If you suffer from social anxiety, then you know just how easily it can take over your life. You may fear large groups of people, get nervous when you’re the center of attention, and dread small talk with coworkers.
Of course, you may also experience physical symptoms such as increased heart rate, nausea, lightheadedness, or trembling. When these symptoms occur constantly, it’s easy to feel hopeless and discouraged.
If social anxiety has taken over your life, you aren’t alone. And your suffering does not have to be permanent. Social anxiety may feel overpowering, but there are strategies to help you work against your fears and free yourself from its grip!
1. Focus on Others
If you have social anxiety, then you’re likely very focused on how you present yourself in any social situation. You’re worried about the things you’re saying, how you’re saying them, and how you look to other people.
The next time you’re in a social situation, try to do the exact opposite. Focus on the person you’re talking to. What are they saying? How are they saying it? By shifting your focus to them, you’re not only calming your fears and insecurities, but you’re also making yourself a much better conversation partner.
2. Practice Deep Breathing
Deep breathing is a great technique that helps with many different anxiety disorders. It’s especially great for alleviating physical symptoms, such as a racing heartbeat or lightheadedness.
How do you do it? Inhale deeply through your nose, hold for a few seconds, and then slowly exhale. Repeat as many times as you need.
Deep breathing helps deter physical symptoms, and it also helps clear your head of negative, racing thoughts. You can even find great videos online that guide you through different breathing techniques. Look around, find one that works well for you, and then use it when you feel anxious.
3. Tell People When You’re Feeling Anxious
Those with social anxiety tend to have a fear of embarrassing themselves in front of people. Because of this fear, you probably get extremely nervous around people. And the harder you try to calm your anxiety, the worse it seems.
You don’t have to share any personal details about your mental health if you don’t want to. However, instead of trying so hard to hide your anxiety, you may feel a sense of freedom by telling people about it.
Express your concerns to coworkers, friends, and family—you’ll likely find that people will be understanding. It’s incredibly reassuring to know that you have the support of others, and you’ll also feel much less anxious moving forward.
4. Challenge Your Negative Thoughts and Feelings
Anxiety makes us think of the worst-case scenario in most situations. When it comes to social anxiety, this manifests in a few different ways. You likely experience negative thoughts when it comes to making conversation, public speaking, or doing anything where people may see you. Social anxiety causes you to feel like you’ll inevitably fail or make a fool of yourself—and these thoughts can be crippling.
So, the next time you have one of these negative thoughts, actively try to challenge it. If you think you’re going to embarrass yourself in a conversation, simply ask yourself why. The next time you’re nervous about a presentation, really consider what’s the worst thing that could happen.
Once you rationalize these fears, you may find that they’re just that—fears. Sure, they’re still real and valid feelings, but these worries don’t have to come true. In fact, you may feel a sense of power when you challenge these negative thoughts.
5. Try Putting Yourself in More Social Situations
One of the best things you can do to treat anxiety is to face it head-on. While you may like to play it safe by staying home most of the time and avoiding social situations, really try to make the effort to put yourself out there.
You don’t have to push yourself too hard, and you don’t have to be the life of the party, either. Start with little changes: strike up a conversation with your coworker or agree to go to happy hour with friends. These little changes will help get you out there and, with each success, you’ll feel that much better about overcoming your fears.
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You won’t be able to overcome your social anxiety overnight. It will take time, but you don’t have to suffer forever. Consider implementing the aforementioned tips as you move forward in your journey, and consider seeking out a therapist to help you even more.
Remember that you aren’t alone, and your anxiety doesn’t have to be a permanent fixture in your life. Make some changes, seek out a therapist, and soon enough, you’ll have complete control over your social anxiety! If you would like to discuss treatment for anxiety or concerns about social anxiety, feel free to contact me.