 years old.
The discomfort experienced by sociophobes can be of varying degrees of severity - from minor shyness to large-scale phobia.
This mental illness is safe for physical health, but it greatly reduces the individual's quality of life. A person experiences a gamut of unpleasant sensations when he is in crowded places, during public speaking, with increased attention to his person.
The first step towards a harmonious and fulfilling life is to overcome sociophobia. To realize this is quite real, the most important thing is the desire and willingness to cope with difficulties. At first it will be difficult, since any personal growth is a change of established attitudes to new ones. But when the first results are achieved, a person wakes up self-esteem. This quality contributes to the development of communication skills inherent only in a strong personality.
We will consider the causes, manifestation and treatment of sociophobia by various methods.
History of Sociophobia
In the 60s of the twentieth century, the first patients appeared with vague complaints of public fear. Symptoms in people varied significantly (from fear of public disgrace to the inability to be in public). But in general, they were united by one thing: they began with a large crowd of people. Then psychotherapists first became interested in social phobia. The treatment was carried out by the method of psychoanalysis of Sigmund Freud.
Psychologists relied on his theory, according to which childhood plays a decisive role in the formation of personality, and most phobias are laid at an early age. In the case of sociophobia, the emotional closeness of a parent with a small child is of great importance.
Mother must give the child enough attention, talk with him, smile. Thanks to care and affection, the child begins to subconsciously feel necessary. With a lack of care, the baby feels useless: he grows moody and irritable. The child experiences great stress when he visits the day nursery or kindergarten. He begins to emotionally miss his parents, there is a fear of the unknown, which causes sociophobia in the future.
Sociophobia: causes
The treatment of sociophobia directly depends on the reasons that caused it in a particular individual. For example, if a person has a pronounced imbalance of neurotransmitters, then he is prescribed treatment with tablets. If difficulties in communication arise due to children's complexes, then sociophobia shows cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy.
What are the causes of social phobia?
- Hereditary factors (if one of the parents experiences social anxiety, the child will also grow restless).
- Imbalance of neurotransmitters. Our endocrine system produces certain hormones responsible for fear, happiness, euphoria, sadness, etc. When its work is disrupted, the correct ratio of hormones is also disrupted. This leads to mood disorders and increased anxiety).
- Introversion (most sociophobes are introverts with a weak type of nervous system).
- Children's grievances.
Most often, a social phobia causes a combination of factors. Either stress, or resentment, or an existential crisis is superimposed on a person’s anxious nature. The psyche does not stand, and the next person replenishes the ranks of sociophobes.
Distinctive features of a sociophobe
Classic sociophobes can be seen from afar: these are slender young people in headphones who look younger than their age. They are characterized by an absent look and a strange appearance.
The first sociophobes who openly declared themselves were young Japanese. At the end of the twentieth century, they formed the hikikomori movement - young people who chose the path of voluntary seclusion. Their distinguishing feature is the minimization of communication with society. Hikikomori's lifestyle was liked by a certain layer of Western youth. Soon this movement gained popularity in the West and in Russia.
However, the reluctance to be in society and the fear of society are fundamentally different things. The first is a manifestation of nihilism, and the second is a serious phobia that causes a person real discomfort. A true sociophobe suffers from the fact that he cannot be among people: it is difficult for him to find an office job, he does not go to nightclubs and parties. At the same time, a person realizes that something is wrong with him. He wants to make a difference, but he cannot.
Symptoms of Sociophobia
A person with severe sociophobia is seriously limited. Three areas are affected:
- behavioral;
- physiological;
- emotional.
The behavioral sphere suffers most of all: a person refuses to attend interesting events, avoids crowded places, does not know how to speak in public.
The physiological component is manifested by vegetative symptoms:
- tachycardia;
- tremor;
- skin redness;
- a lump in the throat;
- increased sweating.
Emotionally, social phobia manifests itself as an irrational and panic fear of people. A person with his head understands the absurdity of the situation, but is not able to influence the situation.
Diagnosis of social phobia
Psychoanalysts, clinical psychologists and psychotherapists are involved in the treatment of sociophobia. You should not go to a psychiatrist, because this doctor treats the mentally ill, and not neurotics. An illiterate psychiatrist will prescribe social drugs to serious drugs that will reduce anxiety, but will not eliminate the cause of the problem. The ideal option is to find a competent psychotherapist who will help a person get to the bottom of the problem.
