“I'm different from everyone else, I'm weird. Sometimes I feel like a loser and an idiot. I'm scared of "what if they ask something" in social situations, "what if I don't give the appropriate answer or say something stupid", "what if I freeze up". Immediately afterwards, my hands are shaking, my face is red, and my heart is pounding like it's going to explode. Other people probably think I'm a loser. Why would they accept a loser? I feel sad and always stay away. It's really uncomfortable to feel like this... If I stay away from social environments and don't communicate, I can get rid of these uncomfortable feelings and postpone the anxiety I experience. But then what if they think I'm boring and inadequate?...”
If we were to describe the person with social phobia with the words coming from his own language, it wouldn't be wrong to use the sentences above.
Social phobia; It is an anxiety disorder in which a person fears one or more social situations and exhibits avoidance behavior towards these situations. Situations such as meeting a new person, disagreeing with someone's opinion, talking to a senior person at work, talking to the opposite sex, eating in front of others, asking for help from others can be triggers that make individuals with social phobia feel more anxious. When faced with situations, the person constantly worries that his performance will be negatively evaluated by others because he acts with automatic negative thoughts such as "I will be disgraced", "I will be humiliated", "I cannot handle this situation". As a result of this negative evaluation, instead of being humiliated and humiliated, over time, it reinforces this behavior by escaping and avoiding.
So, what could be the factors that cause individuals with social phobia to think, feel, behave and avoid these situations?
/> When we look at the literature; Although there are studies showing that social phobia may be caused by reasons such as genetic factors, past experiences, negative thinking and lack of social skills; Many people with social phobia still vividly recall memories of being humiliated or humiliated in the past, and these memories make them feel uncomfortable. They describe that they are afraid that similar situations will happen again.
From this point of view, it becomes more meaningful how negative memories (psychological traumas) experienced in the past and incorrect negative beliefs learned from these memories disrupt social functionality. It is precisely at this point that the opinion that Social Phobia is very suitable and meaningful to be studied with the "EMDR Therapy Method" draws attention.
EMDR is a psychotherapy method in which the negativities related to the emotional, physical and negative beliefs of the person caused by negative experiences are eliminated. . EMDR treatment desensitizes these negative experiences in the past and enables the person to become more functional now and in the future.
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