In this hurry burry world of today, there are a large number of people who go unnoticed because they are unnaturally quiet, and therefore escape notice. They are the shy, introverted, people, who possibly suffer from what is known as low self esteem neurosis.
This is a psychological disorder, and is generally not noticed till quite a stage arrives when physical symptoms of the disease such as recurrent headaches, upset stomach, weakness or disturbed state of mind manifests itself.
These people can be brought into the mainstream of life, and while, a lot of their personality disorder, as it is known, can be rectified, it is mostly upto the person concerned to help themselves. Using medication for this does not have any role, but quiet, unobtrusive guidance to a more positive outlook on their personality may help relieve their stress that they are under.
These people generally require TLC – Tender Loving Care, and DLC – Devoted Loving Care. They may come from varied backgrounds, poor to middle to rich backgrounds. Generally causes can be a dominating mother or father or both, or sibling rivalry, where the affected person feels neglected, or is overawed or afraid even of voicing their concern. They tend to hide their emotions, and cloak their fear with a distant, detached attitude towards other persons, because they expect (unknowingly) that person to resemble their own background community. Often in some cases, this can turn into a neurotic disease which would require medication, and counselling, because they would withdraw into a shell, afraid to come out.
Generally this is a loss to society, because such persons typically have an highly intelligent mind, adapt to changing circumstances, but are unable to attain their potential because of this self esteem blocking factor.
One way of getting an insight into their character can be hypnosis, but this has to be done in a very careful, unaware manner to the patient, because the introvert character has a great mental strength to resist any personal enquiry into their minds! Yet, an expert can probe and get the facts right, and then provided the person is willing a treatment can be applied.
Generally, these persons need to develop social skills, which they neglect, except of course the obvious ones, and then fall silent, and tend to keep to themselves. They project themselves as distant to those who do not know their character, and thus the vicious cycle of meeting-avoiding-meeting-avoiding begins, which adds to the already existing factor of low self esteem.
These people need mentors who can build a sympathetic bridge with them, and then slowly bring them out of their shells, and then they can blossom into their real personalities which can be and extremely opposite to what they had been. This is a difficult task, but well worth it on the part of the family, and the surrounding community in which they live, for they are great supporters of those who are not well, ever ready to silently volunteer their services in helping others.
As for hypnosis, and self talk is concerned, the first is a good possibility. The second is not because of the inbuilt barrier, and if that barrier has been overcome, the first would not be necessary! In use hypnosis too, the inward feelings can be drawn out, and the person made aware of how they can change. But this too again is subject to the respondent’s willingness to change. It is certainly worth a try, because these people do want to change, but don’t know how. That’s why mentoring is important.
Self talk and self hypnosis is only helpful to those who recognize their symptoms, and they don’t need the care required by those who unconsciously do not desire change.