Life can be difficult for those who aren't confident in social situations. Not only does being shy make it difficult to make friends and form romantic relationships, but it can also hinder your professional ambitions.

It used to be that overcoming your self-conscious tendencies took hard work, determination, and lots of practice -- but a new nasal spray from researchers at the University of Zurich might change all that. Apparently self-confidence is as easy as a squirt up the nose.

The spray is based on a hormone called oxytocin, which is a neurotransmitter in the brain involved with social recognition and bonding. When researchers gave a synthetic version of the hormone to 70 adults in a recent study, they saw "dramatic" results -- as all participants reportedly ceased to feel anxious, and engaged more readily with others.

Because the initial study group was so small, the drug will need to be tested on a larger number of people before it's ready for the market. But, if all goes well, you could be using quick-fix self-confidence booster within the next 5 years.

[via Gizmodo]