Are you anxious about job interviews? Macquarie can help.
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| Professor Ron Rapee |
Does the thought of going for a job interview or speaking in public make you excessively anxious? You're not alone - about five per cent of Australians suffer from social anxiety.
What is social anxiety?
People who are socially anxious feel uncomfortable in any situation where they might be the focus of attention. They worry that they will act in an embarrassing or humiliating way, with the underlying fear that other people will think badly of them.
"Typical anxiety symptoms include sweating, shaking, trembling and blushing," explains Professor Ron Rapee head of the Macquarie University Anxiety Research Unit. "Internal symptoms include a racing heart, nausea and confusion."
Blushing and social anxiety
Blushing tends to be linked with social anxiety. It is a common phenomenon which is noticeable in some people more than others. For some people blushing is a primary fear which in turn makes them anxious. For others, social anxiety makes them blush which in turn makes them more anxious and then they blush more.
"We don't really know why people blush but it probably has something to do with physical factors such as skin colour or pattern of blood flow. Then if people become self-conscious about it, it becomes much worse," says Rapee. "A large part of the problem is the view that others are observing me and judging me."
Blushing is difficult to control but people can learn to control it in the long term according to Rapee: "As long as they are desperately trying to control it, it means they are worried about it and in turn it is going to cause blushing. They need to get to a point ideally where they don't care if they control it and then they will find it is under control."
"We also teach people to learn to focus their attention on what they are doing," says Rapee. "If you start to blush, and put all your attention on your blushing, that's when it gets worse. If you put the focus back on what you're talking about and let those anxious feelings go, then the blushing often disappears."
The Macquarie University Anxiety Research Unit
Social anxiety can be treated, with sufferers often experiencing a significant improvement within a relatively short period of time. Unfortunately, only a small number of sufferers seek help.
The Macquarie University Anxiety Research Unit (MUARU), established in 1993, offers state of the art assessment and treatment of child and adult anxiety disorders based on internationally recognised research.
"We offer a number of programs available to help control social anxiety and provide added confidence," says Rapee. "We treat people with social anxiety very logically. We get them to learn strategies for thinking differently. We then offer a very structured program. We get participants to practice talking to their boss and offer different opinions to people. Gradually they work their way up the ladder."
The MUARU is open five days a week, with programs for adults held primarily in the evenings.
For further information visit the MUARU website: www.psy.mq.edu.au/MUARU/ or email Professor Ron Rapee: ron.rapee@psy.mq.edu.au