Recovery from Social Anxiety and Related Conditions

Robert F Mullen, PhD
Director/ReChanneling

For each new subscriber, ReChanneling donates $25 for workshop scholarships.

“This is one of the best books I’ve read about social anxiety disorder and how to recover from it.” – P. J. Gudka, author of Perfect and All the Words I Kept Inside.” (Amazon)

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THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR REVIEW

I recognize that reviewing a non-fiction book on social anxiety can be challenging. However, without your support, A Survivor’s Common Sense Approach to Recovery from Social Anxiety might end up in the dustbin, instead of reaching those who need help. Early reviews indicate this book is an important and timely guide to understanding and overcoming social and performance anxiety.

Why are Reviews So Important?

Reviews influence retailer algorithms, boosting a book’s visibility. Without enough reviews, new books end up in the dustbin rather than helping those who need and deserve help.

Two Major Types of Book Reviews

Editorial reviews are professional reviews written by industry experts, journalists, or review organizations.

General reader reviews are honest opinions from former and current students, colleagues, group members, blog subscribers, friends, and those seeking relief from social and performance anxiety, depression, and related issues. An Amazon review doesn’t need to be academic or scholarly, but should reflect how the book affects you personally.

The review can be anything from a short paragraph or two to a lengthy one, like P.J. Gudka’s thoughtful and comprehensive review found HERE.

The Numbers

While there is no strict number, aiming for at least 20-50 reviews is generally recommended to enhance visibility and credibility for a new, important work.

10-20 reviews can help establish initial momentum for the book. This is often seen as a good starting point to build credibility among potential readers 

Unlocking Promotions

Achieving 15+ reviews is required to qualify for Amazon ads and certain promotional tools. This can further boost the book’s reach and sales potential. 

Visibility and Credibility

A common consensus suggests that 50+ reviews can significantly boost a book’s visibility on Amazon. Books with this number of reviews are often perceived as more credible, which can influence purchasing decisions 

Long-Term Strategy

While 50 reviews can be a milestone, aiming for 100+ reviews is ideal for maximizing your book’s exposure and sales potential. This higher number can lead to better rankings in search results and increased visibility in marketing channels 

Conclusion

In summary, although there is no specific number of reviews that guarantees success, aiming for 20-50 reviews is a practical starting point, and reaching 100+ reviews can greatly boost a book’s credibility and visibility.

We need your support..

Criteria

To contribute to customer reviews on Amazon, you must have spent at least $50 on Amazon.com using a valid credit or debit card in the past 12 months. 

If you don’t have a Kindle and find the $16.99 price of the paperback out of reach, the publisher allows me to email a copy of the book to anyone willing to post a review. Just reach out to me at rmullenphd@gmail.com, and I will send you a copy.

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THE FALLACY OF FAIRNESS

Cognitive Distortion

The “fallacy of fairness” is the unrealistic belief that life should be equitable. This notion is something most people grapple with at some point, as we measure fairness by how well our personal preferences are met.

We know how we want to be treated, and anything that conflicts with our expectations can seem unfair and, sometimes, unbearable. Fairness, however, is a subjective assessment, shaped by our beliefs and experiences. It reflects our biased view of how others, institutions, and even nature should respond to our wants and expectations.

When reality does not align with our perceptions of fairness, we often experience self-indulgent emotions, such as anger, self-pity, and disappointment.

The idea that everything should be fair and reasonable is noble, but it isn’t practical. Humans are inherently self-oriented, and institutions pursue their own agendas. Only nature itself is impartial. It is natural and reasonable to want things to go our way. However, expecting them to go our way is unrealistic. As Grandpa says in The Princess Bride, “Who says life is fair? Where is that written?”

Our concept of fairness often depends on conditional assumptions that allow us to avoid personal accountability. For example, thinking, “If my teacher knew how hard I studied, she’d give me a passing grade,” overlooks the fact that effort does not always lead to comprehension. Teachers base grades on test results, and the willingness and ability to learn are subjective. It may seem unfair to the student, but that is wishful thinking.

 An excellent example of the fallacy of fairness involves two friends who grew up in the same environment, attended the same college, and ended up working at the same law firm. Paul is successful and on the fast track to partnership, while Andrew is unable to climb the corporate ladder.

Resentful of Paul’s success, Andrew is convinced the firm is mistreating him. He believes he is just as deserving as his friend. Even worse, he begrudges Paul for not supporting him as he deems appropriate. However, success relies on many factors, including luck, relationships, timing, and skill. Fairness isn’t a top priority for companies.

For those experiencing social anxiety, it is common to feel that life is unfair compared to people without these struggles. The phrase, “If my parents had treated me better, I wouldn’t have social anxiety,” is a familiar complaint. It is also flawed. Despite our desire to assign responsibility, the origins of childhood disturbance are often unclear, and blaming is not conducive to personal growth and healing.

Recommended Books from Clients and Subscribers (add yours)

“What I found especially compelling is that your approach appears to come not only from professional understanding, but from lived experience. The fact that you have personally faced severe social anxiety and built a recovery framework from that experience gives the book a level of authenticity that readers are likely to find both reassuring and credible.” – James Blackstone

“I am simply in awe at the writing, your insights, your deep knowing of transcendence, your intuitive understanding of psychic-physical pain, your connection of the pain to healing, your concept/title, and above all, your innate compassion.” – Janice Parker, PhD