Living with social anxiety disorder can cause you to tremble, faint, and fear judgment or rejection in even the most casual social situations.
Severe social anxiety can interfere with your daily life by making it difficult to engage in everyday activities.
Managing social anxiety is rarely as straightforward as throwing oneself into a crowd, but it is still an utterly attainable aim. Looking for strategies to feel more at ease in social settings and engage with others? These nine techniques provide a starting point.
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
Consult a therapist
Contrary to popular belief, social anxiety extends beyond shyness or feeling unpleasant and apprehensive around new people. Social anxiety is a mental health disorder that cannot always be treated on one’s own.
You can manage your anxiety and discomfort independently, but seeking expert assistance is always a brilliant place to start.
A qualified mental health practitioner can do the following:
- provide additional information on the distinction between social anxiety and shyness
- assist you in identifying social anxiety causes
- instruct on effective coping tactics, social skills, and relaxation techniques
- assist in confronting, replacing, or reframing unfavorable attitudes
Therapy also provides a secure setting to practice managing anxiety-provoking situations, which is one potential therapy for social anxiety.
Your therapist may suggest group therapy or support groups, allowing you to practice social skills and contact others dealing with social anxiety.
A therapist might also send you to a psychiatrist, who can prescribe social anxiety medication like SSRIs, Benzodiazepines, or even full spectrum CBD. CBD has been proven to help patients suffering from other types of anxiety, such as social anxiety disorder (SAD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Medication can alleviate extreme symptoms, making it simpler to begin working through them in treatment.
Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash
Identify specific scenarios that trigger anxiety.
Social anxiety does not manifest itself in the same manner for everyone.
You may feel uncomfortable in any circumstance when you are concerned that people will judge you, such as ordering meals at a restaurant or leaving for the toilet during a class presentation. On the other hand, merely being among others may make you feel generally good – as long as they don’t demand you to express your opinions or speak out.
Identifying why and when you are most anxious will help you take the initial steps toward overcoming those feelings.
Tip: Begin by naming the scenarios that bring you the most significant distress, the ones that you are entirely unable to face. These might include:
- applying for a new job
- meeting with a professor to seek assistance
- talking to someone you like
Photo by Darius Bashar on Unsplash
Resist Negative Thoughts
You probably spend a lot of time worrying about the harmful repercussions of the social settings you just mentioned.
You could be concerned about:
- unintentionally saying something harsh or disrespectful.
- addressing someone incorrectly
- stumbling over something or spilling stuff on oneself
- sneezing, coughing, or laughing at the wrong time
- being ill in front of others
These things can happen occasionally, and they can cause some short-term discomfort. It’s mortifying to see yourself in a similar embarrassing scenario, but try to put things in perspective.
When you feel overwhelmed by worrisome ideas, consider confronting them and replacing them with more beneficial ones using a method known as realistic thinking. You may experiment with this by asking yourself some simple questions about the circumstance that concerns you and delivering honest, balanced replies.
Understanding the spotlight effect — the propensity to believe that people notice your faults more than they do — can also help alleviate social anxiety feelings.
You may assume everyone is gazing at you after an unpleasant gaffe, but most people probably didn’t notice. Those who did will likely forget what occurred shortly.
Attempt relaxation practices.
Social anxiety, like general anxiety, can cause overwhelming and unpleasant bodily symptoms, such as:
- sweating
- a racing heart
- breathing difficulties
- lightheadedness
- a stomachache
Relaxation techniques can assist in reducing these bodily reactions, making it easier to deal with anxiety, fear, and other emotional symptoms.
Take baby steps.
It’s acceptable to start small when dealing with social anxiety. You are not required to volunteer to conduct a meeting or engage in conversation with everyone you encounter.
Here are a few suggestions:
- Skip the self-checkout and push yourself to make a small chat with the cashier.
- Compliment the clothing of a student or coworker.
- Organize a small event for close friends and family – mingling in your environment might make you feel more at ease.
- Ask or answer questions in class.
Photo by Joice Kelly on Unsplash
Engage in acts of kindness.
The connection between compassion and social anxiety may not be evident at first, but it makes sense when you think about it.
Social anxiety is commonly associated with a fear of rejection or criticism. However, suppose you’ve just done something thoughtful and kind, such as delivering a sick coworker their favorite soup or volunteering to pick up your neighbor’s grocery order. The person you aid is significantly more likely to have good thoughts toward you than negative ones.
Earning this acceptance regularly might help reduce your anxiety in social situations, so communicating with people may become more accessible.
Conclusion
Feeling self-conscious in the presence of other people and dreading their rejection might make it challenging to connect with possible acquaintances or love partners.
