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A TOUGH LOVE, COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO RECOVERY

Anxiety, Neuroplasticity, Social Anxiety, , , , , , , , ,

Recovery from Social Anxiety and Related Conditions

Robert F Mullen, PhD
Director/ReChanneling

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

A TOUGH LOVE, COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO RECOVERY
A Tough Love, Common-Sense Approach to Recovery

Recent Posts

The distinction between social anxiety and social anxiety disorder is in severity. We are not all affected by the same symptoms or relentlessness. The characteristics and traits are equivalent. These conditions originate homogeneously, their trajectories differentiated by environment, experience, and the diversity of human thought and behavior. While comorbidities dramatically benefit, the recovery methods identified are for social anxiety and social anxiety disorder, and reference to one includes the other.

A Tough Love, Common Sense Approach to Recovery

This is a pre-edited excerpt from my upcoming book on social anxiety, tentatively titled A TOUGH LOVE AND COMMON SENSE APPROACH to Recovery from Social Anxiety.

Tough Love

Tough love and common sense are the two pivotal standards of recovery from social anxiety. It is compassionate concern expressed rigorously and precisely to promote healthy and responsible behavior.

Tough love compels a sense of responsibility and self-reliance. Tough love sets boundaries, identifying for us what thoughts and behaviors are acceptable and what are not. Boundaries establish our identity and give us the power to shape our lives. 

Tough love imposes consequences. We will not achieve our objectives if we fail to execute the work. The consequences manifest themselves in the perpetuation of our anxiety and depression.

“Dr. Mullen is doing impressive work helping the world. He is the pioneer of proactive neuroplasticity utilizing DRNI – deliberate, repetitive, neural information.” – WeVoice (Madrid, Málaga)   

Common Sense

Common sense is the evident solution for the irrational thoughts and behaviors that maintain social anxiety. It is the ability to use sound judgment in making decisions. The characteristics and traits of social anxiety supersede common sense.

Goal and Objectives

The overarching goal of recovery is the remission of our social anxiety. The three objectives that support this goal are to replace our negative thoughts and behaviors with healthy, productive ones, produce positive stimulation to offset the abundance of negative information in our brain’s metabolism, and regenerate our self-esteem to reintegrate into society. Their strength is in their complementarity, meaning they combine to enhance or support each other.

Habits are difficult to break but not impossible.  We are hardwired to resist anything that disrupts our thought patterns. Our brain’s inertia senses and combats change, and our basal ganglia repel modification. Our resistance to change must be shattered so that we can open ourselves to ideas and concepts, many of which are unfamiliar.

To consolidate and accelerate recovery, we must eliminate our tendencies to self-sabotage and view ourselves as victims. We must end self-prophesying disaster and failure, and our symptomatic self-centeredness. We must recognize the absurdity of shame for the onset of our condition. These common-sense behavioral modifications are challenging due to decades of negative self-appraisal and require a tough love, uncompromising approach.

We must cultivate an awareness of the symptoms and traits of our condition. We must know when, where, why, and how the condition affects us. Because we are not impacted equally. We are unique individuals with diverse experiences, environments, beliefs, needs, and aspirations, and our symptoms are highly subjective. Our condition is unlike any other emotional malfunction.  Our recovery efforts are counterproductive until we understand and resolve the counterintuitive nature of social anxiety.

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“It is one of the best investments I have made in myself, and I will
continue to improve and benefit from it for the rest of my life.” – Nick P.

Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity, the brain’s incredible ability to adapt and reorganize itself, is a scientific certainty that must be accepted to compel a proactive regimen of deliberate and repetitive neural input.

The benefits of neuroplasticity are vast and inspiring. It enhances cognitive functioning, mental health, and memory. It accelerates the transmission of chemical hormones for relaxation, concentration, pleasure, and motivation while alleviating the fear and anxiety-provoking hormones. Neuroplasticity strengthens neuron connections, generating more energy and producing higher levels of proteins crucial for improved cognitive functioning. It aids in learning and emotional regulation.

Notwithstanding, the repetitive nature of proactive neuroplasticity can be tedious and does not yield immediate, tangible results. The endurance and self-reliance produced by tough love overcome our penchant for instant gratification.

Defense Mechanisms

Our SAD-induced adverse thoughts and behaviors are emotionally challenging for our minds to manage. We resort to defense mechanisms―unconscious and automatic psychological responses designed to protect us from our fears and apprehensions. We deny, avoid, and compensate rather than confront our problems. And we rationalize our behaviors, project them onto others, or displace them by kicking the dog.

These defense mechanisms include cognitive distortions – exaggerated or irrational thought patterns that distort reality to reinforce or justify our toxic thoughts and behaviors. Most are resolved by a common sense understanding of their irrationality, but the more unmanageable ones, such as shame, guilt, and resentment, require a touch love approach to break the cycle.

Social anxiety is a component of a negative trajectory that starts with childhood disturbance, is fostered by our core and intermediate beliefs, and produces negative self-appraisal that manifests in automatic and intrusive negative thoughts and behaviors.

We learn to identify and invalidate these destructive elements through a coalescence of cognitive behavioral therapy, positive psychology, Socratic questioning (who, what, when, where, how, and why), and individualized approaches. We devise calculated and automatic rational reactions and responses (ARTs) to offset their adversity. Destructive behaviors are examined, analyzed, and replaced.

Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

Individuals experiencing social anxiety ostensibly have a low EQ (emotional intelligence, which is the ability to manage and regulate emotions. Rational thinking is a faculty anathema to our condition. We compensate for this lacuna by emphasizing our left brain’s reasoning attributes to balance our right brain’s creative pursuits. Hemispheric synchronization is the collaboration of our brain’s left and right hemispheres to achieve optimal coherence, i.e., an analytical-emotional brain.

Cognitive reframing is a powerful tool that helps us identify, challenge, and replace distorted thought patterns with healthier, realistic perspectives.  By reframing our fears and apprehensions, we foster a more optimistic outlook. Every situation has multiple perspectives, and by choosing to see the positive side, we can seize the opportunity for happiness and growth.

Dr. Mullen’s Speaking Engagements

Coping mechanisms

Coping Mechanisms are conventional psychological approaches that reduce the disquiet of intrusive and automatic negative thoughts, mitigate anxiety and fear-provoking hormones, and calm us in distressful situations. These mechanisms allow us to analyze our fears objectively and regulate our emotional responses.

These are common-sense solutions.

Relationships

In unambiguous terms, the desire for love and acceptance is at the heart of social anxiety.  Our innate need for intimacy is no less dynamic than anyone’s; however, our impairment disrupts the ability to establish affectional bonds in almost any capacity, including platonic, intimate, familial, practical, and social.

Human connection is a vital element of emotional health. Extensive research shows that healthy social interaction bolsters our immune system, shields our brains from neurodegenerative diseases, and enhances our cognitive functions. Social activity triggers the release of chemical hormones that significantly boost our learning, concentration, pleasure, and motivation.

Self-Esteem

Reclaiming the inherent positive qualities of self-esteem mitigates our unpleasant, aversive, and undesirable emotions, such as disappointment when we don’t meet our expectations, sadness when we experience loss, fear when we face uncertainty, and anger when we feel wronged or threatened. By nurturing our self-esteem, we can better manage these emotions and maintain a healthier emotional balance.

Letting Go

Recovery requires letting go of our negative self-perspectives, expectations, and beliefs. It’s about freeing ourselves from the shackles of shame, guilt, and other hostile self-indulgences that keep us imprisoned in the past. This liberation opens our minds to new ideas and concepts.

We deserve to be happy. This means taking time for self-care, engaging in activities that bring us joy, and surrounding ourselves with supportive people who recognize our value and uplift us.

Proactive Neuroplasticity YouTube Series

Social Anxiety Recovery Workshop with Dr. Robert F. Mullen | Rechanneling.org

WHY IS YOUR SUPPORT SO ESSENTIAL?  ReChanneling develops and implements programs to (1) mitigate symptoms of social anxiety and related conditions and (2) pursue personal goals and objectives – harnessing our intrinsic aptitude for extraordinary living. Our paradigmatic approach targets the personality through empathy, collaboration, and program integration, utilizing neuroscience and psychology, including proactive neuroplasticity, cognitive-behavioral modification, positive psychology, and techniques designed to regenerate self-esteem. No matter the size, every contribution supports someone striving to make a difference in their lives and those of others. All donations support scholarships for groups and workshops.  

INDIVIDUAL RECOVERY. The symptoms of social anxiety make it challenging for some to participate in a collective workshop. Dr. Mullen works one-on-one with a select group of individuals uneasy in a group setting. ReChanneling offers scholarships to accommodate the costs. What is missed in group activities is provided in our monthly, no-cost Graduate Recovery Group. In this supportive community, graduates interact with others who have completed the program.  Contact ‘rmullenphd@gmail.com’.

Committing to recovery is one of the hardest things you will ever do.
It takes enormous courage and the realization that you are of value,
 consequential, and deserving of happiness.

The Limitations in Diagnosing Social Anxiety

Anxiety, Neuroplasticity, Social Anxiety, , , , , , , , ,

Recovery from Social Anxiety and Related Conditions

Dr. Robert F. Mullen
Director/ReChanneling

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

The Limitations on Diagnosing Social Anxiety
The Limitations in Diagnosing Social Anxiety

Recent Posts

The distinction between social anxiety and social anxiety disorder is in severity. We are not all affected by the same symptoms or relentlessness. The characteristics and traits are equivalent. These conditions originate homogeneously, their trajectories differentiated by environment, experience, and the diversity of human thought and behavior. While comorbidities dramatically benefit, the recovery methods identified are for social anxiety and social anxiety disorder, and reference to one includes the other.

The Limitations in Diagnosing Social Anxiety

Mental health misdiagnosis is a cautionary phenomenon. Even mainstream medical authorities have begun to “criticize the poor reliability, validity, utility and humanity of conventional psychiatric diagnosis (Kinderman, 2014). It is essential to understand the causes, symptoms, and impact of our social anxiety to avoid the likelihood of misdiagnosis and recognize that we know more about the effects of our condition than our clinicians.

Experts may have extensive knowledge of medications and treatment programs, but that expertise is useless if the client is misdiagnosed and mismanaged.  

For example, the Anxiety Institute in Phoenix reports an estimated 8.2% of clients had generalized anxiety, but just 0.5% were correctly diagnosed (Richards, 2014).

Experts cite the mental health community’s difficulty distinguishing different disorders or identifying specific etiological risk factors due to the DSM’s failing reliability statistics. Imagine being treated for the wrong condition. A failure in psychological diagnosis is like being hospitalized for strep throat and losing a leg. 

Space is Limited
For Information

“It is one of the best investments I have made in myself, and I will
continue to improve and benefit from it for the rest of my life.” – Nick P.

Symptom Variables

The DSM changes drastically from one edition to the next, even though psychiatrists support its credibility. One study on antisocial personality disorder (Lynam and Vachon, 2012) cites the concern that criteria are “added, removed, and rewritten, without evidence that the new approach is better than the prior one” (Stein et al., 2016). Another study points out that DSM-IV listed nine possible symptoms or traits for narcissistic personality disorder; DSM-V contains only two (Lynam & Vachon, 2012).   

The massive number of revisions, substitutions, and changes from one Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders to the next is never universally accepted. Psychiatrists, psychologists, and researchers specializing in or surviving by funding are justifiably protective of their territory. Even under the best circumstances, it is challenging to get a proper diagnosis.

Bipolar personality disorder, a psychosis, shares characteristics and symptoms with avoidant, social anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, and post-traumatic stress disorders. Psychologists cite the “substantial discrepancies and variation in definition, epidemiology, assessment, and treatment” of social anxiety (Nagata et al., 2015). Before my extensive studies, I was misdiagnosed with depression (including bipolar) and ADHD. Social anxiety was never considered, although I met nine of the ten criteria for the disorder.

The distinction between social anxiety and social anxiety disorder is in severity. The characteristics are the same. We are not all affected by the same symptoms.

“Dr. Mullen is doing impressive work helping the world. He is the pioneer of proactive neuroplasticity utilizing DRNI – deliberate, repetitive, neural information.” – WeVoice (Madrid, Málaga)

Comorbidity

A significant challenge in determining the impact of our condition are its comorbidities. Social anxiety disorder often coexists with other mental health conditions, which can complicate diagnosis and treatment.

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA, 2019) and other experts report that many disorders are related to social anxiety, including major depression, panic disorder, alcohol abuse, PTSD (Koyuncu, 20190, avoidant personality disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, substance abuse, eating disorders (Vrbova et al., 2017), Schizophrenia (Cuncic, 2018), ADHD, and agoraphobia (Koyuncu, 2019).

Anxiety and depression are commonly comorbid. “Some estimates show that 60% of those with anxiety will also have symptoms of depression, and the numbers are similar for those with depression also experiencing anxiety”(Salcedo, 2018).

Anxiety and depression are commonly comorbid. “Some estimates show that 60% of those with anxiety will also have symptoms of depression, and the numbers are similar for those with depression also experiencing anxiety” (Salcedo, 2018).