Reception at the psychotherapist begins with the patient's story about his problems. Next, the doctor will offer to undergo special tests:
- Luscher test (on the general psychological state of a person).
- Spielberger-Hanin test (for determining the level of anxiety).
- Sociophobia test.
Based on the results of tests and complaints of a person, a diagnosis is made and treatment is prescribed.
Treatment of social phobia
Robert Kiyosaki’s remarkable work, “Rich Dad, Poor Dad,” describes situations where smart and educated people were left literally with nothing because of their indecision and shyness. While less educated, but more determined and arrogant individuals were successful. The author shows that one cannot allow situations when fear suppresses the will. Because of it, your inner abilities and aspirations begin to fade away, and you cease to achieve your goals.
The reason for the poor health of a person in public is social phobia. The treatment will be effective if you find a suitable treatment. The psychotherapist is called to help her find: it was not for nothing that he studied books by famous predecessors and applied knowledge at seminars.
Social phobia can be treated in many ways. One of the most effective is the treatment of sociophobia with cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy. There are other methods that correct sociophobia, treatment is carried out:
- Pills and other medicines.
- Healing with meditation.
- Treatment of sociophobia with hypnosis.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
The treatment of sociophobia with cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy occurs in the form of meetings between a person and a psychologist (sessions).
A specialist teaches a social phobia to recognize thoughts that cause increased anxiety. Surprisingly, it turns out that “bad thoughts” revolve around the same thing. Next, a person needs to analyze his thoughts and try to replace with more rational ones. At the end of psychotherapy sessions, a person becomes his own psychologist, he learns to reasonably reason and replace categorical attitudes with more flexible ones.
Signs that psychotherapy has a positive effect:
- reduction in anxiety;
- new behavioral skills in social situations (when in the spotlight, when speaking to a large number of people);
- a less categorical view of many things.
Sociophobia: treatment, pills
And, of course, drug therapy cannot be ruled out. Drug treatment of social phobia consists in the appointment of drugs to a person that reduce anxiety. A person is prescribed:
- antidepressants;
- beta blockers.
The former are effective both with sociophobia and with a high level of anxiety. The second relieves the physical manifestations of anxiety - tremor, tachycardia, sweating. Many politicians and activists are taking beta blockers before lengthy public appearances.
But it is worth remembering: tablets treat the effect, not the cause. They are addictive and have many unpleasant side effects. The real solution to the problem is serious personal growth, and not the short-term effect of medical drugs that depress the nervous system. Therefore, resorting to pharmacotherapy is the last resort.
Hypnosis Treatment for Sociophobia
Hypnosis is the second most effective treatment for sociophobia. It consists in changing the destructive beliefs of a person by immersing consciousness in a trance state. The hypnotist concentrates the person on the necessary information and inspires it. After several sessions of hypnosis, a person disappears in panic fear of society, he is calm when society is paying attention to his person.
But hypnosis has one nuance: not all people are affected by it. Also, this method is not acceptable to everyone: a person may not want to trite someone outsider delving into his mind.
Meditation
A great way to relax the body and remove internal blocks. Meditation has been known since time immemorial: it underlies many spiritual practices (yoga). In the Old Testament, the Latin word meditatio is mentioned - to think, to concentrate, to inhale.
Meditation is the spiritual exercise of meditation or inner conversation. There are different ways to meditate. To relieve anxiety and calm the mind there is a technique of "meditation on the breath." She teaches to breathe correctly and calmly. In the course of practice, a person calms down, reflects, learns to focus on positive emotions.
A meditating person is calm, he is not characterized by anxiety. A positive attitude improves communication skills.
Total
The complex of various social fears is combined into the concept of sociophobia. A competent treatment strategy is to replace destructive categorical attitudes with more flexible and adaptive ones. A great addition to working on your thoughts is breathing meditation: relaxing, removing internal blocks and giving a positive attitude.
All sociophobes should remember: under a lying stone, water does not flow. You need to look for the treatment method that will help you. At first, you will make mistakes and move slowly. But gradually, step by step, you will gain invaluable experience and find something that will help you return to a happy life.