Social Anxiety: The Real & Untold story

 

Social Anxiety runs the spectrum from performance anxiety, public speaking anxiety, and toxic perfectionism to selective mutism and pervasive social avoidance. Many of the millions impacted fear being noticeably nervous, as in erythraphobia (fear of blushing), hyper-hidrosis (sweating), and voice shaking. Social anxiety remains a complex challenge for the mental health professions as most sufferers never seek help due to embarrassment driven detachment and avoidance.

The following clinical interviews may be the most documented clinical success with social anxiety. These interviews are with real patients who had the courage to tell their stories. Their stories represent the development and attainment of a “high performance mind”, which is the essence of The Berent Treatment Methodology. If you listen carefully you will gain insight into the healing process.

The audio links below are in MP3 format. Click to listen:

Senior Exec Resolves Public Speaking Anxiety

“Tom” a senior executive and former semi-pro football player and military swat team member describes how he changed his life by resolving his deep rooted public speaking anxiety. Hear how he embraced the adrenaline to facilitate his “passion”.

“I’d Rather Be Back in Chemotherapy Than Speak in Front of a Group”: Erythrophobia Resolved

“Carol” an ovarian cancer survivor, and mother of two, describes the intensity of her anxiety. “Cancer shook me to my core. It was just me with the fight of my life vs. with blushing it’s people putting judgment and expectations on me. It’s my bright red burning face larger than life for everyone to see”. The social anxiety-driven blushing made her “a prisoner” as she avoided anything that would “put her in the spotlight”. The interpretation she put on the blushing was that “everyone could see that I was frightened and they would disregard everything I had to say”.

Technology Exec Makes Friends with Adrenaline

Learn from this technology executive of a 30 billion dollar company who suffered from intermittent, but long term social anxiety and public speaking anxiety. Hear how he integrated the adrenaline control technique to make adrenaline his “friend” and source of power! Gain insight into the ingrained nature of hyper-vigilance and detachment.

Public Speaking Anxiety Resolved by “Gifted Salesman”

Robert described his anxiety upon initiating treatment with the following: “As I approached the boardroom I would experience a spiraling effect. I was having bad recurring experiences with anxiety which were getting worse with each challenge. It was horrible because when I was on a speaking cycle of every 2-3 months the anxiety was worse because of the build- up. I never ran from the challenge. I continued attacking but my mechanisms were not working”. Robert’s success in treatment was very much based on his core work revolving around his “walk of shame” concurrent with his implementation of the paradox-based adrenaline control methodology.

Performance Anxiety and Hyper-hidrosis Resolved without Medication - Successful Lawyer

Hear “Kevin”, a successful lawyer describe insightfully how he learned to resolve his hyperhidrosis-driven public speaking anxiety and fear of being noticeably nervous. He describes how he controlled his “internal critical script”, which in turn stopped his sweating during a business meeting. While learning to control his “perfectionism” he states “I stopped trying to be perfect and focused on being the best I could be”!

School Phobia, Social Phobia, Social Isolation, and Depression “Cured” - From School Refusal to “Social Butterfly”

The last thing 16 yr. old “Arthur” wanted was to go to therapy when he was in the midst of his school phobia. This social anxiety-driven problem had persisted since elementary school. He spent his days depressed; in his room playing computer baseball. His only friend was his cousin. His parents “didn’t know what to do”, but they learned how to enlist him in treatment. In this interview Arthur describes his metamorphosis into a “social butterfly”. You can actually see “Arthur”, and other patients, in the vide of The Sally Raphael Show, which aired in 1988. It is accessible on this website.

7 Figure Salesman Addresses Performance Anxiety

Hear “Ray” describe his battle and success with performance anxiety and fear of public speaking in an ultra-competitive business. Core work included resolution of embarrassment, shame, and unresolved anger and rage at non-conscious levels. The client evolved from not getting out of bed in the morning due to anxiety and depression to major career advancement and harmony in his personal life.