Dependent personality disorder has characteristics and symptoms mirroring social anxiety, avoidant personality, and histrionic personality disorders (DPD, 2017). One misdiagnosis is bad enough, not to mention two, which can only result in worse treatment outcomes. Misdiagnosis can lead to inappropriate or ineffective treatments, which can worsen the symptoms or lead to additional complications. This is why accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment and better outcomes.

Diagnostic Reevaluation

Thomas Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health, has been “re-orienting [the organization’s] research away from DSM categories, declaring “that traditional psychiatric diagnoses have outlived their usefulness” (Insel, 2013).

A program of recovery cannot be determined if the problem is misdiagnosed. A recent article in Scientific American (Kinderman, 2014) suggests replacing traditional diagnoses with easily understandable descriptions of the issues. 

Social anxiety disorder is a challenging problem since its susceptibility begins in childhood, onsets roughly at age thirteen, and may not manifest until later in life. Ostensibly the most underrated and misunderstood emotional affliction, SAD is nicknamed the ‘neglected anxiety disorder.

Few understand its counterintuitive nature and even fewer know how to address it effectively. One must experience social anxiety to recognize its predictable negative trajectory that leads to self-destructive and adverse self-appraisal

Affected individuals may also not recognize their symptoms because of clinical and public misunderstanding (is shyness a symptom?), level of severity (social anxiety versus social anxiety disorder, and the diagnostic confusion between social phobia and social anxiety.

Inventories and Scales

There are clinically supported self-evaluation scales readily available on the Internet. These tools can help us estimate if we are on the spectrum of social anxiety. The SPS: Social Phobia Scale, for instance, is a 20-item self-report measure that gauges our fear of being scrutinized or observed during routine activities such as eating, drinking, and writing. It indicates the probability of experiencing social anxiety disorder in terms of none (0), mild (1), moderate (2), severe (3), or extreme (4).

The Social Interaction Anxiety Scale, commonly referred to as SIAS, is a 20-question, self-report measure specifically designed to assess the likelihood of experiencing social anxiety disorder. It can help to identify and understand our susceptibility or diagnosis.

The Social Avoidance and Distress questionnaire, a comprehensive tool comprising 28 statements about your feelings in social gatherings, is specifically designed to measure the anxiety we experience in social situations and the extent to which we avoid these situations.

However, there are caveats to the self-administration of these inventories. They are not as indicative of the severity of our social anxiety as they are of our current disposition. Notwithstanding, if your scores all point to social anxiety disorder, then you are likely diagnosable.

However, there is no easy test that can let someone know if there is a mental illness or if actions and thoughts might be typical behaviors of a person or the result of a physical illness.

How do we definitively determine the probability or extent of social anxiety? This is where professional guidance becomes crucial. Despite the potential for error in self-assessment, you can always rely on the symptoms and characteristics of social anxiety disorder provided by reputable sources like the Cleveland Clinic (2022), Mayo Clinic (2021), or this website (Mullen, 2024). If possible, consulting with an expert specializing in social anxiety can reassure you and provide the support you need. Many experts recommend someone who has experienced the condition and has the expertise to address it.

Etiology and diagnosis drive the disease model. Which disorder do people find most repulsive, and which poses the most threat? What behaviors contribute to the disorder? How progressive is it? How effective are treatments? Recognizing how these attributions affect treatment options is essential.

A simple list of people’s problems (properly defined) would have greater scientific validity and be more than sufficient as a basis for individual care planning and service design. We should focus on the character strengths that generate motivation and persistence toward recovery-remission, ensuring accurate diagnosis and treatment planning. 

Self-diagnosis is a slippery slope, but a client armed with the knowledge of the traits and characteristics of their disorder and its impact will have a far better possibility of an appropriate diagnosis and treatment options. The DSM can be utilized for a more thorough analysis but should not be our only source.

The signs and symptoms of mental health issues vary widely in severity and frequency from person to person. That’s why it’s not always easy to determine if what you’re feeling is situational or whether it’s something persistent that may require professional help.

It’s important to know that mental health issues do not need to be “serious” for you to reach out for support.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health, suicide or substance use crisis or emotional distress, reach out 24/7 to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) by dialing or texting 988 or using chat services at 988lifeline.org to connect to a trained crisis counselor. You can also get crisis text support via the Crisis Text Line by texting NAMI to 741741.

References

ADAA (Anxiety and Depression Association of America). (2019). [Online.] Facts and Statistics. https://adaa.org/learn-from-us/from-the-experts/blog-posts/consumer/understanding-anxiety-and-depression-lgbtq.

Chapdelaine A., Carrier J-D., Fournier L., Duhoux A. Roberge P. (2018). Treatment adequacy for social anxiety disorder in primary care patients. PLoS ONE 13(11) (2018). doi.org/ 10.1371/journal.pone.0206357.

Cleveland Clinic. (2022). Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia.) [Online.] https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22709-social-anxiety

Cuncic, A. (2018). How Social Anxiety Affects Dating and Intimate Relationships. [Online.] verywellmind. https://www.verywellmind.com/adaa-survey-results-romantic-relationships-3024769;

DPD. (2007). Dependent personality disorder. [Online.] Harvard Health Online.

Insel, T. (2013). Post by Former NIMH Director Thomas Insel: Transforming Diagnosis. [Online.] Washington, DC: National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/directors/thomas-insel/blog/2013/transforming-diagnosis.shtml

Kinderman, P. (2014). Why We Need to Abandon the Disease-Model of Mental Health Care. [Online.] Scientific American. https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/mind-guest-blog/why-we-need-to-abandon-the-disease-model-of-mental-health-care/.

Koyuncu, A., İnce, E. , Ertekin, E., & Tükel R. (2019). Comorbidity in social anxiety disorder: diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Drugs in Context 2019, 8. doi:10.7573/dic.212573;

Lynam, D. R. & Vachon, D. D. (2012). Antisocial Personality Disorder in DSM-5: Missteps and Missed Opportunities. Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment, 3(4) 483– 495 (2012). doi:10.1037/per0000006

Mayo Clinic. (2021). Social anxiety disorder (social phobia.) [Online.] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/social-anxiety-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353561

Mullen, R. (2024). Symptoms and Traits of Social Anxiety. [Online.] https://rechanneling.org/2025/03/18/symptoms-and-traits-of-social-anxiety/

Nagata, T., Suzuki, F., Teo, A.R. (2015). Generalized Social Anxiety Disorder: A still‐neglected anxiety disorder 3 decades since Liebowitz’s review. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 69(12): 724-740 (2015).  doi.org/10.1111/pcn.12327. 

Richards, T.A. (2014). Overcoming Social Anxiety Disorder: Step by Step. [Online.] Phoenix, AZ: The Social Anxiety Institute Press.

Salcedo, B. (2018). The Comorbidity of Anxiety and Depression. [Online.] National Alliance on Mental Illness.  https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/January-2018/The-Comorbidity-of-Anxiety-and-Depression 

Stein, D. J., Fineberg, N. A., Bienvenu, O. J., Denys, D., Lochner, C., Nestadt, G., Leckman, J. F., Rauch, S. L., & Phillips, K. A. (2010). Should OCD be classified as an anxiety disorder in DSM-V? Depression and Anxiety, 6:495-506 (2010). doi:10.1002/da.20699.

Vrbova, K., Prasko, J., Ociskova, M., & Holubova, M. (2017). Comorbidity of schizophrenia and social phobia – impact on quality of life, hope, and personality traits: a cross-sectional study. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 13: 2073-2083. doi: 10.2147/NDT.S141749

Zimmerman, M. (2012). Is there adequate empirical justification for radically revising the personality disorders section for DSM-5? Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment. Personality Disorders. Oct;3(4): pp 444-57. doi:10.1037/a0022108

Proactive Neuroplasticity YouTube Series

Social Anxiety Recovery Workshops by Dr. Robert F. Mullen | Rechanneling.org

WHY IS YOUR SUPPORT SO IMPORTANT?  ReChanneling develops and implements programs to (1) mitigate symptoms of social anxiety and related conditions and (2) pursue personal goals and objectives -harnessing our intrinsic aptitude for extraordinary living. Our paradigmatic approach targets the personality through empathy, collaboration, and program integration utilizing neuroscience and psychology including proactive neuroplasticity, cognitive-behavioral modification, positive psychology, and techniques designed to regenerate self-esteem. All donations support scholarships for groups and workshops.

INDIVIDUAL RECOVERY. The symptoms of social anxiety make it challenging for some to participate in a collective workshop. Dr. Mullen works one-on-one with a select group of individuals uneasy in a group setting. ReChanneling offers scholarships to accommodate the costs. What is missed in group activities is provided in our monthly, no-cost Graduate Recovery Group. In this supportive community, graduates interact with others who have completed the program.  Contact ‘rmullenphd@gmail.com’.

Committing to recovery is one of the hardest things you will ever do.
It takes enormous courage and the realization that you are of value,
 consequential, and deserving of happiness.

Eliminating Negative Self-Expression

Anxiety, Neuroplasticity, Social Anxiety, , , , , , , ,

Recovery from Social Anxiety and Related Conditions

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

Eliminating Negative Self-Expression
Eliminating Negative Self-Expression

Recent Posts

The distinction between social anxiety and social anxiety disorder is in severity. We are not all affected by the same symptoms or relentlessness. The characteristics and traits are equivalent. These conditions originate homogeneously, their trajectories differentiated by environment, experience, and the diversity of human thought and behavior. While comorbidities dramatically benefit, the recovery methods identified are for social anxiety and social anxiety disorder, and reference to one includes the other.     

Eliminating Negative Self-Expression

“I believe that a negative statement is poison.
I’m convinced that the negative has power. It lives.
And if you allow it to perch in your house,
in your mind, in your life, it can take you over.”
— Maya Angelou

Anxiety is a normal facet of life, and the typical individual accords it appropriate deference. People experiencing social anxiety personify their anxieties, dramatize them, and obsess about their negative implications.

We create mountains out of molehills, spending hours in tortuous anticipation of projected adverse outcomes. We beat ourselves up daily for our perceived incompetence and inability to function socially. 

Social anxiety is the most common emotional malfunction in the U.S. after major depression and alcohol abuse, and the three conditions are commonly comorbid. A debilitating and chronic affliction, SAD wreaks havoc on the lives of those who experience it.

People impacted by its negative self-appraisal feel shame for their condition because it makes them feel inadequate and inferior. Shame is painful and incapacitating. It makes us feel powerless and acutely diminished. Shame compels us to hide and become invisible, withdrawing from the world and avoiding human connection. 

Social interactions are clumsy, small talk is inelegant, and attempts at humor can be embarrassing. We self-prophesize criticism, ridicule, and rejection. Our symptoms are repressive and intractable, imposing counterproductive thoughts and behaviors. SAD establishes its authority through defeatist measures produced by inaccurate and unsound interpretations of reality.

Employing negative and self-defeating words and expressions exacerbates our condition because we are already symptomatically inclined toward negativity and adverse self-appraisal.

“Dr. Mullen is doing impressive work helping the world. He is the pioneer of proactive neuroplasticity utilizing DRNI – deliberate, repetitive, neural information.” – WeVoice (Madrid, Málaga)

Words Have Immense Power

Understanding the immense power of words is crucial. They can influence, encourage, and even heal. Words are not just a means of communication but a source of compassion, creativity, courage, and intimacy. They can evoke desire, emotion, fear, and joy. And most importantly, they can significantly lift our spirits, inspire our imaginations, or plunge us into despair. But with the right words, we can find hope and inspiration in our recovery journey. 

Recovery from social anxiety and related conditions is not just about understanding and alleviating our irrational fears and anxieties. It’s a transformative journey toward self-empowerment. It’s about rebuilding our self-esteem and motivation. And rediscovering our inner strengths. It’s a challenging journey, but one that is full of growth potential and the promise of a brighter future.

Employing negative and self-defeating words and expressions exacerbates our condition because we are already symptomatically inclined toward negativity and adverse self-appraisal.

Recovery Goals and Objectives

Our primary goal is the alleviation of our irrational fears and anxieties. We achieve this by emphasizing the following objectives:

  • Replace or overwhelm our negative thoughts and behaviors with healthy, productive ones.
  • Produce rapid, concentrated positive stimulation to offset the abundance of negative information in our brain’s metabolism.
  • Regenerate our self-esteem and reintegrate into society through mindfulness and reinforcement of our character strengths, virtues, attributes, and achievements.
Social Anxiety Recovery Workshops By Dr. Robert F. Mullen | Rechanneling.org

Space is Limited
For Information

“It is one of the best investments I have made in myself, and I will
continue to improve and benefit from it for the rest of my life.” – Nick P.

Negative Trajectory

Our journey towards negativity begins in childhood, where disturbances prompt the formation of our negative core and intermediate beliefs. These beliefs, in turn, establish the attitudes, rules, and assumptions that shape our self-beliefs and relationships with others and the world. We express these inaccurate self-beliefs in our behaviors and automatic negative thoughts.

