icefox
Member
If you have SP, like I do, then I'm sure you've noticed this numerous times in the past. You're a student in school, and you just entered the classroom, and as you walk in you kind of feel like everyone is looking at you. And actually they are, but not to the intensity that you're thinkin, but you can't help feeling that way. However, that's not my point. Here's the crazy thing. When you sit down and start reading your textbook, don't you have the HARDEST time concentrating on the words? You can read a sentence 10 times sometimes and still not understand what is said. Some sort of intensely nagging force keeps tellin you to "pay attention to the people around you". Right! Even if the room is quiet it still happens, let alone loud. And that's proven because if someone new happens to enter the classroom, you feel this intense urge to stop reading and look up and see who it is. It's also proven because as soon as you exit the classroom and go walk in an area by yourself, you suddenly feel this rush of relief, you don't have anyone to pay attention to anymore.
If you think about it, the whole not being able to pay attention to whatever you desire is rooted in the fact that that inner voice forces you against your will to pay attention instead to the people around you. Maybe the reason why this happens is for two reasons. One, you fear they may make fun of you. And two, you fear they may want to conversate with you, and you fear you will act nervous, therefore you feel you must pay attention to them and be ready to speak to them in advance, to have the "edge".
Well, given the fact that a lot of this has to do with two conflicting forces at work, perhaps, just perhaps, the solution is to practice concentrating intently on whatever you decide to do. Feel for that alter force at work, and feel yourself fighting against it. So, if you're reading a book in a classroom, the moment you feel yourself blurring out of a sentence, fight back and concentrate your hardest on soaking everything in. If you are successful, you will notice you are not paying attention to your surroundings anymore, and only on the reading material. Of course, if this can be accomplished, the next step is to do the same thing on the next big challenge- full concentration in conversations.
A little info on me, I'm 20, I've been suffering from social phobia from as far back as I can remember. When I was small I was teased a lot, probably because I didn't want to hang out with the kids, they thought I was snobbing them. I dropped out of high school on account of the same problem I mentioned above, I could never concentrate in school and became discouraged. I'm presently making up my diploma as of now, but am still struggling with SP.
There's only one problem with my tactic above, however. Concentration should be effortless, you shouldn't have to give your all into it. However, maybe by practicing that technique, your mind may eventually get used to diverting your attention away from people and it may become second nature. Who knows?
If you think about it, the whole not being able to pay attention to whatever you desire is rooted in the fact that that inner voice forces you against your will to pay attention instead to the people around you. Maybe the reason why this happens is for two reasons. One, you fear they may make fun of you. And two, you fear they may want to conversate with you, and you fear you will act nervous, therefore you feel you must pay attention to them and be ready to speak to them in advance, to have the "edge".
Well, given the fact that a lot of this has to do with two conflicting forces at work, perhaps, just perhaps, the solution is to practice concentrating intently on whatever you decide to do. Feel for that alter force at work, and feel yourself fighting against it. So, if you're reading a book in a classroom, the moment you feel yourself blurring out of a sentence, fight back and concentrate your hardest on soaking everything in. If you are successful, you will notice you are not paying attention to your surroundings anymore, and only on the reading material. Of course, if this can be accomplished, the next step is to do the same thing on the next big challenge- full concentration in conversations.
A little info on me, I'm 20, I've been suffering from social phobia from as far back as I can remember. When I was small I was teased a lot, probably because I didn't want to hang out with the kids, they thought I was snobbing them. I dropped out of high school on account of the same problem I mentioned above, I could never concentrate in school and became discouraged. I'm presently making up my diploma as of now, but am still struggling with SP.
There's only one problem with my tactic above, however. Concentration should be effortless, you shouldn't have to give your all into it. However, maybe by practicing that technique, your mind may eventually get used to diverting your attention away from people and it may become second nature. Who knows?
