How to Be Sure Social Anxiety Doesn't Get to Run Your Life
As someone whose work focuses heavily on depression and anxiety therapy, I have a lot of opportunity to work with people struggling with social anxiety. Their struggles make it difficult to interact with friends and family in social situations. It keeps them at home. It makes doing many things outside of the home quite uncomfortable. But it doesn't have to. There are ways to address social anxiety so that it doesn't control your life.
As this post is being written, we are just a few days away from Christmas. After that will be New Year's Day and then on to Valentine's Day. It occurred to me that social engagement increases quite a bit from late November through mid-February. Perhaps this is the worst time of year for people who struggle with social anxiety.
A Basic Explanation
People experience feelings of anxiety for all sorts of reasons. Note that social anxiety isn't just shyness. Being socially anxious is not just being an introvert.
A telltale sign of social anxiety is the fear of being watched and criticized by others. The fear is such that people with social anxiety have trouble interacting in situations most other people have no problem with. A person may avoid dating, public speaking, or even going to job interviews – because the fear and pressure are just too much.
Social Anxiety Symptoms
If you feel like you might suffer with social anxiety but are not sure, recognizing the symptoms could help you zero-in on what's making you feel anxious. The most common symptoms of social anxiety include:
fear of social interaction
fear that other people will recognize your anxiety
feelings of anxiety just thinking about social interactions
avoiding environments where you may be too easily noticed.
Social anxiety is sometimes accompanied by physical symptoms as well. You might experience butterflies in your stomach, constant blushing, and nervous trembling. Your voice might be shaky when you speak.
6 Ways to Take Control
Whether you live in Miami or elsewhere, anxiety therapy is an appropriate way to address social anxiety. Along with anxiety therapy, there are things you can do to take control. You don't have to let social anxiety dictate how you live your life. Consider the following six suggestions:
Learn – Learn as much as possible about social anxiety and its physical and psychological symptoms. Knowledge is power.
Define – Next, make an attempt to figure out what triggers feelings of anxiety. Then define the circumstances under which those feelings might be triggered. The goal is to learn what you can and cannot control.
Organize – Some people with social anxiety find it immensely helpful to organize their thoughts and come up with comfortable discussion topics prior to a social event. Having one's thoughts organized ahead of time reduces some of the fear.
Step Away – It is okay to step away and take time for yourself when things get overwhelming. Do not live in isolation, but don't be afraid to step away when you need to either.
Say No – People with social anxiety tend to do better when they learn to say no. Setting boundaries and declining invitations to social activities is sometimes necessary.
Talk – Lastly, don't be afraid to talk about your social anxiety. Talk with your family members and friends about it; talk to a therapist about it.
Again, anxiety therapy is an appropriate way to begin addressing social anxiety. Combining therapy with the six suggestions in this post can go a long way toward helping you guarantee the social anxiety doesn't run your life.