Negative Overabundance

Negative words do not just influence us; we are consumed and conditioned by them. Some of us repeatedly use the exact unfortunate words, unconsciously reinforcing their power. The more we hear, read, or speak a word or phrase, the more it shapes our beliefs and attitudes.

Experts speculate that, by age sixteen, we have heard the word “no” from our parents roughly 135,000 times. This overabundance of negativity can have a detrimental effect on our mental health, supporting our feelings of helplessness and unworthiness.

Our brain accelerates and consolidates learning (and unlearning) through repetition. The illusory truth effect describes how repeatedly hearing the same false information compels us to accept it as accurate and truthful. Recognizing the harmful impact of words and expressions is a formidable step towards breaking free from their influence and fostering a healthier mindset.

Neural Negativity

Our neural network, the complex system of neurons in our brain, has structured itself around emotionally hostile information. It is not just the words we say out loud in criticism and conversations. The self-annihilating words we silently assign to ourselves are even more destructive. They drive our neural network to transmit chemical hormones that impair our logic, reasoning, and communication – neurotransmissions that adversely impact the parts of our brain that regulate our memory, concentration, and emotions.

Our overall recovery objective is to replace negative neural inputs with positive, productive ones. One of many effective coping mechanisms, positive reframing, is simply turning a negative perspective into a positive one. There are always multiple perspectives to any situation. While we may not control everything, we control how we react and respond, empowering us to choose a positive and productive path forward. 

This strategy of positive expression helps us replace negative thoughts and behaviors and allows us to take control of our mental health journey, generating personal growth and empowerment. By embracing this approach, we pave the way for a brighter, more fulfilling future.

Negative Words Categories

We all have adverse thoughts and reactions. That’s the nature of being human. Those of us experiencing social anxiety disorder and related conditions carry an unfortunate abundance of negativity in our neural networks due to our negative trajectory and symptomatology, which refers to the pattern of negative thoughts and the symptoms of our condition. We must work harder than the non-afflicted to offset this abundance in our brains’ metabolism.

The Categories of Negative Words

Three categories or types of negative words and expressions concern us.

  • Negative Absolutes
  • Qualifiers
  • Pressure words.

These words can further our isolation and avoidance of relationships, devalue our commitment, and provoke our sense of incompetence and inadequacy.

It is essential and empowering to become mindful of and eliminate these types of words from our thoughts and vocabulary. This awareness and practice of mindfulness is not just a step but a necessary tool toward personal growth and improvement. By taking control of our language, we can boost our confidence and sense of empowerment. 

Dr. Mullen’s Speaking Engagements

Pressure Words and Statements

Pressure Words like “should” and “would” dilute our commitment. Saying “I should start my diet” implies uncertainty and ambiguity. These expressions allow us to change our minds, procrastinate, and potentially fail. (We are either on a diet or will be on a diet.) The pressure stems from the guilt of ostensibly doing nothing (“I should’ve done that”). Compare “I shouldn’t drink at the office party” to “I will not drink at the office party.” We take control and feel confident in our decisions by making a firm commitment. 

Negative Absolute Words and Statements

The impact of “won’t,” “can’t,” and the like is obvious. These are examples of negative absolute words, which are words that express a complete lack of possibility or potential. Consider the following two statements: “I won’t learn anything from that lecture” and “I always learn something.” Which one offers the probability we will attend? By avoiding negative absolute words, we open ourselves to possibilities. Other negative absolute words include “never,” “impossible,” and “every time.” (Every time I try…)

Conditional Words and Statements

Conditional words and statements are contingent upon something else. For something to happen, something else must be implicated. A conditional clause is made up of two parts, a main clause and an “if” clause. An example is “If my teacher knew how hard I studied, she’d give me a passing grade.”

Conditional words like “possibly” and “maybe” weaken our resolve and commitment. They originate in doubt and manifest in avoidance and procrastination. “Maybe I will clean my room” is not a firm commitment. Ask any adolescent. We gain clarity and feel more decisive in our commitments by eliminating these words.

Qualifying and conditional words or statements provide an excuse to deviate and obfuscate. “I will not drink at the office party” is a more robust commitment than “I will not drink at the party unless I get nervous.” Qualifying or conditional words and statements are pre-justifications for our lapses and failures. Other conditional words include “ought,” “might,” and “have to.” Example: “I might have won if only …”

The Word Hate

Some experts argue that the word or sense of hate has value in healing, particularly in the context of acknowledging and processing strong emotions. However, it’s important to remember that these sentiments and the word itself are often associated with rage, resentment, and fear, feelings we strive to manage and alleviate in recovery from social anxiety. Managing the word ‘hate’ is a crucial part of our emotional recovery process.

It’s easy to be uncomfortable with opposing views or beliefs, especially if they can be harmful. We may feel sorry for beliefs borne of ignorance. We may feel anger or disdain if disinformation perpetrates opinions (deliberate inaccuracy for personal gain). However, it is never profitable to hate them.

We reclaim our power by actively eliminating these negative words and feelings from our self-referencing thoughts and usage. This intentional activity prompts us to take control of our language and, in turn, our thoughts and behaviors. This process can lead to positive change and personal growth, allowing us to focus on more constructive and empowering ways of thinking and speaking.

Proactive Neuroplasticity YouTube Series

Social Anxiety Recovery Workshops | Dr. Robert F. Mullen | Rechanneling.org

WHY IS YOUR SUPPORT SO NECESSARY AND ESSENTIAL?  ReChanneling develops and implements programs to (1) mitigate symptoms of social anxiety and related conditions and (2) pursue personal goals and objectives – harnessing our intrinsic aptitude for extraordinary living. Our paradigmatic approach targets the personality through empathy, collaboration, and program integration, utilizing neuroscience and psychology, including proactive neuroplasticity, cognitive-behavioral modification, positive psychology, and techniques designed to regenerate self-esteem. All donations support scholarships for groups and workshops.

INDIVIDUAL RECOVERY. The symptoms of social anxiety make it challenging for some to participate in a collective workshop. Dr. Mullen works one-on-one with a select group of individuals uneasy in a group setting. ReChanneling offers scholarships to accommodate the costs. What is missed in group activities is provided in our monthly, no-cost Graduate Recovery Group. In this supportive community, graduates interact with others who have completed the program.  Contact ‘rmullenphd@gmail.com’.

Committing to recovery is one of the hardest things you will ever do.
It takes enormous courage and the realization that you are of value,
consequential, and deserving of happiness.

The Shame of Social Anxiety

Anxiety, Neuroplasticity, Social Anxiety, , , , , , , , ,

Recovery from social anxiety and related conditions

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

The Shame of Social Anxiety
The Shame of Social Anxiety

Recent Posts

The distinction between social anxiety and social anxiety disorder is in severity. We are not all affected by the same symptoms or relentlessness. The characteristics and traits are equivalent. These conditions originate homogeneously, their trajectories differentiated by environment, experience, and the diversity of human thought and behavior. While comorbidities dramatically benefit, the recovery methods identified are for social anxiety and social anxiety disorder, and reference to one includes the other.

The Shame of Social Anxiety

Defining Shame

Because of its broad interpretations, shame must be contextually defined by social anxiety. Shame is a highly distressing self-critical emotion caused by our negative self-appraisal and sense of self-worth. Due to social anxiety’s attributions, it is the conclusion that something is wrong with us.

Externally, we are defined by prejudice and misinformation. Public opinion, the media, and mental health stigma contribute significantly to our negative self-evaluation. Internally, we feel shame for our susceptibility to our condition (albeit unwarranted) and for experiencing our symptoms. 

Like our fears and apprehensions, we can alleviate shame by identifying and invalidating its causes.

First, we are not responsible for its onset because susceptibility occurs before we cognitively comprehend the causes. Second, if we are experiencing it, then we are subject to its symptoms in some form or another. Where is the shame in that?

Although they correlate and coexist, shame is not the same as guilt. Guilt is the response to doing something wrong, such as remorse for hurting someone. On the other hand, shame is the perception of being wrong, such as feeling unworthy or inadequate. Understanding this distinction can help us navigate our emotions more effectively.  

“Dr. Mullen is doing impressive work helping the world. He is the pioneer of proactive neuroplasticity utilizing DRNI – deliberate, repetitive, neural information.” – WeVoice (Madrid, Málaga)   

Shame and Social Anxiety

Shame can be painful and incapacitating. It can make us feel powerless and acutely diminished. When we feel shame, we want to hide and become invisible. We withdraw from the world and avoid human connectedness. Shame is a prevailing symptom of our social anxiety, and feeling shame aggravates our condition. Until we rationally respond, we remain caught in an endless cycle of shame that alienates our emotional well-being.

However, treating shame as an unhealthy emotion without considering the positive aspects of the experience is a missed opportunity for emotional growth. Feeling shame is a natural component of being human. It can be revealing, cathartic, and motivational, promoting growth and self-awareness. 

One of the positive aspects of shame is our moral recognition and analysis of right or wrong. For example, feeling shame after realizing we’ve hurt someone can motivate us to make amends and improve our behavior. 

What is unhealthy is feeling shame for feeling shame.  It’s crucial to accept our shame and resolve it without adding insult to injury.

Social anxiety is a common, universal, and indiscriminate experience, impacting roughly one in four adolescents and adults. This knowledge can normalize the experience and reduce shame, making us feel less isolated and more understood.

While we are not responsible for the susceptibility and onset of our condition, feeling shame is justifiable in our unwillingness to do something about it. The onus of recovery is on us, empowering us to take control of our journey.

Social Anxiety Recovery Workshops By Dr. Robert F. Mullen | Rechanneling.org

Space is Limited
For Information

“It is one of the best investments I have made in myself, and I will
continue to improve and benefit from it for the rest of my life.” – Nick P.

Defense Mechanisms

It is common for individuals experiencing social anxiety to go to enormous lengths to remain ignorant of SAD’s destructive capabilities as if, by ignoring them, they do not exist or will somehow go away. We hide behind defense mechanisms such as denial (refusing to acknowledge the problem), compensation (overachieving in other areas to mask the anxiety), and projection (attributing our anxiety to others).

Notwithstanding, none of these defense mechanisms, designed to protect us from our fears and anxieties, are effective in the long term. Irrational thought patterns perpetuate our anxiety and depression. Rather than justifying our toxic thoughts and behaviors, they reinforce them.

The shame (and guilt) of knowing that we can dramatically mitigate that which has made our lives unbearable, yet we refuse to acknowledge our condition or take advantage of recovery, is untenable. Resistance, subconscious or otherwise, propagates our shame and other negatively valenced emotions. Rather than protecting us, it aggravates our negative neural feedback.

Negatively Valenced Emotions

‘Valanced’ is a psychological term that characterizes specific emotions that adversely affect our daily lives. When left unresolved, these adverse emotions, including shame, guilt, and resentment, not only negatively impact our psychological and physiological health but also hinder our social well-being and obstruct recovery. It’s crucial to address these emotions to avoid further damage. 

Unresolved Shame is Reckless

Holding onto shame is not just a burden; it’s reckless. It’s a sign that we’re not prioritizing our emotional well-being and quality of life. We have the power to change, but if we choose not to, we’re only hurting ourselves.

The dichotomy we find ourselves in is that social anxiety disorder compels us to view ourselves as helpless, hopeless, undesirable, and worthless. That is its function and how it sustains itself. However, if we take steps to confront these attributions, we reclaim our power and control, feeling empowered and in charge of our recovery journey.

Dr. Mullen’s Speaking Engagements

Blaming

Blaming is a cognitive distortion that shifts the focus away from assuming responsibility. Social anxiety paints an inaccurate picture of the self in the world with others. Recognizing how we use cognitive distortions as subconscious strategies to avoid facing certain truths is crucial to recovery. SAD drives our illogical thought patterns. Years of self-reproach for our negative thoughts and behaviors can be overwhelming.

Understanding the dynamics of external and internal blaming in social anxiety disorder can bring a profound sense of relief. The compulsion to blame others occurs when the self-destructive nature of our shame, guilt, and resentment becomes unmanageable to our consciousness. Trapped within social anxiety’s cycle of pejorative self-appraisal, we see ourselves as victims. A victim needs someone or something to blame.

External Blaming

External blaming is when we hold others accountable for things that are our responsibility. For instance, we might blame a friend for not inviting us to a social event, when in reality, our social anxiety prevented us from attending. This is a form of external blaming.

Our defense mechanisms impel us to hold others responsible for what we are unable or unwilling to manage emotionally. We convince ourselves that others are responsible for the traits and symptoms of our condition. We seek external accountability rather than accepting responsibility for our actions. Example: We fail an exam and blame it on the alleged bias of the instructor rather than taking responsibility for not studying.

We displace or project our anger and frustration onto others or cognitively distort our perspective to justify our toxic thoughts and behaviors. Rather than accept the reality of our symptoms, we hold ourselves, relationships, parents, and higher powers responsible. Only by responding and reacting rationally, can we regain control.

