Photo by: epSos.deYou can rewire your brain and body out of social anxiety.
The human brain is “neuroplastic” and has the ability to rewire itself.
We all have this ability to rewire our brain, and this especially applies to the case of having social anxiety disorder.
This post & video is all about why, fundamentally, you can very simply get rid of your social anxiety because of the way the human brain has evolved.
Notice I said it was simple, but not easy, necessarily.
Although I believe it to be easier than you think.
We simply have the wrong pathways firing that trigger emotional states of anxiousness and/or panic in social situations, or in thinking about social situations, even though we aren’t in them.
This is exactly what I’ve done to overcome my social anxiety, and in fact I’m beginning to go well beyond it, where I even “crave” to go out and socialize.
I know sounds crazy right? Well that’s the exact experience I’m having, and if you want it too, I hope to be able to help you get there.
So without further adieu, here is the video. Please leave any comments and questions below.
P.S. Thanks to my good friend Ben for kicking my butt into gear on this one, and supporting me in getting this post & video together. :)
13 replies to "The Science Behind Getting Rid Of Your Social Anxiety – The Human Brain & “Neuroplasticity”"
Hi David, short but inspirational, left me hungering for more info. In the meantime, i’ll try use this at work and see if thinking positively will get me better results like speaking up in meetings and holding conversations with colleagues instead of shying away. Thanks David, i’m glad i came across you
Hi David, your video is very inspiring. Great to hear your stories because it gives me some hope that I can be cured. 15 years is a long time. I’m currently 23 but from what I recall, I’ve been shy through a large part in my life. Each day I go through social situations where I really try to put myself out there and participate to “get used to being social”. However, I always end up embarrassing myself. No matter what I do, i can’t help feeling uncomfortable in certain social situations where I interact with work colleagues that I’m not close with, authority figures or basically just attractive people. For some reason, I always end up turning red or in group conversations I find it difficult to jump in and have something interesting to say and I always end up leaving these situations feeling shitty about myself. This is so frustrating and it seems like every uncomfortable social situation I put myself in…it keeps adding to the social anxiety because my brain is full of subconscious thoughts built on these endless failed experiences from socializing in the past. WTF should I do? Im at the point where I feel like giving up. I’ve watched what the bleep do we know, and even those law attraction videos..their really inspiring but it seems to me like no matter what I do I can’t solve the issue!
However…I haven’t exactly searched for professional help or taken any medications just yet. I’m trying to stay away from medications in case of long term efffects and I don’t really know if therapists would really be that helpful. I’m a very structured person so just wondering if you can offer any step by step advice (hopefully not so costly because I am still in school) to cure my social anxiety? Thanks :)
I think you’ve hit the nailed on the head. Time to look at getting professional help. I agree to stay away from medications if possible, though I don’t judge if people take them. And certainly if they take them, they shouldn’t take them without also doing some kind of internal and exposure work.
Dr. Richards has his program “Overcoming Social Anxiety Step-by-Step”. Or you can try my Dissolve Social Anxiety program, though I don’t believe step-wise approaches work for most people, but maybe they will for you. If anything step-by-step means simply to start small and take each step as you go. If there were exact instructions for psychological healing, it would be out there already as a “cure-all”.
Thanks David. Are these online programs or in person? I`m from Toronto so I`m just wondering if theres anything you recommend from here? Thanks
They are online and I recommend them both.
OSAS: https://socialanxietyinstitute.org/social-anxiety-treatment/audio-therapy/overcoming-social-anxiety
DSA: https://socialexpression.net/sa/dsa-programs
I know I need to figure out how to stop the “woe is me, I’ve got social anxiety.” (as you said). Need to chomp away at that social anxiety. Any more help in this area, I’d truly welcome. I worked with therapists who used CBT, but I wasn’t finding any relief with it… maybe I’m a bad student. How to get past my fear? Please help! I’m missing out so much on life!
What about CBT did work vs. what didn’t work Jayme?
Hi David,
All I can say now is – my social anxiety has caused me great pain for 10 yrs +.
I am 45 , husband and father of 4 kids. I cannot go to my kids sports activities etc..
I feel I am passing this on to them.. I believed for years I was taking this to my deathbed. I actually have hope. Cannot describe how comforting that is. I needed to post this now, because I am desperate to get better. I first knew of my problem a year ago when I came accross Edward Ezenau.
He was great. Opened my eyes alot, then Edward lead me on to Sean Cooper. Awesome awesome stuff.
I purchased his e-book. And the link to you came.
Feel very raw and extremely emotional at all of this. So I will stop now ( a little overwelmed).
I thank all 3 of you. Look so forward to the future and getting better!
Edward and Sean have given me great hope but for some reason David you are helping me take action.
You Inspire me David,
Thank you
Dale l
Dale so glad to have you here. Also great to hear you’ve found Eduard and Sean first, we are all friends on this journey to help people become less shy, nervous and truly socially confident. Thanks for sharing your story. Amazing belief transformation you have had from thinking you were going to die with this, now you can realize that you can become the confident man you’ve always wanted to be. Keep going, don’t give up, you can do this.
Hi David
Although i fully understand the concept of rewiring, does this become more difficult
the longer youve had the condition, or is this irrelevant. Great video!!
Thanks
Paul
Yes Paul I think it takes more effort. So that is great information to have if you’ve had it longer…to keep going!
I appreciate your videos except for the swearing; I’m just being honest. I hope you don’t not respond because of it. But yeah, I got Dr. Richard’s audio series, but I have to start looking for a behavioral group or try to start one. I’m on audio series #9. Your videos give me hope. Tonight was the first time I saw them; I saw 2 of them. Take care.
Robert
Hey Robert! That’s great you’re using the series and have stuck with it. How is it going for you, so far? I’m very glad to hear my videos give you hope, and I hope my writing does too!