Social Anxiety, the Tribe, and Your Primitive Brain

Have you ever found yourself overthinking a conversation long after it ended?
Maybe you've avoided speaking up, not because you didn’t have anything to say, but because the fear of being judged or embarrassed felt too much.

You might find yourself scanning the room for how people are reacting to you.
Worrying that someone took something the wrong way.
Replaying what you said.
Feeling on edge before a social event, or needing a day to recover after one.

That constant sense of pressure, of being watched or judged, isn't weakness.
It’s a survival strategy.
One that runs deep in the brain.

Because even if your life looks very different to your ancestors…
Your brain hasn’t caught up yet.

The Tribe and the Primitive Brain

Thousands of years ago, we depended on our tribe for survival.
If we were rejected or cast out, it wasn’t just emotional discomfort - it was life-threatening. Our primitive brain learned to keep us safe by making sure we belonged.

That same part of the brain is still active today.
So when you worry about being judged, embarrassed, or rejected, it’s not because you’re overreacting.
It’s your brain doing what it was wired to do, protect you.

The problem?
It can’t always tell the difference between a life-or-death threat and a slightly awkward conversation.
So the body reacts with the same intensity either way.

What Social Anxiety Can Look Like

Avoiding phone calls or social events
Worrying for hours (or days) before and after conversations
Overanalysing your tone, words, or facial expressions
Assuming people are thinking the worst of you
Feeling physically unwell or frozen in social situations

None of this means you’re weak.
It means your nervous system has learned to associate social interaction with danger.
It means your primitive brain is trying to help - but using outdated strategies.

The Fight, Flight, Freeze Response

When we feel unsafe, our brain kicks in the stress response, heart racing, stomach flipping, hands sweating.
You might feel like you want to run, lash out, or disappear.
This isn’t “just anxiety.” It’s your system responding to what it believes is a threat.

That’s why logic alone doesn’t always help.
Because your logical brain might say, “I’m being silly.”
But your survival brain says, “This is dangerous.”

And when that part takes over, it can be hard to think clearly or respond calmly.

You Can Rewire the Pattern

The good news is: your brain is changeable.
That same neuroplasticity that allowed the fear to develop… also allows for confidence, calm, and safety to take its place.

With Solution Focused Hypnotherapy, we gently calm the stress response and shift your focus toward what’s working, what you want more of, and how you want to feel.
The hypnotic state helps quieten the primitive brain and strengthen the rational part, creating new neural pathways for social ease.

You don’t need to relive the past to change the future.
You just need to work with the brain, not against it.

What Change Might Look Like

Feeling less tense in social situations
Speaking up without second-guessing yourself
Recovering more quickly after conversations
Feeling less physically anxious in your body
Trusting your responses and connecting more authentically

These might seem like small shifts - but they add up.
Over time, they can lead to something big: the freedom to be yourself, without fear of judgement.

You’re Not Broken - You’re Wired for Survival

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed in social situations, it doesn’t mean you’re flawed.
It means your brain has been doing what it thinks will keep you safe.
You can thank it, and then gently teach it a new way.

Because connection is still vital.
But it doesn’t have to feel like a threat.

If you’re ready to feel more confident, calm, and at ease in your own skin, I’d love to help.

Trancespire offers Solution Focused Hypnotherapy online and in person, based near Brecon in beautiful Wales.

📍 Based in Llangorse, near Brecon, Hay-On-Wye, and Crickhowell, Wales - also available online UK-wide.
👉 Book a free consultation
👉 Learn more about how hypnotherapy can support you