Internal Blaming

Individuals experiencing SAD have significantly lower implicit and explicit self-esteem than healthy controls. Explicit self-esteem is measured by what we say about ourselves. Implicit self-esteem is gauged by automatic responses, such as how we associate favorable or unfavorable words and feelings with ourselves.

Our sense of inadequacy and inferiority compels us to overcompensate by taking on responsibility for situations or circumstances that do not necessarily implicate us. A dinner guest seems less than enthusiastic. Rather than considering reasonable alternatives, we blame it on our cooking or hosting skills. If our roommate has a personal issue, we immediately attribute it to something we said or did.

Especially pervasive in social anxiety disorder, self-blaming is a highly toxic form of emotional self-abuse. Even when mindful that we bear no responsibility for its origins, we tend to blame our behaviors on perceived character deficiencies and shortfalls rather than the symptoms of our disorder. We blame ourselves for our lack of commitment or failure to follow through. We blame ourselves for our inability to achieve our goals and objectives.

SAD thrives on our self-disparagement. Our symptoms cause us to self-characterize as stupid, incompetent, or unattractive. We blame ourselves when we avoid interacting out of fear of rejection. We convince ourselves that our opinions are irrelevant and that our social skills are deplorable.

Committing to Recovery

Recovery and self-empowerment necessitate shedding our negative self-perspectives, expectations, and beliefs. It’s about opening our minds to new ideas and concepts. When we cling to shame, we’re trapped in the past and our negative self-beliefs. But when we release these burdens, we liberate ourselves and pave the way for a brighter, more hopeful future.

Recovery Goal and Objectives

Committing to recovery is a monumental task that demands immense courage and strength. It’s a realization that we are valuable, consequential, and deserving of happiness. Social anxiety, with its relentless and manipulative nature, often tries to thwart this commitment. But when we muster the courage to dedicate ourselves to recovery, we reclaim our power, and SAD loosens its grip on us.

The primary goal of recovery from social anxiety is the mitigation of our irrational fears and anxieties. We achieve this through a three-pronged approach.

  1. Replace or overwhelm our negative thoughts and behaviors with healthy, productive ones.
  2. Produce rapid, concentrated positive stimulation to offset the abundance of negative information in our brain’s metabolism.
  3. Regenerate our self-esteem and reintegrate into society through mindfulness and reinforcement of our character strengths, virtues, attributes, and achievements.

Unresolved shame impedes these objectives. Rather than alleviating our fears and anxieties, it exacerbates them. Shame adds to our neural pattern of negativity rather than mitigating it. Instead of regenerating our self-esteem, it erodes it.

Proactive Neuroplasticity YouTube Series

Social Anxiety Recovery Workshops By Dr. Robert F. Mullen | Rechanneling.org

WHY IS YOUR SUPPORT SO NECESSARY AND ESSENTIAL?  ReChanneling develops and implements programs to (1) mitigate symptoms of social anxiety and related conditions and (2) pursue personal goals and objectives – harnessing our intrinsic aptitude for extraordinary living. Our paradigmatic approach targets the personality through empathy, collaboration, and program integration utilizing neuroscience and psychology, including proactive neuroplasticity, cognitive-behavioral modification, positive psychology, and techniques designed to regenerate self-esteem. All donations support scholarships for groups and workshops.   

INDIVIDUAL RECOVERY. The symptoms of social anxiety make it challenging for some to participate in a collective workshop. Dr. Mullen works one-on-one with a select group of individuals uneasy in a group setting. ReChanneling offers scholarships to accommodate the costs. What is missed in group activities is provided in our monthly, no-cost Graduate Recovery Group. In this supportive community, graduates interact with others who have completed the program.  Contact ‘rmullenphd@gmail.com’.

Committing to recovery is one of the hardest things you will ever do.
It takes enormous courage and the realization that you are of value,
consequential, and deserving of happiness.

Hemispheric Synchronization

Anxiety, Neuroplasticity, Social Anxiety, , , , , ,

Recovery from Social Anxiety and Related Conditions

Robert F Mullen, PhD
Director/ReChanneling

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

Hemispheric Synchronization. Balancing Left and Right Brain Activity
Hemispheric Synchronization

Recent Posts

The distinction between social anxiety and social anxiety disorder is in severity. We are not all affected by the same symptoms or relentlessness. The characteristics and traits are equivalent. These conditions originate homogeneously, their trajectories differentiated by environment, experience, and the diversity of human thought and behavior. While comorbidities dramatically benefit, the recovery methods identified are for social anxiety and social anxiety disorder, and reference to one includes the other.  

Self-Directed Neuroplasticity

We flourish through hemispheric synchronization, which is the collaboration of our brain’s hemispheres to achieve optimal coherence, i.e., a rational, emotional brain.

While it was once thought that emotions were the sole province of the right hemisphere of the brain, while rational thought was the purview of the left. This has been disproved, as both hemispheres work together to perform these functions. However, for the sake of easy comprehension, we separate the functions of the left hemisphere (rational thought) from the right hemisphere (emotional response and reaction).

Our emotional quotient (EQ), or emotional intelligence, is the ability to perceive, manage, control, or communicate our emotions. Those of us experiencing social anxiety ostensibly have a low EQ because it requires rational thinking, a faculty anathema to our condition. We compensate for this lacuna by enhancing our left brain’s intellectual attributes to balance our right brain’s creative pursuits.

In other words, we enhance the ability to perceive, manage, and communicate by balancing our emotions with rational thought. Through active and proactive neuroplasticity, we aggressively and consciously utilize both brain hemispheres—a harmony crucial to recovery from social anxiety and related conditions. This unification helps us achieve optimal coherence, producing a well-balanced, rationally creative neurological oneness.

The neural network of a person experiencing social anxiety disorder is replete with toxic information established by the negative trajectory of childhood disturbance, core and intermediate beliefs, negativity bias, SAD onset, cognitive biases, and irrational thoughts and behaviors expressed by our emotionally driven negative self-appraisal. Until recovery, they are impervious to rational explanation.

“Dr. Mullen is doing impressive work helping the world. He is the pioneer of proactive neuroplasticity utilizing DRNI – deliberate, repetitive, neural information.” – WeVoice (Madrid, Málaga)   

Emotional intelligence is not a fixed trait, but a skill that can be developed and strengthened. By being aware of our feelings and those around us, and using this to inform our thoughts and behaviors, we combine our left brain’s intelligence with our right brain’s emotions. Emotional intelligence is being aware of feelings in ourselves and those around us and using this awareness to inform our thoughts and behaviors. Individuals with high emotional intelligence motivate themselves, read social cues effectively, and build strong relationships.

Proactive and active neuroplasticity, described by psychiatrist Jeffrey M. Schwartz as “self-directed neuroplasticity[1],” plays a vital role in the recovery process. Social anxiety persists by provoking irrational thoughts and behaviors, feeding off our fears and negative self-appraisal.

Proactive neuroplasticity targets the rational, analytical, and quantitative capabilities of our brain through DRNI. This process counters defeatist self-appraisal by continually offering positive statements, such as “I am capable and strong” or “I can handle this situation confidently.” These affirmations rationally offset the abundance of experiential adverse information present in our neural network.

By implementing productive responses to our emotionally-driven social anxiety, we create a balance between our irrational thoughts and behaviors and their rational analysis—a harmony crucial to recovery and stability. This coalescence produces a well-balanced, rationally creative neurological unity.

Hemispheric Synchronization. Balancing Left and Right Brain Activity
Neural Hemispheres

Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity, the quality of being easily shaped or molded, is the scientific evidence of our brain’s continuous adaptation and restructuring to information. It is what makes learning and registering new experiences possible. Our brain is a dynamic and malleable neural network, constantly realigning its pathways and rebuilding its circuits in response to registered stimuli.  Scientists refer to neuroplasticity as structural remodeling of the brain.

All registered information notifies our neural network to realign, generating a correlated change in behavior and perspective. What is significant is our ability to accelerate and consolidate the process by compelling our brain to repattern its neural circuitry. Neural circuitry refers to the interconnected network of neurons in our brain that are responsible for transmitting and processing information. By repatterning this circuitry, we can effectively change our thoughts and behaviors. 

Behaviorist B. F. Skinner claimed that the neural input of information was more important than the amount; he was half right. That was before we realized how our brain reacts to stimuli – how repeated neural input results in repeated firing. Neurons don’t act by themselves but through circuits that strengthen or weaken their connections based on electrical activity. Like muscles, the more repetitions, the more robust the energy of the information.

Accelerated Learning

We accelerate and consolidate learning and unlearning by compelling our brains to restructure their neural circuitry. This fact confirms that our emotional well-being is self-determined. While we are impacted by outside forces over which we have limited to no control—life’s vicissitudes, physical deterioration, and hostilities—our psychological health is determined by how we react and respond to adversity, fortune, and opportunity.

The onus of recovery and self-empowerment rests with us. We control our emotional well-being, empowering ourselves through self-directed neuroplasticity.

Space is Limited
For Information

“It is one of the best investments I have made in myself, and I will
continue to improve and benefit from it for the rest of my life.” – Nick P.

Three Forms of Human Neuroplasticity

Human neuroplasticity happens in three forms. 

Reactive neuroplasticity is our brain’s involuntary response to stimuli we absorb but do not focus on or initiate: a car alarm, lightning, or the smell of baked goods. Our neural network, which is the complex network of neurons in our brain, automatically restructures to what happens around us.

However, not all information impacts our neural network. Most information is insignificant. It does not register. For something to register, it must be detected (noticed). Our brain’s metabolism only accumulates registered information.

The same applies to the ongoing onslaught of negativity. Our neural network receives around two million bits of data per second but can process roughly 126 bits. If our brain does not register the information, it does not stimulate or alert the receptor neuron and, therefore, does not negatively impact our neural network.  

Active neuroplasticity happens through intentional pursuits like creating, yoga, and journaling. We control active neuroplasticity because we consciously choose the activity. Active neuroplasticity replaces our self-destructive thoughts and behaviors, creating healthy new mindsets, skills, and abilities by rediscovering and utilizing the character strengths, virtues, and attributes disrupted by our emotional malfunction. 

Beyond the synthetic and creative products of active neuroplasticity is our altruistic and compassionate social behavior, e.g., teaching, compassion, and random acts of kindness. Contributions to others and society are extraordinary assets to neural restructuring. The social interconnectedness established by caring interconnectivity augments the regeneration of our self-esteem and self-appreciation. 

Proactive neuroplasticity is rapid, concentrated neurological stimulation that we deliberately initiate to offset the abundance of negative information in our brain’s metabolism. It’s a process that changes the polarity of our neural network from toxic to positive.

We execute this through DRNI – the deliberate, repetitive neural input of information. This involves consciously and repeatedly exposing ourselves to positive stimuli, thoughts, or experiences to rewire our neural circuitry and promote positive neural restructuring.

Proactive and active neuroplasticity are not passive reactions to external stimuli but conscious and deliberate transformations of our thoughts and behaviors. We, as individuals, are active participants in this process, provoking change rather than simply reacting to it.

We prioritize our bodies through exercise and healthy habits. And we enhance our cognitive functions through creativity and other mental pursuits. We nurture our spirit through introspection, meditation, and compassion. This self-care reminds us to appreciate and value ourselves and others in our journey of positive behavioral change.

Dr. Mullen’s Speaking Engagements

Neural Benefits

When we register information, it triggers a receptor neuron that sends electrical signals to a sensory neuron, which stimulates presynaptic neurons. These neurons then forward the information to millions of participating neurons, generating a cellular chain reaction in multiple interconnected brain areas. 

Deliberate neuroplasticity is a transformative process that not only changes our thoughts and behaviors but activates long-term potentiation. This activity increases the strength of nerve impulses along the connecting pathways, generating more energy. It also creates higher levels of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factors), proteins associated with improved cognitive functioning, mental health, and memory. 

The neural chain reaction generated by repetition reciprocates, in abundance, the energy of the information. Millions of neurons amplify the electrical activity on a massive scale. Positive information in, positive energy reciprocated in abundance. This process underscores the importance of positive reinforcement in neural restructuring.

The heightened activity of our axon pathways boosts the neurotransmissions of chemical hormones, feeding us GABA for relaxation, dopamine for pleasure and motivation, endorphins for self-esteem, and serotonin for a sense of well-being. Acetylcholine supports neuroplasticity, glutamate enhances memory, and noradrenalin improves concentration. 

To date, neuroscientists have discovered over fifty chemical hormones.

Our ability to deliberately accelerate and consolidate learning and unlearning is significant. Over the years, our brain structures itself around negative neural input, which refers to the information that our brain processes and reacts to in a negative way.

This negative input forms in childhood and increases exponentially due to our inherent negative bias and the negative trajectory of our condition. The primary objective in recovery and self-empowerment is replacing or overwhelming negative information with positive neural input. 

While proactive neuroplasticity attends to the rational and analytical, active neuroplasticity addresses the emotional, social, and spiritual. Proactive and active neuroplasticity do not compete but support each other in hemispheric synchronization, forming a balanced and harmonious approach to positive behavioral change. 

