Young John: How my mum helped me overcome shyness

Young John, the music producer turned artiste, says his mother helped him overcome his social anxiety.

The music star, in a chat with TV host Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, spoke about mental health and being shy as a kid.

Young John said his mum, who he said is a psychologist, often subjected him to therapy after seeing her clients.

“I always used to be really shy. Being young, I thought it was a normal thing. But my mum is a proper psychologist. I used to see her counseling people. I think she knew early that it was more than shyness,” the singer said.

“She would often talk to me about how to relate with people and all that. Along the line, I was getting better but it started getting worst. At some point, I couldn’t attend gatherings and would rather pass through the back door.

“There were so many people and I found it hard. It made me deprive myself of a lot of things. I didn’t want to be in certain places and didn’t have the courage to do certain things. I had to force myself to snap out of it.

“My mum helped me a lot to overcome anxiety. I called her and she would give me psychology questionnaires. I had big dreams and, if I kept going that way, it would be hard achieving them.

“We’re in a kind of society where it’s hard to talk about these things, even to your guys. We just don’t want to come across as weak. So most times, people keep things to themselves and it messes with their heads.”

Young John, in March, rebranded as an artiste and signed a deal with the record label Chocolate City.