Professional Speaker Resolves Public Speaking Anxiety

“John” describes how he once had “joy” with public speaking but lost it due to his anxiety which drove his avoidance and performance phobia. He “tried everything” but realized all of his previous attempts at help were “band aids over a gaping wound”. Very close to “abusing medication” he rediscovered his “”joy” by doing core work, which helped him understand his deep rooted anger, which had been recycling and driving his obsessive worry. The Berent method helped him channel the anger into productive and proactive energy.

Public Speaking Panic & Obsession Resolved: Award Winning Salesman

Even though “Rob”, was a highly successful salesman his anxiety was creating tremendous emotional pain. He describes how his anxiety “got to the point where he had difficulty talking to people”. It became a chore to the point where he “was not doing his job well”. In meetings where he received awards he was not able to share his success strategy to “people who were looking for direction”. He knew his anxiety “was out of control but didn’t know what to do about it”. His learning curve in treatment was exceptional.

Pharmaceutical Rep Resolves Chronic Public Speaking Phobia and Fear of Being Noticeably Nervous

“Bill” had achieved a relatively high level of success in sales relying on one to one scenarios and spontaneous interactions with physicians in hospitals. Career pressure and advancement required that he face the anxiety scenarios that he had been very adept at avoiding; group presentations and meetings. In fact he had been avoiding job opportunities due to his anxiety, which he described as “anelephant sitting on my chest when trying to talk”. He had gone to a psychiatrist for help, but did not like the medication route. In this interview he discusses his high performance learning curve which was characterized by confidence implementing the paradoxical technique required for psycho-physiological control and management of sweating and blushing.

Anxiety vs. “Character Disorder”: Public Speaking-Performance Anxiety Resolved: Alcohol Insights

In this candid discussion “Mike” describes the “grey cloud over his head” caused by his daily worry regarding public speaking. His primary fear was that his voice would “quiver or shake”. High on the food chain of a small company he had been in a position to become quite proficient at avoiding anxiety inducing situations. His career as a salesman was threatened the more he avoided “getting in front of potential customers”. With a substantial amount of “expendable income” fine restaurants and “partying” became a way of life. The insidious nature of his relationship with alcohol became a major factor for deteriorating performance at work and negative mental health. Understanding the “physiology of performance” concurrent to self-esteem work is what “Mike” credits for his success.

College Athlete Resolves Social Anxiety and Obsessive Disorder

“Jack”, a standout golfer, discusses the process by which he resolved his conversation anxiety, social avoidance, and obsessive perfectionism. His healing journey started when his parents initiated treatment when he avoided going to a cocktail party during school vacation. He never would have initiated treatment on his own. His anxiety was driven by his fear of sweating and conversation challenges. With his anxiety under control he proactively advanced his career and social life.

No Surgery – No Drugs: Performance Anxiety and Blushing Resolved - Treatment Via Telephone

Once having considered an operation to sever her nerves, “Diane”, in her 40’s, describes her resolution – through therapy via telephone – of erythrophobia. When Diane initiated treatment she was at a “low point”. Her fear of blushing prevented her from getting “in front” of the people necessary to advance her career. Her avoidance was causing depression. Her anxiety was based on her belief that when she blushed “people would think she was not smart enough”. She describes how she learned to be “very good at hiding things” . Her insight into the ingrained character of the problem, and the fact that its’ seeds were in grammar school, was crucial for her healing.

“High Performance” Use of Beta Blockers

All too often I encounter patients who have become overly dependent on prescription medication for their social and performance anxiety. A common problem scenario is over-dependence on beta blockers. While this dependence is more psychological than physical, the results can be devastatingly negative. Frequently prescribed for stage fright and performance anxiety, they can be effective in blocking adrenaline surges. The philosophy in The Berent Treatment Method for performance anxiety is that when used occasionally in high risk situations this is productive for healing. But; when over-adapting via beta blocker dependence occurs there is minimal opportunity to learn and implement the adrenaline control technique. This is because the technique is based on adrenalin acceptance and you have to feel that which you want to control. This interview describes productive integration of beta blockers into the treatment process.