Necessary Collaboration

Proactive and active neuroplasticity play supportive roles in positively transforming our thoughts and behaviors. Their collaboration is a harmonious dance, reinforcing and strengthening neural restructuring.

Proactive neuroplasticity (rational, analytical, quantitative) is self-oriented; active neuroplasticity (emotional, creative, qualitative) is self- and other-oriented. They create a balanced approach, as our two hemispheres work harmoniously. This collaboration is necessary for a comprehensive and practical approach to positive behavioral change. 

Gestalt psychology and radical behaviorism not only observe behaviors but also embrace the diversity of human thought and experience. This interdisciplinary approach calls for a collaboration of science, philosophy, and psychology.

Philosophy, existentially defined, welcomes religious and spiritual insight. Neuroscience supports proactive neuroplasticity, and psychology supports active neuroplasticity. Philosophy, existentially defined, welcomes religious and spiritual insight. The whole, of course, is greater than the sum of its parts.

Self-Esteem/Self-Appreciation

Self-esteem, a crucial aspect of our mental well-being, is the awareness of our qualities and character, including our imperfections. It encompasses our self-perception, our perception of how others view us, and how we process this information. A healthy level of self-esteem reassures us of our worth, significance, and desirability.

As we consolidate our self-regard and recognize our unique contributions, we are inspired to share them with others. Self-appreciation, therefore, is the natural progression of self-esteem.

Proactive and active neuroplasticity are necessary formidable tools for neural restructuring, the regeneration of our self-esteem and appreciation, and the corresponding positive transformation of our thoughts and behaviors. 

[1] Schwartz, J. M., & Begley, S. (2002). The Mind and the Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force. ReganBooks.

Proactive Neuroplasticity YouTube Series

Social Anxiety Recovery Workshops | Dr. Robert F. Mullen | ReChanneling.org

WHY IS YOUR SUPPORT SO NECESSARY AND ESSENTIAL?  ReChanneling develops and implements programs to (1) mitigate symptoms of social anxiety and related conditions and (2) pursue personal goals and objectives – harnessing our intrinsic aptitude for extraordinary living. Our paradigmatic approach targets the personality through empathy, collaboration, and program integration utilizing neuroscience and psychology including proactive neuroplasticity, cognitive-behavioral modification, positive psychology, and techniques designed to regenerate self-esteem. All donations support scholarships for groups and workshops.

INDIVIDUAL RECOVERY. The symptoms of social anxiety make it challenging for some to participate in a collective workshop. Dr. Mullen works one-on-one with a select group of individuals uneasy in a group setting. ReChanneling offers scholarships to accommodate the costs. What is missed in group activities is provided in our monthly, no-cost Graduate Recovery Group. In this supportive community, graduates interact with others who have completed the program.  Contact ‘rmullenphd@gmail.com’.

Committing to recovery is one of the hardest things you will ever do.
It takes enormous courage and the realization that you are of value,
consequential, and deserving of happiness.

Restructure, Replace, & Rebuild. The 3Rs of Recovery

Anxiety, Neuroplasticity, Social Anxiety, , , , , , ,

Recovery from social anxiety and related conditions.

Robert F Mullen, PhD
Director/ReChanneling

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

Restructure, Replace, & Regenerate. The 3Rs of Recovery
Restructure, Replace & Rebuild

Recent Posts

The distinction between social anxiety and social anxiety disorder is in severity. We are not all affected by the same symptoms or relentlessness. The characteristics and traits are equivalent. These conditions originate homogeneously, their trajectories differentiated by environment, experience, and the diversity of human thought and behavior. While comorbidities dramatically benefit, the recovery methods identified are for social anxiety and social anxiety disorder, and reference to one includes the other.

Restructure, Replace, & Rebuild

The overarching goal of recovery is the alleviation of the symptoms of social anxiety. Restructure, replace, and rebuild are the three complementary actions that execute this goal.

Neuroscience and the validation of repetition in learning support neural restructuring. CBT and positive reframing replace negative thoughts and behaviors with healthy, productive ones. Positive psychology’s emphasis on character strengths, virtues, and attributes spearheads the reinvigoration of our self-esteem and motivation.

“Dr. Mullen is doing impressive work helping the world. He is the pioneer of proactive neuroplasticity utilizing DRNI – deliberate, repetitive, neural information.” – WeVoice (Madrid, Málaga)

One Goal, Three Objectives

A goal is the outcome we aim to achieve, while our objectives are the specific actions and measurable steps we need to take to reach that goal.

The overarching goal of recovery is the alleviation of the symptoms of social anxiety. The 3Rs of recovery – restructure, replace, and rebuild – execute this goal.

  1. Restructure our neural network by producing rapid, concentrated positive stimulation to offset the abundance of negative information in our brain’s metabolism.
  2. Replace our negative thoughts and behaviors with healthy, productive ones.
  3. Reclaim and rebuild our self-esteem and reintegrate into society through recognition and reinforcement of our character strengths, virtues, attributes, and achievements.

Judith S. Beck, a renowned expert in cognitive behavior therapy, provides this addendum: “The overarching goals of treatment are to facilitate remission of clients’ disorders; to increase their sense of purpose, meaning, connectedness, and well-being and to build resiliency and prevent relapse.” [1]

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For Information

It is one of the best investments I have made in myself, and I will
continue to improve and benefit from it for the rest of my life. – Nick P.

RESTRUCTURE Our Neural Network

All registered information and experience inform our neural network, prompting it to realign, generating a correlated change in behavior and perspective. For something to register, it must be detected (noticed) and recorded.

The deliberate, repetitive neural input of information, which constitutes proactive neuroplasticity, is a process where we actively engage our brain to consolidate and accelerate the restructuring of our neural circuitry. 

REPLACE Negative Thoughts and Behaviors

Childhood disturbance shapes our negative core and intermediate beliefs, establishing the attitudes, rules, and assumptions that drive our irrational behavior and automatic negative thoughts. We reframe and replace these negative self-appraisals and behaviors with healthy new mindsets, skills, and abilities..

REBUILD Our Self-Esteem

Our neural network has structured itself around negative information due to years of adverse self-appraisal and the general vicissitudes of life. However, by rediscovering and reclaiming our character strengths, virtues, attributes, and achievements, we reclaim and rebuild the latent properties of our self-esteem disrupted by childhood disturbance and the onset of our social anxiety.

Active neuroplasticity happens through intentional pursuits like creating, yoga, and journaling. We control active neuroplasticity because we consciously choose the activity. It is a longer-term neural restructuring that also aids in replacing our self-destructive thoughts and behaviors by rediscovering and reclaiming our character strengths, virtues, and attributes disrupted by our condition. This is just one example of how complementarity activates the three objectives simultaneously.

One Size Does Not Fit All

A one-size-fits-all solution fails to address the complexity of human experiences. A comprehensive treatment program utilizes traditional and nontraditional methodologies developed through client trust, cultural understanding, and innovative therapies. Our environment, heritage, background, and relationships reflect our desires, choices, and aspirations. When we ignore or trivialize these crucial factors, we devalue our authenticity.

A well-rounded plan incorporates complementary approaches such as proactive and active neuroplasticity, cognitive-behavioral therapy, positive psychology, recovery-oriented cognitive therapy, schema therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, rational emotive behavior therapy, gradual exposure therapy, and other methods tailored to the client.

Multiple Approaches

Just as there is no absolute right way to do or experience learning and unlearning, what helps us at one time in our life may not help us at another. Consequently, one-size-fits-all approaches to recovery and self-empowerment are inefficient. We are best served by integrating methods developed through clinical study, client targeting, cultural assimilation, and therapeutic innovation.

Coalescing science and East-West psychologies is essential to capturing the diversity of human thought and experience. Science gives us proactive neuroplasticity, which refers to the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections while promoting positive changes in thought patterns and behaviors.

Cognitive-behavioral modification and positive psychology’s optimal functioning are Western-oriented approaches. CBT focuses on replacing years of negative thoughts and behaviors with healthy, productive ones. Positive psychology reinvigorates our self-esteem by emphasizing our character assets, subverted by our social anxiety.

Eastern practices provide the therapeutic benefits of Abhidharma psychology and the overarching truths of ethical behavior.

These approaches do not act alone but work in concert.

Dr. Mullen’s Speaking Engagements

Complementarity

Complementarity, in the context of psychological and scientific approaches to recovery, refers to the state or system of corresponding components combining to enhance or emphasize each other’s qualities. This concept underscores the importance of integrating diverse approaches to recovery, as each enhances the effectiveness of the others. We are also concerned with the simultaneous mutual interaction of our mind, body, spirit, and emotions to stabilize and sustain our psychophysiological well-being, highlighting the holistic nature of recovery. 

Hemispheric Synchronization

We learn through hemispheric synchronization, which means collaborating our brain’s left and right hemispheres to achieve optimal coherence, i.e., a rational-analytical brain. It establishes our emotional intelligence – the ability to perceive, manage, control, or communicate emotions.

People experiencing social anxiety ostensibly have a low EQ because it requires rational thinking, a faculty anathema to our condition.

However, we can compensate for this through neuroplasticity, which describes our brain’s remarkable ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. Active and proactive neuroplasticity aggressively and deliberately utilizes both brain hemispheres, balancing analytical objectivity with subjective creativity.

The neural network of a person experiencing social anxiety disorder is replete with toxic information established by the negative trajectory of childhood disturbance, core beliefs, negativity bias, SAD onset, intermediate beliefs, cognitive biases, and irrational thoughts and behaviors manifest by emotionally driven negative self-appraisal. Proactive and active neuroplasticity, two processes of what Jeffrey Schwartz called self-directed neuroplasticity, play vital roles in recovery.

Our brain’s right hemisphere, responsible for managing emotions, creativity, and intuition, is the domain of active neuroplasticity. Proactive neuroplasticity, on the other hand, focuses on the left hemisphere’s rational, analytical, and quantitative pursuits. 

Individual Over Diagnosis

Hippocrates purportedly wrote, “It’s far more important to know what person the disease has than what disease the person has.” This individual-focused approach empowers each person, making them feel valued and understood. We prioritize the individual over their diagnoses, offering personality-based solutions.

By emphasizing the positive aspects of the human condition over pathographic models, we help counteract the negative self-appraisal induced by our condition.

Training in prosocial behavior and emotional literacy supports typical interventions, while behavioral exercises are used to practice social skills. Data provides evidence for mindfulness and acceptance-based interventions, and motivational enhancement strategies help clients overcome their resistance to new ideas and concepts.

Discipline Collaboration

Addressing the diversity of human thought and experience calls for a collaboration of science, philosophy, and psychology. Philosophy, existentially defined, welcomes religious and spiritual insight.

Gestalt theory emphasizes that the whole of anything is greater than its parts. It underscores the interconnectedness of our mind, body, spirit, and emotions, all parts of the whole that cannot exist independently of each other or the parts. Each component overlaps, influences, and is interdependent with the others, albeit one dominates until superseded by another. They collaborate in the holism of our personality as the gestalt of our humanness, creating a sense of interconnectedness and wholeness.

[1] Beck, Judith S. (2020). Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Basics and Beyond, Third Edition,
The Guilford Press, NYC.

Proactive Neuroplasticity YouTube Series

Rechanneling.org | Social Anxiety Recovery Workshops By Dr. Robert F. Mullen

WHY IS YOUR SUPPORT SO NECESSARY AND ESSENTIAL?  ReChanneling develops and implements programs to (1) mitigate symptoms of social anxiety and related conditions and (2) pursue personal goals and objectives – harnessing our intrinsic aptitude for extraordinary living. Our paradigmatic approach targets the personality through empathy, collaboration, and program integration, utilizing neuroscience and psychology, including proactive neuroplasticity, cognitive-behavioral modification, positive psychology, and techniques designed to reclaim and rebuild self-esteem. All donations support scholarships for groups and workshops.  

INDIVIDUAL RECOVERY. The symptoms of social anxiety make it challenging for some to participate in a collective workshop. Dr. Mullen works one-on-one with a select group of individuals uneasy in a group setting. ReChanneling offers scholarships to accommodate the costs. What is missed in group activities is provided in our monthly, no-cost Graduate Recovery Group. In this supportive community, graduates interact with others who have completed the program.  Contact ‘rmullenphd@gmail.com’.

Committing to recovery is one of the hardest things you will ever do.
It takes enormous courage and the realization that you are of value,
consequential, and deserving of happiness.

Neuroplasticity and Positive Behavioral Change

Anxiety, Neuroplasticity, Social Anxiety, , , , ,

Recovery from Social Anxiety and Related Conditions

Robert F Mullen, PhD
Director/ReChanneling

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

Neuroplasticity and Positive Behavioral Change

Neuroplasticity and Positive Behavioral Change

The distinction between social anxiety and social anxiety disorder is in severity. We are not all affected by the same symptoms or relentlessness. The characteristics and traits are equivalent. These conditions originate homogeneously, their trajectories differentiated by environment, experience, and the diversity of human thought and behavior. While comorbidities dramatically benefit, the recovery methods identified are for social anxiety and social anxiety disorder, and reference to one includes the other.      

