Social anxiety can take you in its grip on the poker table. Offline poker trends in India suggest that players occasionally succumb to this and fail to unlock their full potential. The psychological fear of social situations, as you may fall prey to in physical poker rooms in Goa while interacting with fellow players can malign your reputation and present your vulnerabilities to rivals. With a little conscious effort on your part, you can surmount this pervasive disorder on the offline poker table.Poker table offers sterling opportunity to get over your chronic problem. Read on to learn how.
Stop thinking about dire consequences
Losing games is every player’s nightmare. But, far more losses compared to wins would cross your way if you keep thinking about the worst that can happen to you in the poker room. Work hard to supersede your pessimism with unflagging optimism. Develop an appreciation for the luck factor and have unshakeable faith in your skills. Even if a loss stigmatizes you, take it as a stepping stone for future wins. Collect your feelings and imagine about the fears that seem deadliest to you. Next, try to visualize the genesis of such feelings. You will find that stings of wounded pride, shame and embarrassment are parasitic thoughts that arise from your own stomach. Rein them in with the resolve of gaining a decisive edge on rival on the table.
Metamorphose your feelings and belief patterns
Social anxiety in you stems from the thought of being dumped after losing to your opponent. Even before the game has started, you have resigned yourself to fate. To counter such compulsive disorder, you need to stop reacting to thoughts of being doomed. Your own feelings are your greatest friends and foes. Think positively. Turn a harmful feeling into your favour by steeling your resolve. Believe in the fact that nothing on the poker table can affect you adversely and you would stoically make your way to a win. Create a negative emotion and your day is ruined.
Prepare a list of objectives and work on them
Don’t’ crave for instant gratification of your desires. Take a piece of paper and scribble down the entire array if scenarios that can heighten your social anxiety. The feeling that intimidates you the most should feature first followed by others. Make your own strategy to overcome them. Keep in mind that the game of poker demands commitment and yields results in the long run. Short-term victories are no occasions to celebrate. You have your full life to work on the game and emerge victoriously. From your list of priorities, take one feeling and challenge the same in the next session of poker. Persist and persevere till you are comfortable and the bad feeling does not niggle you anymore.
Stop focussing on yourself
As soon as you step into one of the many poker rooms in India, a sense of self-consciousness may take you in its grip. A glance of your mighty opponents may cause variegated emotions to run through you. You may feel scared, ashamed, stupid and conscious of your appearance all at the same time. Your social anxiety is stimulated due to awkward emotions you create in your being. Reflect on the origin of such negativities and you will find that the emotions appear as a string i.e. as one fades, another assumes strength. Ask yourself questions whether these base thoughts deserve your attention. Work on improving your self-esteem.
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)
You can release anxiety from your energy system using this finger operated psychological acupressure technique. The method requires fingertip tapping for inputting kinetic energy onto particular energy meridians on chest and head while mulling over your specific social anxiety problem. You have to simultaneously voice positive assentation.
The aforesaid five techniques would help you get over your social anxiety in physical Poker rooms in Goa and Bangalore and elsewhere. Enjoy your game.