Official Review: Shyness and Social Anxiety: How to Rewir...
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prarich
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Official Review: Shyness and Social Anxiety: How to Rewir...
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Shyness and Social Anxiety: How to Rewire Your Brain For Social Confidence and Success" by Alvira Torres.]
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I give this book 3 out of 4 stars. This book is intended to guide the readers in taking the mind-body-spirit approach to developing self-confidence. It first introduces readers to various terms associated with shyness and social anxiety. This equips the reader to understand the subtle but marked difference between similar sounding words such as asocial and anti-social. This short 5 chapter book then goes on to explain how to re-wire one’s brain to overcome social anxiety considering internal and external factors, maintain a balance and manage relationships successfully, despite being shy or socially anxious.
The first chapter explains the reader about the neuroplasticity of the brain. It talks of the brain’s ability to “re-shape, evolve and develop” through new experiences and external influences. The reader needs to infer that the brain can be modified or developed through certain positive actions of the body, be it through fitness, diet or new learning. This way the strengths and threshold limits of the brain can be developed even for a socially anxious person. The idea is further explained in the 2nd chapter where the author elaborates on the various ways through which internal balance for the brain can be achieved through various re-wiring steps. She talks of following a good healthy diet that makes the person more positive and receptive to learning new experiences. She also recommends meditation, hypnosis, or neuro-linguistic programming which relaxes the brain and makes it stronger, leading to good mood, control, energy and overall awareness. She advises people to read and be open to learning new perspectives in life. These steps, she believes would strengthen the internal balance in a person.
The book then gradually moves on to talking about the external factors that may affect the brain. The author emphasizes on the need for positive social interaction rather than on interaction with things or modes of passive entertainment. She says that a person’s personality gets a lot affected by the personalities of the people who surround him, and is in fact a sum total of about 5 personalities. Factors such as attitudes, value systems, motivations, communications, personal styles, are some of such things that get affected by others too. She suggests avoiding stressful situations that adversely affect a person’s mental state.
In the 4th chapter she talks of persistence, discipline and self-motivation, which are essential factors for keeping a positive mental state. She highlights a hyper-link to motivational boosters. In the last part of the book, which I liked the most, the author explains the role of social relationships and how one could use them to emerging out of the state of social anxiety. She encourages the reader to think and act outside one’s own self and reach out to others, through sharing, talking and asking. She suggests developing a genuine interest in others’ activities and talking about them rather than focusing on self only. The focus needs to presenting one’s own views to the world,rather than worrying about what will be considered acceptable or logical by others. Being unique is the essence and creating positive emotional energy with one’s actions should be the sole objective of interacting with others. This is the strongest point that she makes in the book. With these brief and quick inputs the book concludes.
While the book is written clearly, logically and precisely, moving quickly from one point to the next, there were a few things which I found ambiguous in the content. The first and foremost being the difference between a shy and a socially anxious person. While I understand both are connected very closely, I am not sure if they can be used interchangeably as it has been done in this book. I have personally known several shy people including myself, and I would love to read books that help me overcome my shyness. However, I am not a socially anxious person and the same goes for many of the other shy people I know. Such people may not be out and out extroverts in group situations, but they are able to make their mark, despite being shy. Hence this book may become a misnomer in such a case. This book will be helpful to people who have a psychological situation arising out of shyness and it would have been good for the author to make a clear demarcation between just being shy and being socially anxious.
Also, while the points made are useful and relevant, they are quite brief and would just give food for thought for the readers. They may need to further research on the points mentioned here, and find more information. Hence the book provides a quick guideline for developing a socially anxious person, but it cannot be one of the major recommendations. Perhaps the first four chapters could have been as elaborate as the 5th chapter, to make a useful read.
***
Buy "Shyness and Social Anxiety: How to Rewire Your Brain For Social Confidence and Success" on Amazon
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The first chapter explains the reader about the neuroplasticity of the brain. It talks of the brain’s ability to “re-shape, evolve and develop” through new experiences and external influences. The reader needs to infer that the brain can be modified or developed through certain positive actions of the body, be it through fitness, diet or new learning. This way the strengths and threshold limits of the brain can be developed even for a socially anxious person. The idea is further explained in the 2nd chapter where the author elaborates on the various ways through which internal balance for the brain can be achieved through various re-wiring steps. She talks of following a good healthy diet that makes the person more positive and receptive to learning new experiences. She also recommends meditation, hypnosis, or neuro-linguistic programming which relaxes the brain and makes it stronger, leading to good mood, control, energy and overall awareness. She advises people to read and be open to learning new perspectives in life. These steps, she believes would strengthen the internal balance in a person.
The book then gradually moves on to talking about the external factors that may affect the brain. The author emphasizes on the need for positive social interaction rather than on interaction with things or modes of passive entertainment. She says that a person’s personality gets a lot affected by the personalities of the people who surround him, and is in fact a sum total of about 5 personalities. Factors such as attitudes, value systems, motivations, communications, personal styles, are some of such things that get affected by others too. She suggests avoiding stressful situations that adversely affect a person’s mental state.
In the 4th chapter she talks of persistence, discipline and self-motivation, which are essential factors for keeping a positive mental state. She highlights a hyper-link to motivational boosters. In the last part of the book, which I liked the most, the author explains the role of social relationships and how one could use them to emerging out of the state of social anxiety. She encourages the reader to think and act outside one’s own self and reach out to others, through sharing, talking and asking. She suggests developing a genuine interest in others’ activities and talking about them rather than focusing on self only. The focus needs to presenting one’s own views to the world,rather than worrying about what will be considered acceptable or logical by others. Being unique is the essence and creating positive emotional energy with one’s actions should be the sole objective of interacting with others. This is the strongest point that she makes in the book. With these brief and quick inputs the book concludes.
While the book is written clearly, logically and precisely, moving quickly from one point to the next, there were a few things which I found ambiguous in the content. The first and foremost being the difference between a shy and a socially anxious person. While I understand both are connected very closely, I am not sure if they can be used interchangeably as it has been done in this book. I have personally known several shy people including myself, and I would love to read books that help me overcome my shyness. However, I am not a socially anxious person and the same goes for many of the other shy people I know. Such people may not be out and out extroverts in group situations, but they are able to make their mark, despite being shy. Hence this book may become a misnomer in such a case. This book will be helpful to people who have a psychological situation arising out of shyness and it would have been good for the author to make a clear demarcation between just being shy and being socially anxious.
Also, while the points made are useful and relevant, they are quite brief and would just give food for thought for the readers. They may need to further research on the points mentioned here, and find more information. Hence the book provides a quick guideline for developing a socially anxious person, but it cannot be one of the major recommendations. Perhaps the first four chapters could have been as elaborate as the 5th chapter, to make a useful read.
***
Buy "Shyness and Social Anxiety: How to Rewire Your Brain For Social Confidence and Success" on Amazon
Latest Review: "The Angel with Burnt Wings" by Scarlett Jensen