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Proactive and Reactive Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity is a testament to our brains’ limitless potential for growth and adaptation. Every input of information or experience prompts our neural network to reconfigure, leading to a profound shift in our behavior and perspective. 

Our ability to consciously direct our brain to rewire its neural circuitry is a game-changer. The practice of deliberate, repetitive neural input (DRNI) of positive information gives us the power to reshape our thoughts and behaviors, fostering healthy mindsets, skills, and abilities. 

“Dr. Mullen is doing impressive work helping the world. He is the pioneer of proactive neuroplasticity utilizing DRNI – deliberate, repetitive, neural information.” – WeVoice (Madrid, Málaga)   

A Brief History

In the 1960s, the science of neuroplasticity was identified by research into the rejuvenation of brain function after a massive stroke. Before that, researchers believed that neurogenesis, or the creation of new neurons, ceased shortly after birth. It was assumed that our brain’s physical structure was permanent by early childhood. 

Today, we understand that our neural pathways are not fixed but constantly evolving. The human brain possesses the remarkable ability to continually reorganize pathways and form new connections and neurons, facilitating both learning and unlearning processes. 

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“It is one of the best investments I have made in myself, and I will
continue to improve and benefit from it for the rest of my life.” – Nick P.

Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity, the quality of being easily shaped or molded, is the scientific evidence of our brain’s continuous adaptation and restructuring to information and experience. It is what makes learning and registering new experiences possible. Our brain is a dynamic and malleable neural network, constantly realigning its pathways and rebuilding its circuits in response to registered stimuli.  Scientists refer to this process as structural remodeling of the brain.

All registered information notifies our neural network to realign, generating a correlated change in behavior and perspective. What is significant is our ability to accelerate and consolidate the process by compelling our brain to repattern its neural circuitry. Neural circuitry refers to the interconnected network of neurons in our brain responsible for transmitting and processing information. By repatterning this circuitry, we can effectively change our thoughts and behaviors. 

Three Forms of Human Neuroplasticity

Human neuroplasticity happens in three forms. Reactive neuroplasticity is our brain’s response to stimuli we do not initiate and may or may not register: a car alarm, lightning, or the smell of baked goods. Our neural network automatically restructures itself to what our brain notices, meaning that the stimuli must register, i.e., be detected (noticed) and recorded. Most stimuli do not register. They are nugatory.

Our neural network receives around two million bits of data per second but can process roughly 126 bits. If our brain does not register the information, it does not stimulate or alert the receptor neuron and, therefore, does not forward to participating neurons (pre- and post-synaptic). 

Registered information can be positive, negative, or neutral.

Active neuroplasticity happens through intentional pursuits like social interaction, teaching, yoga, and journaling. We control active neuroplasticity because we consciously choose the activity. A significant component of active neuroplasticity is our altruistic and compassionate social behavior – teaching, volunteering, and contributing.

While the benefits of active neuroplasticity are apparent, proactive neuroplasticity is the most effective method of positive neural restructuring. We, as individuals, have the power to compel our brains to change their negative polarity to positive through the deliberate, repetitive neural input (DRNI) of information. DRNI is a self-controlled process executed by the positive statements that we mentally or orally repeat to expedite learning and unlearning. This process requires the construction of substantial and sound information.

However, we cannot discount the benefits of active neuroplasticity, which fulfills the same function at a different level of intensity. Both proactive and active neuroplasticity confirm our ability to govern our emotional well-being. We accelerate and consolidate learning by enabling our brain to repattern its neural circuitry. 

Hemispheric Synchronization

Proactive and active neuroplasticity, two processes of what Jeffrey Schwartz called, self-directed neuroplasticity, play vital roles in recovery. Our brain’s right hemisphere, responsible for managing emotions, creativity, and intuition, is the domain of active neuroplasticity. Proactive neuroplasticity, on the other hand, focuses on the left hemisphere’s rational, analytical, and quantitative pursuits. Social anxiety’s negative self-appraisal and irrational thoughts and behaviors consume our right hemisphere to the detriment of the left.

Neuroplasticity and Positive Behavioral Change

Registering Information

Negative information has inundated our neural network since childhood. How can we offset the life-accumulated and continuing abundance of negativity no matter how much we deliberately input positive neural information? The truth is, we can’t, which is why we continue to be triggered by past experiences. However, it’s not information that’s the problem, but rather how we react and respond to it. That is what we learn in recovery, and it’s a crucial part of our journey towards emotional well-being.

Let’s hypothesize that our neural network is a color spectrum. Blue represents toxic and unhealthy negative information formed over the years. Yellow is healthy, productive information. Now imagine your neural network as a tall glass of blue water, representing its current level of negativity. Proactive and active neuroplasticity add yellow water to the glass. Over time, the color of the water changes to green. The more we input positive information, the lighter the shade. Green represents positive progress in reconstructing our neural network.

Despite the constant influx of negative experiences and information, stemming from our negative self-appraisal and life’s ups and downs, the deliberate, repetitive input of positive information can bring about significant neurological benefits. These benefits, which we’ll delve into below, have the power to offset the accumulation of toxic input.

Behaviorist B. F. Skinner claimed that the information was more important than the amount. He was onto something, but only half right. Repeated input leads to repeated firing that strengthens the connections between neurons. Just like muscles, the more repetitions, the more robust the energy of the information.

Our Neural Network

Neurons, the fundamental units of our brain and central nervous system, don’t act by themselves but through circuits that strengthen or weaken their connections based on a combination of chemical and electrical activity.

Registered information alerts a receptor neuron which triggers it to fire. Each firing stimulates a presynaptic or sensory neuron, which then transmits the information via an axon or connecting pathway to a synapse. The signal is picked up by the dendrites of the postsynaptic neurons, which relay the information to the nucleus of the cell body. This continuous exchange of electrical energy impulses engages millions of participating neurons, triggering a cellular chain reaction across multiple interconnected brain areas. 

Neuroplasticity and Positive Behavioral Change

Proactive neuroplasticity, the deliberate and repetitious input of information, is the most effective way to promote and retain learning and unlearning. It compels neurons to fire repeatedly, causing them to wire together, consolidating the new connections. Mindfulness of the scientific process can inspire and motivate us to engage in deliberate learning practices, knowing that our brains are capable of such profound change.

Synaptic connections consolidate when two or more neurons are activated contiguously. Again, the more repetitions, the more durable the connection. Hebb’s rule of neuroplasticity, a fundamental principle in neuroscience, states that neurons that fire together wire together.  Repeated firing strengthens and solidifies the pathways between neurons. The activity of the axon pathway heightens, causing the synapses to multiply and accelerate the transmission of information.

Repetition is a key factor in learning. We prompt our neural network to restructure by deliberately inputting information. But it’s through repetition that we cause circuits to strengthen and realign. This understanding demonstrates how repetition speeds up the process of learning and unlearning, motivating us to keep practicing and improving. 

Neuroplasticity offers us the potential for growth and change. Each input of registered information, intentional or otherwise, causes a receptor neuron to fire. Each time a neuron fires, it reshapes and strengthens the axon connection and the neural bond. The more repetitions, the more neurons are impacted, creating multiple connections that attract the participation of more neurons.

An increase in learning efficacy arises from the sensory neuron’s repeated and persistent stimulation of the postsynaptic cell. Postsynaptic neurons multiply, amplifying the positive or negative energy of the information. This potential for growth and change is the energy that passes from one atom to another during their chain reaction. 

Benefits of Neuroplasticity

The substantial benefits of deliberate neuroplasticity over an extended period are evident. Multiple firings activate long-term potentiation, increasing the nerve impulses’ strength along the connecting pathways, and generating more energy. Deliberate and repetitive neuroplasticity causes higher levels of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factors), a protein associated with improved cognitive functioning, mental health, and memory, which plays a crucial role in neuroplasticity. 

We know how challenging it is to change, remove ourselves from hostile environments, and break habits that interfere with our optimum functioning. We are hard-wired to resist anything that jeopardizes our status quo. Our brain’s inertia senses and repels changes, and our basal ganglia resists any modification in behavior patterns. Proactive and active neuroplasticity empowers us to assume accountability for our emotional well-being and quality of life by allowing us to control our information input.

Neural Reciprocity

Neural restructuring doesn’t happen overnight. Recovery-remission is a year or more in treatment utilizing appropriate tools and techniques. Meeting personal goals and objectives takes persistence, perseverance, and patience.  Substance abuse programs, for example,  recommend nurturing a plant or tropical fish during the first year before contemplating an intimate relationship, emphasizing the need for patience and nurturing in the recovery journey.

The successful pursuit of any ambition varies by individual and is subject to multiple factors. However, progress is exponential once we begin the deliberate neural input of positive information. The reciprocating energy from neuroplasticity is not just abundant; it’s a game-changer.

The repeated firing of participating neurons involves millions of neurons that amplify energy on a massive scale. Positive energy is multiplied millions of times and reciprocated in abundance. This is the awe-inspiring power of neuroplasticity, a force that can truly transform the recovery journey. 

The power of neuroplasticity is that a system of positive, repetitive input, such as positive personal affirmations, constructive self-talk, and engaging in positive activities, can offset decades of irrational, self-destructive thoughts and behaviors. It provides the mental and emotional wherewithal to effectively pursue our personal goals and objectives, putting us in control of our recovery journey. 

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Chemical Hormones

Our brain automatically transmits chemical hormones to reward neural input. We receive transmissions of GABA for relaxation, dopamine for pleasure and motivation, endorphins for euphoria, and serotonin for well-being. Acetylcholine supports our positivity, glutamate enhances our memory, and noradrenalin improves concentration.

Every time we input positive information, our brain releases chemical hormones that make us feel viable and productive. These hormones empower us to overcome the negative energy channeled by the things that impede our potential. This is the true value of positive reinforcement.

In addition, positive information decreases the influx of fear—and anxiety-provoking hormones like cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine.

Our brain doesn’t think, however. It is an organic reciprocator that provides the means for us to think. It maintains our heartbeat, nervous system, blood flow, etc. And it also tells us when to breathe, stimulates thirst, and controls our weight and digestion. 

Since our brain does not differentiate between productive and toxic information, it transmits the same chemical hormones to adverse and harmful information. Thus, the scientific validation of the power of positive experience and information.

Constructing Our Information

We construct the information we input in our neural network by context, content, and intention. These factors determine the integrity of the information and its correlation to durability and learning efficacy. The most effective information is calculated and specific to our purpose.

For instance, if we’re challenging negative thoughts, the information could be positive personal affirmations or cognitive-behavioral strategies. If we’re focused on a specific challenge, the information could be problem-solving techniques or relevant knowledge. What is our end goal – the personal milestone we want to achieve? 

The process is theoretically simple but challenging due to the commitment and endurance required for the long-term, repetitive process. We don’t advance at Wimbledon without decades of practice with rackets and balls; philharmonics cater to pianists who have spent years at the keyboard. This commitment is not just a requirement, but a necessity that fuels our determination and keeps us focused on our goals.

DRNI is a key concept in proactive neuroplasticity. It refers to a calculated regimen of deliberate, repetitive neural information that is tedious and fails to deliver immediate, tangible results. On the other hand, active neuroplasticity is more emotionally responsive and beneficial in the short run. Both are necessary for hemispheric synchronization.

The ability to balance our emotions, creativity, and intuition with our left hemisphere’s rational, analytical, and quantitative pursuits generates our emotional intelligence, which enables us to regulate our emotions and understand those of others, providing healthier emotional well-being and interpersonal relationships.

The positive impact of neuroplasticity is exponential due to the abundant reciprocation of positive energy and the neurotransmission of hormones that generate motivation, persistence, and perseverance. Deliberate neuroplasticity alleviates symptoms of physiological dysfunction and discomfort and promises to transform our pursuit of goals and objectives. 

Proactive Neuroplasticity YouTube Series

Social Anxiety Recovery Workshops Online

WHY IS YOUR SUPPORT SO NECESSARY AND ESSENTIAL?  ReChanneling develops and implements programs to (1) mitigate symptoms of social anxiety and related conditions and (2) pursue personal goals and objectives – harnessing our intrinsic aptitude for extraordinary living. Our paradigmatic approach targets the personality through empathy, collaboration, and program integration utilizing neuroscience and psychology, including proactive neuroplasticity, cognitive-behavioral modification, positive psychology, and techniques designed to regenerate self-esteem. All donations support scholarships for groups and workshops.   

INDIVIDUAL RECOVERY. The symptoms of social anxiety make it challenging for some to participate in a collective workshop. Dr. Mullen works one-on-one with a select group of individuals uneasy in a group setting. ReChanneling offers scholarships to accommodate the costs. What is missed in group activities is provided in our monthly, no-cost Graduate Recovery Group. In this supportive community, graduates interact with others who have completed the program.  Contact ‘rmullenphd@gmail.com’.