The Quarterback Metaphor in Therapy: “Jerry”, Mid 30’s Resolves Long Term Social Anxiety Disorder

This interview highlights the need for the proactive thinking and behavior required for true resolution of social anxiety. There is absolutely no way that anxiety resolution can occur via passivity. Learning and skills acquisition, requires action. This action refers to a system of skills including mind-body self-regulation, emotional management, cognitive re-structuring, and behavioral immersion. In other words, the quarterback may drop the ball or throw an interception, but he creates motion. Facilitating the motion of learning is a crucial element for healing social anxiety and its’ insidious and complex layers of avoidance.

The Power of Alcohol & the Xanax Beta Blocker “Cocktail”

“Sam” remembered experiencing anxiety since he was 15 in high school when there was any situation where he was the focus of attention. His anxiety became especially debilitating in college where he would skip the first day of classes to avoid the panic that would occur during introductions in class. He realized that his use of Xanax and beta blockers was becoming a crutch as he always kept them at ready, in his pocket, when there would be any situation where he could be the focus of attention. He was desperate to “hide any possible symptom”. He became an expert at obsessively analyzing in advance possible performance scenarios, during meetings, so that he could take his medicine exactly at the right time. This became a compulsion and an ingrained way of life. “Power drinking” beer became an integral part of his social culture as a teen; especially during football days. Sam turned the tragedy of his DWI into an empowering treatment experience.

Discovering “Self-Nurturing” After Decades of Self-Help and Therapy

“Richard”, a successful businessman and dedicated family man describes his “core” work of self-acceptance that had been eluding him after experiencing “every type of motivational technique from positive thinking to programming your unconscious”. His long term struggle with social anxiety grew out of his “conflict with authority figures and his father”. He had lived with his “unauthentic self” stating that his many previous attempts at self-help and therapy dealt with this concept in a “cursory manner”.

Performance Anxiety, Depression, Medication Dependence, Learning Disability - Freedom from Medicine & the Belief “I Was Born This Way”

“Mike”, a 26 yr. old ambitious entrepreneur describes his resolution of multiple psychological challenges. With dramatic insight he communicates the impact his special education experience had on his social anxiety and self- esteem. He originally “did not understand what was going on” regarding his panic and anxiety. Before treatment he believed “he was born this way” and there was nothing he could do about it!”

20 Yr. Old Emerges From Avoidance, Depression, & “Primitive” Functioning - Treatment Resistance Resolved

Numerous variables can enable primitive functioning, which is defined as “spending the minimal amount of energy required to sustain a baseline lifestyle”. “Baseline” refers to substantially substandard emotional growth and development. In this case the variables include learning challenges which drove performance anxiety, family distress and divorce, fragmented parenting, and an overall compulsion on the patient’s part to detach from expending brain energy while avoiding responsibilities, and social and career challenges. In addition, unresolved and recycling anger and regae was a toxic dynamic. The patient describes his evolution from the prison of detachment, avoidance, and depression to the point where he was developing motivation for healing.

Obsessing, Blushing, and Social Anxiety Resolved, Drug-free - He Once Considered an Operation to Sever His Nerves

“Jim” a 26 year old businessman describes with creativity, insight, and high energy how he resolved his debilitating fear of blushing (erythraphobia), fear of public speaking, and obsessive compulsive disorder. While “Jim” was very social, outgoing and charismatic, his social anxiety was driving an underlying depression which “he was unaware of”.

Perfectionism, Public Speaking Dysfunction, and “Burnout”

Perfectionism is a symptom of obsessive compulsive personality disorder. It is a characteristic of insecurity. The rigidity of perfectionism inhibits flexibility, performance and productivity. It causes “burnout”, which is mental exhaustion, and depression.. “Lauren”, a straight A student at an Ivy League College and high level businesswoman, describes her challenge and path to healing.

