Social phobia: how to overcome the phobia of others?

What is social phobia?

Social phobia is a so-called "situation" pathology where patients are afraid of being the object of others' attention and therefore seek to ban stressful situations. "This phobia makes us avoid situations where we are in contact with others for fear of being judged. It is closely linked to fear of others' eyes and interactions with others and can be triggered by simply being in public, eating in public, disagreeing with someone or having to make a speech. for example, "explains Véronique Moraldi psychotherapist, certified psychopathology and hypnotherapist in Vaison-la-Romaine.

This phobia can manifest itself at school, in rather introverted and shy children, who may have been the target of mockery or bullying. This phobia often settles in adolescence when the teenager withstands the eyes of others with difficulty.

"These patients are usually very demanding people with themselves, struggling with failure in the relationship with others and who depreciate a lot. They are also sometimes children from families folded on themselves, having a phobic vision of the other, a fear of the unknown. This inter-self can promote the development of phobia in the same way as a traumatic experience that occurred in childhood or adolescence, "adds the specialist.

What are the symptoms of social phobia?

The symptoms related to social phobia are mainly behavioral: the person will for example avoid going out in unknown or public places, not going to events such as shows or concerts and deprive oneself of any activity of this type.

She can also develop:

physiological symptoms of anxiety

sweats

tremors

palpitations

a feeling of suffocation

panic attacks, in the most extreme cases

If this phobia is not supported, the risk for the patient is to develop a depressive episode. "By doing fewer and fewer things, it becomes" rigid "and may experience other phobic disorders such as phobophobia or fear of fear," says Véronique Moraldi.

How does one overcome his phobia of school?

As in any treatment of a phobia, it is essential to find the origin of the discomfort felt: "We must find the source of the phobia, there is a reason that must be determined. The best is to start early to avoid this fear is gaining more ground, "says the specialist.

"There are several techniques but what is effective, for me, to, interrupt this anxious sequence that is set up, is after having prepared in session to ask the young client to put himself in situation and to observe precisely the rise of his anguish and his manifestations in him and to note them. By taking a step back, an observer's eye, the client associates himself with the situation without living it. He can get out of the state of emotion and regain control over himself. Most of the time, I will prescribe an observation task associated with effective Ericksonian hypnosis with children and adolescents to build their self-confidence and change their experience, "explains the psychotherapist.