Committing to recovery is one of the hardest things you will ever do.
It takes enormous courage and the realization that you are of value,
consequential, and deserving of happiness.

How Stoicism Saved My Mental Health

Anxiety, Behavior, Coping Mechanisms, Mental Health, Psychology, Social Anxiety, Social anxiety disorder, ,

A Guest Post

by P. J. Gudka

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

How Stoicism Saved my Mental Health

The distinction between social anxiety and social anxiety disorder is in severity. We are not all affected by the same symptoms or relentlessness. The characteristics and traits are equivalent. These conditions originate homogeneously, their trajectories differentiated by environment, experience, and the diversity of human thought and behavior. While comorbidities dramatically benefit, the recovery methods identified are for social anxiety and social anxiety disorder, and reference to one includes the other.

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How Stoicism Saved My Mental Health

P. J. Gudka
Lifesfinewhine
February 14, 2025

I was recently chatting with Stephanie from Singing Gecko on one of her posts. And she mentioned my comment was Stoic and optimistic and I absolutely loved that. But before I go into this story, I want to take a minute to shoutout Stephanie. She is such a cool person. Her posts really make me think and she has an awesome vibe. Do check out her blog. Okay, now back to how Stoicism saved my mental health.

Basically her comment reminded me that I am in fact a Stoic and have practised Stoicism for years now. I first learnt about it in my first year of university when I took a philosophy course. It really stood out to me because it was the first time I had heard a philosophical school of thought that perfectly encompassed my own beliefs. And the more I read about it, the more I agreed with what I was reading.

Over time, I began to include Stoic practices in my life and saw a major shift in my mental health. But first, let’s talk about Stoicism. I’m sure most people that know are interested in philosophy or know basic philosophical schools will be familiar with Stoicism. But for those that may not be, I’ve shared a little bit about Stoicism and a Wikipedia link if you would like to read more about it.

What Is Stoicism?

How Stoicism Saved My Mental Health

“Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy that flourished in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. The Stoics believed that the practice of virtue is enough to achieve eudaimonia: a well-lived life. The Stoics identified the path to achieving it with a life spent practicing the four cardinal virtues in everyday life — prudence, fortitude, temperance, and justice — as well as living in accordance with nature. It was founded in the ancient Agora of Athens by Zeno of Citium around 300 BCE.

Alongside Aristotle’s ethics, the Stoic tradition forms one of the major founding approaches to virtue ethics. The Stoics are especially known for teaching that “virtue is the only good” for human beings, and that external things, such as health, wealth, and pleasure, are not good or bad in themselves (adiaphora) but have value as “material for virtue to act upon”.

Many Stoics—such as Seneca and Epictetus—emphasized that because “virtue is sufficient for happiness”, a sage would be emotionally resilient to misfortune. The Stoics also believed that certain destructive emotions resulted from errors of judgment, and people should aim to maintain a will (called prohairesis) that is “in accordance with nature”. Because of this, the Stoics thought the best indication of an individual’s philosophy was not what a person said but how the person behaved.

To live a good life, one had to understand the rules of the natural order since they believed everything was rooted in nature.” (Source: Wikipedia)

How Stoicism Saved My Mental Health

So, now that you have a better understanding of Stoicism we can get into how Stoicism saved my mental health and has pretty much changed my life over the last few years. For those of you that don’t know, I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety as a teenager. So that’s what I’ll be referencing throughout the post. Anyway, this is how Stoicism saved my mental health:

Acceptance

One major aspect of Stoicism is that Stoics believe that we have free will but also that there are things out of our control. Basically, we believe in destiny, that things are pre-determined. However, how we choose to perceive things is up to us. Realising this was a giant game changer for me.

Growing up, I was always someone that needed control. I like things to be perfect, everything has its place. When things don’t go exactly as planned and even if there’s a slight hitch I would go into absolute anxiety mode. However, I have become so much more calm now when things don’t go as planned. Of course, I’m not perfect at it and I don’t think perfection is achievable. But I accept things that come my way. I experience the negative emotions associated with it and then I process and let them go. I don’t let it debilitate me.

This has been a huge game-changer for my anxiety. I’m no longer meticulously plan every tiny aspect of my life because I’m terrified I’ll do something wrong if I don’t. Can you imagine how exhausting it was for me to be doing that before? But no more. Now, I let life do its thing because I understand that being on anxiety mode 24/7 is not going to change my destiny. But how I choose to react will. I control what I can and I accept what I can’t

Stoic Exercises/Practices

There are a number of Stoic practices that those that believe in Stoicism try to include into their life. Today, I want to talk about two that I practice that have helped me so much with my mental health.

The first one is negative visualisation. This is a technique where you periodically imagine losing the things you value (like your job, health, or loved ones). I know, this sounds super grim and trust me it’s not for everyone. But hear me out. This made my life so much easier and decreased my anxiety immensely. I used to be so anxious all the time about bad things happening. Losing people I love, losing my health, not doing well in school, losing clients etc. But this practice has helped me picture the worst again and again until it’s no longer as anxiety inducing for me. I have finally come to terms with the fact that it’s a part of life that sometimes we do lose things we value. But we can’t let that stop us, we have to stay strong and keep going even when we hit rock bottom.

Another practice that I have added to my routine is voluntary discomfort. Stoics often engage in practices that voluntarily make life harder to build resilience and remind themselves that discomfort is not inherently bad. Earlier, when my anxiety was at its worst any sort of discomfort would ruin my day and I would shy away from it. I realised that this was actually a trauma response.

For me, voluntary discomfort is about doing social things because that makes me very uncomfortable. A few years ago, even leaving the house would give me anxiety. Now, I go out all the time. Sometimes on my own just to have a relaxing mental health day. I’m no longer scared to dine alone, shop alone, talk to new people. Things that would have petrified me have now become enjoyable.

Courage

This was a big one for me and one that was a major trigger for my depression. I’ve always been one of those people that are extremely sensitive to fighting or confrontation. That’s a huge trigger for my PTSD. But I’m also someone that takes their morals and ethics really seriously. When someone does something I believe is wrong or harming someone else, I feel unsettled. But I would never confront people about their behaviour before. Especially narcissists. Now, I’m not longer afraid of confrontation. I still avoid it when I can but when I need to say something, I do it.

Acting in accordance with virtue, even in the face of adversity is an important part of Stoicism. And it’s what taught me to stand up for myself and those that couldn’t stand up for themselves. I’m really proud of how far I’ve come. And thanks to no longer bottling everything up and setting healthy boundaries, my depression and anxiety have gotten so much better. Instead of being depressed that the world sucks, I can now stand up and fight for things to get better.

Moderation and Neutrality

Exercising moderation in all things and avoiding excess is another things I learnt from Stoicism. I used to see things as very black and white before I began actively practicing Stoicism. And that was a really depressing way to see the world. It made me very pessimistic and unhappy.

Now, I understand that things are much more complex. Nothing is black and white, most things are grey. Which is why it’s important to try to stay neutral and objective. Don’t get to a place where you’re on an unrealistic extreme.

As for moderation, I think I’ve generally been a pretty moderate person but over time I have become much less materialistic. I was never that materialistic but I did like occasionally to splurge on things I was interested in like books, skincare, makeup etc. Now, I put a lot more importance on people and memories instead of stuff.

The Bigger Picture

One thing I did a lot of reading and reflecting about is living according to nature. For Stoics, this means understanding the natural world and our place within it. It involves recognising that life is unpredictable and transient. Change is a constant part of it. And that is why it’s so important to learn to accept that and be prepared instead of holding on to the past.

Figuring out my place in the world also helped me recognise just how insignificant I am. Which again, I know sounds a little depressing but it wasn’t for me. It had the opposite effect. I was no longer insecure about those little flaws I saw in the mirror, about my weight, my hair, my body. Because none of that mattered and most people probably didn’t even notice or care about those things. I was just a tiny part of a big world. This did wonders for my social anxiety.

Constant Growth

Wisdom and understanding what is truly important in life is one of the cornerstones of Stoicism. Stoics often practice mindfulness and reflection. Regularly reflecting on your thoughts, actions, and responses helps Stoics become more self-aware. This practice encourages us to examine our judgments and adjust them to align with virtue.

I’ve talked about meditation, mindfulness and reflection quite a lot in my mental health related posts so I won’t go into too much detail again on this one. The post has already become so much longer than I expected it to be. But basically, reflecting on my day and trying to be a better version of myself each day has helped me immensely with my mental health. It’s helped me understand myself and those around me. And most importantly, it’s helped me become a better person which in turn makes me a lot more confident than I used to be. I know what I stand for and don’t look to others to define me.

Final Thoughts

That’s how Stoicism saved my mental health and helped me be the person I’ve become today. I hope you enjoyed this post. I don’t talk about my philosophical beliefs much because I feel like people wouldn’t care too much or would maybe not find that interesting. People that love philosophy love it but those that don’t really don’t. But since a lot of my readers do enjoy my mental health related posts, I thought this would be interesting to them. And maybe a different perspective because I don’t see many people talking about Stoicism in relation to mental health. But for me the two are interrelated and it was important for me to tell my story of how Stoicism saved my mental health.

Disclaimer: If you or someone you love are experiencing mental health problems please talk to a professional or someone you trust. Please seek help if you feel that it is necessary. There is absolutely nothing wrong with needing help.

Lifesfinewhine, a timely and popular website, is a beacon of hope for those navigating mental health issues. Its producer, P.J. Gudka, was diagnosed with depression and generalized anxiety as a teenager. Through research and self-reflection, she has gained a profound understanding of mental health illnesses and the stigma that often surrounds them. Her latest book, All the Words I Kept Inside, is a transformative collection of poetry that encourages readers to delve deep within themselves and confront their darkest thoughts. It takes the inner dread, disappointment, and heartache we all experience and reveals the words of the heart, inspiring hope and transformation.

If you have a story or perspective to share, we encourage you to submit a post for ReChanneling’s website. Please contact rmullenphd@gmail.com to learn more about the submission process.

Step Out of the Bullseye

Anxiety, Behavior, Coping Mechanisms, Mental Health, Neuroplasticity, Positive Psychology, Psychology, Recovery, , , ,

Recovery from social anxiety and related conditions.

Revised 1/14/2025

Robert F Mullen, PhD
Director/ReChanneling

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

Step Out of the Bullseye
Step Out of the Bullseye

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The distinction between social anxiety and social anxiety disorder is in severity. We are not all affected by the same symptoms or relentlessness. The characteristics and traits are equivalent. These conditions originate homogeneously, their trajectories differentiated by environment, experience, and the diversity of human thought and behavior. While comorbidities dramatically benefit, the recovery methods identified are for social anxiety and social anxiety disorder, and reference to one includes the other.

Step Out of the Bullseye

Unable to cope with fear and uncertainty,
a person resorts to denial, repression, compromise,
and hides behind the mask of a false self.
― Kilroy J. Oldster, Dead Todd Scrolls

Defense Mechanisms

Understanding and applying coping mechanisms can significantly empower us to alleviate stress and reduce the release of fear and anxiety-inducing hormones. Recovery-oriented coping mechanisms, such as distractions and projecting positive outcomes, give us a sense of control when confronting fearful situations.

Maladaptive coping mechanisms, which we all use at some point, are known as defense mechanisms. These are temporary strategies we unconsciously employ to handle triggers our minds are unequipped to manage.

Defense mechanisms are mostly unconscious and automatic safeguards against stressful situations—psychological reactions designed to protect us from trauma. Although these psychological responses defend us from our fears and anxieties, they are not long-term solutions.

Examples of such mechanisms include denial, conversion, projection, and repression.

Without coping mechanisms, defensive or otherwise, we can experience decompensation – the inability to generate effective psychological coping mechanisms in response to stress – resulting in personality disturbance or disintegration.

The difference between defense and coping mechanisms is that the latter are adaptive and promote emotional well-being and recovery. For instance, avoiding a social situation due to fear of criticism and rejection would be considered a defense mechanism, while confronting the feared situation by employing positive self-talk, mindfulness, and social skills training is adopting coping mechanisms.

It is important to remember that although coping and defense mechanisms do not address the root causes of our fears and anxieties, they can provide limited emotional relief. Like an analgesic that temporarily alleviates physical pain, these mechanisms can positively influence our emotional well-being and help rebuild our self-esteem as we navigate our mental health journey. However, it’s crucial to understand and address the root causes.

Space is Limited
For Information

“It is one of the best investments I have made in myself, and I will
continue to improve and benefit from it for the rest of my life.” – Nick P.

Notwithstanding their label, many defense mechanisms support recovery when utilized appropriately. Some, like avoidance, humor, and isolation, need no explanation. Others, such as compensation and dissociation, have positive values in recovery when employed appropriately. 

Compensation is when we overachieve in one area of our lives to offset perceived failures in another. For example, a poor student may become a star athlete. We compensate for our negative thoughts and behaviors by channeling our efforts into healthy, productive accomplishments. This process helps rebuild our self-esteem as we focus on our strengths, virtues, and attributes rather than the aspects of ourselves affected by social anxiety.