Depression and Social Anxiety: A Christian Perspective

“Joe”, a banker, had originally not been aware of the term ”social anxiety”. He knew” something was wrong” as he was searching for help with his “depression. He describes his problem as being “a gradual thing during a few years”. He was “avoiding people, avoiding family, and lost touch with church”. He stopped “engaging in conversation where once people wanted to get to know me”. He” used to be at the forefront” but “stopped offering opinions”. Here he describes his descent into emotional turmoil and recovery.

School Phobia, Avoidant Personality, Learning Disability: an Orthodox Jewish Perspective - From School Refusal to a Graduate Degree

With special insight into the avoidance-dependence dynamics of a close knit and loving family, “David” describes his struggle with learning disabilities, social anxiety, phobic avoidance, and eventual success. David’s healing journey evolved from hiding in his dorm room in college; not going to classes, alone and depressed, and avoiding all social interaction to obtaining an advanced degree, becoming an administrator in a mental health agency, and creating an active and rich social life.

Group Anxiety and Blushing - “The Redder I got the More Upset I Became”

“Karen”, a film editor, explains “I would try to escape in any way possible. The avoidance was affecting my social and work life!” Here she describes her emotional and physiological (psycho-physiological) challenges and success. At one point “she felt the blush working its’ way up (her body), accepted it and it never reached her face!”

Depression, Social Inhibition, & Medication Dependence Resolved - “My Quietness in Social Situations Made People Feel Weird”

“I avoided social situations; especially ones where I had to walk in by myself. More and more I made excuses to avoid. I had problems with my relationship. I was depressed””. “Vicki” discusses the process of healing.

Involuntary Virginity & Intimacy Anxiety Resolved

“Steve” is a 37 yr. old businessman and part time stand- up comedian. He describes his long term struggle; “I didn’t like being touched. Holding hands would cause panic. I avoided dating. I was caught in an endless loop of obsessing about the next step. I wasn’t in the moment”.

Intimacy Phobia Resolved - “I Had Been Celibate My Whole Life.”

“Mike” a corporate vice president describes his long term suffering; “I never had the possibility of finding a girlfriend. I was petrifies about finding a real relationship. Now I can let loose and socialize”. This interview includes dramatic insight into the cognitive distortions and self-esteem challenge that drive intimacy anxiety and phobia.

A Profile of Anger: Bullied as a Child

Anger and rage occur at different levels of consciousness. Anger is energy. Unresolved; it recycles and drives obsessive worry , anxiety, and a myriad of problems from substance dependence to pain. Internalized anger causes depression. While it may sound a bit weird, repressed anger is the core emotion which drives panic. “Eric” describes the “energy” of his anger as it relates to anxiety and depression with insight into the social “pecking order”.

Social & Performance Anxiety on WFAN Radio 2/14/16

A Discussion with Jonathan Berent, L.C.S.W.

“Ramblings of a Boston Sports Fan on New York’s #1 Sports Station”

“Blush, Sweat and Tears” - Clinical Proof that Blushing is Controllable

A Unique Therapeutic Discussion with 4 blushers

This unique discussion may be one of a kind! Four patients who suffered from Erythraphobia and social anxiety discuss their healing journey and treatment experience. On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best measuring treatment progress) two of the participants self -evaluated as 9, one a 7, and the other was just beginning treatment; a 1. Listen carefully and you will gain insight into the methodology of recovery including the technique of adrenaline acceptance, “mind state” work, management of emotions and self-esteem.

Free Seminar on Blushing and Performance Anxiety

Jonathan Berent and a recovered patient discuss the methodology for healing. On the verge of a having a physician perform a sympathectomy, “Jim” gained control over his blushing, obsessive compulsive challenges, and performance anxiety.