In essence, we leverage our best qualities to counteract any perceived deficits in self-esteem caused by our social anxiety.

“Dr. Mullen is doing impressive work helping the world. He is the pioneer of proactive neuroplasticity utilizing DRNI – deliberate, repetitive, neural information.” – WeVoice (Madrid, Málaga)

Dissociation

In psychological terms, dissociation refers to the experience of detaching from reality. Dissociation can range from mild emotional detachment to more significant disconnection from physical and emotional trauma. Dissociation helps people manage their emotional well-being by separating their thoughts, memories, feelings, and actions from distressing situation(s).

In less severe cases, we might dissociate by daydreaming or losing ourselves in a good book or movie, which can temporarily relieve stress.

In recovery, we practice deliberate dissociation from the symptoms of social anxiety. This act allows us to separate ourselves from the negative aspects of our condition to focus on our character assets. It provides a sense of control and confidence to objectively analyze our thoughts and behaviors to respond rationally and productively.

When our identity remains intertwined with social anxiety, consciously dissociating from the symptoms of our condition is a functional and productive approach.

Step Out of the Bullseye
Dissociation

Dissociation helps us recognize that we are not defined by our condition’s adversities but rather by our resilience, assets, and determination. It is a deliberate act rather than the unconscious responses linked to our automatic negative thoughts (ANTs).

Theoretically, when we disassociate, parts of our brain become more active and others less active. To regenerate our self-esteem, we energize the positive aspects of our character over the adverse self-appraisal of our condition.

For those who dispute my use of dissociation as frivolous, substitute the words disconnect, separate, uncouple, disunite, or liberate.

When we remain entangled with our social anxiety disorder, we often see ourselves as helpless, hopeless, undesirable, and worthless. These core and intermediate beliefs, shaped by childhood experiences and reinforced by our condition, become the nemesis of our self-appraisal.

By dissociating from social anxiety, we step away from self-targeting to objectively analyze our irrational thoughts and behaviors, leading to more rational and productive responses.

This shift from a disease model to a wellness model is significant. The disease model focuses on the problem, while the wellness model—rooted in humanistic and positive psychologies—emphasizes the solution. It defines health as physical, mental, and social well-being rather than merely the absence of disease or infirmity. This change in perspective fosters optimism for our recovery and reveals opportunities and possibilities.

It’s important to remember that we are not our social anxiety; we are individuals experiencing social anxiety. We do not identify as the injured limb when we break our leg. We view it as something that requires healing. The same principle applies to our recovery from social anxiety. Dissociation is not a sign of weakness; it is a tool we use to distance ourselves from our condition and take proactive steps toward healing.

Proactive Neuroplasticity YouTube Series

Social Anxiety Recovery Workshops By Dr. Robert F. Mullen

WHY IS YOUR SUPPORT SO NECESSARY AND ESSENTIAL?  ReChanneling develops and implements programs to (1) mitigate symptoms of social anxiety and related conditions and (2) pursue personal goals and objectives – harnessing our intrinsic aptitude for extraordinary living. Our paradigmatic approach targets the personality through empathy, collaboration, and program integration utilizing neuroscience and psychology, including proactive neuroplasticity, cognitive-behavioral modification, positive psychology, and techniques designed to regenerate self-esteem. No matter the size, every contribution supports someone striving to make a difference in their lives and those of others. All donations support scholarships for groups and workshops.  

INDIVIDUAL RECOVERY. The symptoms of social anxiety make it challenging for some to participate in a collective workshop. Dr. Mullen works one-on-one with a select group of individuals uneasy in a group setting. ReChanneling offers scholarships to accommodate the costs. What is missed in group activities is provided in our monthly, no-cost Graduate Recovery Group. In this supportive community, graduates interact with others who have completed the program.  Contact ‘rmullenphd@gmail.com’.

Committing to recovery is one of the hardest things you will ever do.
It takes enormous courage and the realization that you are of value,
consequential, and deserving of happiness.

Social Anxiety: Be Good to Yourself

Social Anxiety, Social anxiety disorder, , , , , , , ,

Recovery from Social Anxiety and Related Conditions

Robert F Mullen, PhD
Director/ReChanneling

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

Social Anxiety: Be Good to Yourself
Social Anxiety: Be Good to Yourself

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The distinction between social anxiety and social anxiety disorder is in severity. We are not all affected by the same symptoms or relentlessness. The characteristics and traits are equivalent. These conditions originate homogeneously, their trajectories differentiated by environment, experience, and the diversity of human thought and behavior. While comorbidities dramatically benefit, the recovery methods identified are for social anxiety and social anxiety disorder, and reference to one includes the other.    

Be Good to Yourself

Self-esteem is mindfulness of our assets as well as our defects. We are dichotomous beings of goodness and frailty — evidence of our humanness. Social anxiety sustains itself by undervaluing the positive components of our humanness — our character strengths, virtues, attributes, and achievements. These are the qualities that constitute our self-esteem.

Self-esteem defines how we think about ourselves, how we think others perceive us, and how we process and present that information. Healthy self-esteem confirms that we are of value, consequential, and desirable. It is the realization of our responsible commitment to others, society, and the world.

Goal and Objectives

The primary goal of recovery from low self-esteem and related emotional malfunctions is the mitigation of our irrational fears and anxieties. We execute these goals through a three-pronged approach.

  • Replace or overwhelm our negative thoughts and behaviors with healthy, productive ones.
  • Produce rapid, concentrated positive stimulation to offset the abundance of negative information in our brain’s metabolism.
  • Reclaim and rebuild our self-esteem and reintegrate into society through recognition and reinforcement of our character strengths, virtues, attributes, and achievements.

Each objective regenerates our self-esteem.

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“It is one of the best investments I have made in myself, and I will
continue to improve and benefit from it for the rest of my life.” – Nick P.

Regeneration

To regenerate means to renew or restore something damaged or underproduced. Because of the disruption in our optimal development due to factors that developed our social anxiety, many positive self-qualities that construct our self-esteem are latent or dormant – underdeveloped or suspended. 

These self-qualities (e.g., confidence, reliance, compassion, and other self-hyphenates) are not lost. Disruption interrupts productivity. It does not destroy it. Like stimulating the unexercised muscle in our arm or leg, we can regenerate our self-esteem.

The outcome of regenerating our self-esteem is the renewed mindfulness of our character strengths, virtues, attributes, and achievements.

The inherent byproduct of healthy self-esteem is self-appreciation. It is self-esteem paid forward. Consolidating our self-regard and realizing what we have to offer drives us to share our assets with others. 

Proactive Neuroplasticity

Proactive neuroplasticity is the most effective method of positive neural restructuring. We compel our brains to change their negative polarity to positive through the deliberate, repetitive neural input of information (DRNI). Our brain’s left hemisphere supports this activity – the analytical part responsible for rational thinking. 

While proactive neuroplasticity attends to the analytical, active neuroplasticity addresses the emotional, social, and spiritual. Proactive and active neuroplasticity complement each other. 

“Dr. Mullen is doing impressive work helping the world. He is the pioneer of proactive neuroplasticity utilizing DRNI – deliberate, repetitive, neural information.” – WeVoice (Madrid, Málaga)   

Active Neuroplasticity

Active neuroplasticity replaces our self-destructive thoughts and behaviors while regenerating our self-esteem. Creating healthy new mindsets, skills, and abilities also requires positive and repetitive neural input. Active neuroplasticity happens through intentional pursuits geared towards counteracting the years of adverse neural input. 

Beyond the synthetic and creative products of active neuroplasticity is our ethical and compassionate social behavior. 

Contributions to others and society are extraordinary assets to our recovery. The value of volunteering – providing support, empathy, and concern for those in need – is exceptional, not only in promoting positive behavioral change but also in our neural restructuring. The social interconnectedness established by caring augments the regeneration of our self-esteem and self-appreciation. 

We are Hopeful, Powerful, Desirable, and Worthwhile

In his extensive examination of anxiety and depression, Aaron Beck, the pioneer of cognitive-behavioral therapy, asserted that social anxiety generates feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and unworthiness. The concept of undesirability revealed itself in our SAD recovery workshops. Until we commit to recovery, we continue to be guided by these destructive self-beliefs. 

Notwithstanding, in recovery, we realize helplessness as a perspective. We are not helpless unless we choose to be. Multiple resources are available to anyone with the motivation and commitment to recover.

We are not hopeless. Once we recognize the irrationality of our fears, we see them for what they are: powerless abstractions.

We are not undesirable. SAD compels us to view ourselves inaccurately. It reinforces or justifies our negative self-appraisal. Any assumption of undesirability is self-centered and irrational.

We are not worthless but integral and consequential to all things. We are unique in every aspect. There is no one like us. We are the totality of our experiences, beliefs, perceptions, demands, and desires with unique DNA, fingerprints, and outer ears. There has never been a human being with our sensibilities, memories, motivations, and dreams.

Self-Appreciation  

Self-appreciation is recognizing and enjoying what makes you feel good about yourself. It is mindfulness of the qualities of your regenerated self-esteem.

You have been beating yourself for no apparent reason. You are not responsible for the onset of your social anxiety. And you did not make it happen. It happened to you. Notwithstanding, while not accountable for the hand you have been dealt, you are responsible for how you play the cards you’re holding. 

Give yourself credit for making life-affirming changes. Recognize and appreciate all the positive things you accomplish daily. You are in charge of your emotional well-being and quality of life. You are responsible for the regeneration of your self-esteem.

The rediscovery of your value and significance drives you to pay it forward. Self-esteem is the catalyst for self-appreciation. In reciprocation, self-appreciation consolidates self-esteem. You take care of yourself to take care of others. You embrace your worth and potential to champion them in others. 

Healthy self-esteem realizes your value and potential and recognizes that you are necessary and of incomprehensible worth. By accepting yourself, warts and all, you open yourself to sharing your authenticity. 

To feel joy and fulfillment in self-being is the experience of self-esteem. Self-esteem is a prerequisite to appreciating others. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot love another. It is impossible to give away something unpossessed. 

Value Yourself

For every positive attempt or interaction, congratulate yourself. You are in recovery, which demands courage, commitment, and hard work. You deserve to experience the pride and satisfaction that complements such efforts fully. Reward yourself.

Take Care of Yourself

Finally, one of the most efficient and underrated ways to cultivate self-esteem and self-appreciation is through self-care.

Make Healthy Choices. Follow good health guidelines. Try to exercise at least 30 minutes a day. Eat healthily and moderately. Sleep distraction-less.

Do things you enjoy. Start by making a list of things you like to do. Try to do something from that list every day. Be mindful that you are valuable, consequential, and unique. 

Spend time with people who make you happy. Don’t waste time on people who don’t treat you well. Set reasonable boundaries.

Use hopeful statements. Social anxiety compels us to project unsatisfactory outcomes. Challenge that thinking by focusing on the positive. Remember, it is unhealthy and irrational to choose adverse outcomes. Filter out negative projections.

Forgive yourself. Everyone makes mistakes. But mistakes aren’t permanent reflections on you as a person. They’re moments in time. Mistakes are evidence of our humanness.

Avoid negative words and statements. If your thoughts are full of these words, you put too many demands on yourself. Become mindful of and limit negative words from your vocabulary and perspectives.  

Focus on the positive. Think about the parts of your life that work well. Remember the skills you’ve used to cope with challenges. Be mindful of your character strengths, virtues, and achievements. 

Consider what you’ve learned. What changes can you make to a negative experience to create a more positive outcome?

Evaluate upsetting thoughts. Think of negative thoughts as signals to try new, healthy patterns. Ask yourself, “What can I think and do to make this less stressful?”

Encourage yourself. Give yourself credit for recovery — for making positive changes. Pat yourself on the back. Treat yourself. You are as deserving as anyone.

Remember, your social anxiety does not define you. You are defined by your character strengths, virtues, attributes, and achievements. 

Be good to yourself. You deserve it.

Proactive Neuroplasticity YouTube Series

Rechanneling.org

WHY IS YOUR SUPPORT SO NECESSARY AND ESSENTIAL?  ReChanneling develops and implements programs to (1) mitigate symptoms of social anxiety and related conditions and (2) pursue personal goals and objectives – harnessing our intrinsic aptitude for extraordinary living. Our paradigmatic approach targets the personality through empathy, collaboration, and program integration utilizing neuroscience and psychology, including proactive neuroplasticity, cognitive-behavioral modification, positive psychology, and techniques designed to regenerate self-esteem. All donations support scholarships for groups and workshops.   

INDIVIDUAL RECOVERY. The symptoms of social anxiety make it challenging for some to participate in a collective workshop. Dr. Mullen works one-on-one with a select group of individuals uneasy in a group setting. ReChanneling offers scholarships to accommodate the costs. What is absent in group activities is provided in our monthly, no-cost Graduate Recovery Group. In this supportive community, graduates interact with others who have completed the program.  Contact ‘rmullenphd@gmail.com’.        

Committing to recovery is one of the hardest things you will ever do.
It takes enormous courage and the realization that you are of value,
consequential, and deserving of happiness.