It is not easy to live with social anxiety. Often, people who live with social anxiety are triggered by even the most casual social interactions. They are scared that they may be challenged with rejection or criticism, tremble, or feel dizzy if they meet new people.
Unfortunately, extreme social anxiety can also hamper your routine life and make it hard for you to perform simple activities, such as:
- Shopping for groceries
- Communicating with your co-worker
- Eating alone in public
- Going on dates with people
- Attending classes
In all honesty, managing anxiety is not easy. This is why many people prefer getting lost in the crowd to working towards it. However, since you are here looking for a solution, you must get a solution that helps and makes the process achievable.
So, here in this article, we will discuss some effective ways to manage social anxiety. Let us get started and address them one by one.
Know your triggers
‘First things first, you need to acknowledge the fact that you have social anxiety. Further, you should try to work out anything that possibly triggers social anxiety in you, and only then can you work towards overcoming it,’ comments Samantha, an associate with TrueBlueFishermen.
We agree with triggers. The knowledge of your triggers can certainly simplify your journey towards overcoming social anxiety. So, are you afraid of being alone in crowded places? Do you fear speaking on the stage? Does the unwanted attention coming your way bother you? Well, if you are experiencing any of these, then you can label them as your triggers.
Now, once you have established your triggers, you need to practice these situations so that the anxiety does not take better of you. See, the problem is anxiety cannot be rationalized. You cannot tell someone why you are feeling what you are feeling.
So, keep working on yourself, and you will overcome it one day.
Control your breathing
‘Anytime I experience social anxiety, it brings in changes in my body, and that suddenly makes me feel very uncomfortable. At times, my breathing gets pretty fast and shallow, and this only adds to my anxiety, leaving me feeling suffocated, dizzy, and tense,’ comments Brian, an online reviewer who did the best mens eyebrow trimmer review.
Well, for Brian and everyone else experiencing the same problem, we have the perfect solution to help you manage your anxiety and slow down your anxiety. Take the steps as listed below:
- Firstly, sit down, and get comfortable.
- Keep your back straight and chin high.
- Now, relax your shoulders
- Put one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.
Once you are in this position, breathe in slowly via your nose for four seconds straight. Ensure that the hand on the chest does not move much, but there is significant movement of the hand on the belly.
Next, hold your breath for about two seconds, and then slowly release it via your mouth for six seconds. You can repeat this activity till you finally feel relaxed and calm.
Try to be more social.
See, you know your fears; now, it is time to challenge it. One of the best ways to challenge it is by being proactive and heading in supportive social environments. This can enable you to challenge your fears and social anxiety. Some of the ways you can do so are listed below:
- Take an assertiveness training class or a social skill class – These classes are usually offered at community colleges or even your education centers. It does not hurt to enquire, so go ahead and ask about it.
- Try to improve your communication skills – To form a good relationship with anyone, you must have an emotionally intelligent and clear conversation with them. If it is hard for you to connect with people, inculcating basic emotional intelligence skills can be effective.
- Become a volunteer – Is there something that you love doing? Look for a place to volunteer and get doing it. It will help you spend more time around congenial people and make it easier for you to strike a conversation.
‘When I was experiencing social anxiety, I decided to volunteer to do something I enjoy, and, that is, walking dogs in the shelter. Being around furry beings certainly made it easier for me to walk alone on the streets,’ shares Mia, an online reviewer who did the best flushing toilets review.
Challenge your anxious and negative thoughts
There will be days when you will want to give up and be lost in the crowd. It may lead you into feeling that there is absolutely nothing that you can do about how you feel and think. However, you know what? This is far from the truth. There are so many things that you can do to change and challenge how you feel.
When you challenge your negative thoughts and mentality, it helps lower your symptoms and social anxiety. So, firstly acknowledge your anxious thoughts, which hover in your head when you are in a social setup. Now, try to understand these thoughts and challenge them.
Further, questions yourself – why do you think the way you think? Is it happening for real, or are you just overthinking the situation? Challenging how you feel is a long journey and will not occur over time. But, remember, once you decide to overcome it, nothing is impossible.
Speak to a therapist
Lastly, if you feel that you have tried everything in you might, and social anxiety still takes the better of you, you should consider seeking help.
As someone with social anxiety, it was hard for me to speak to a therapist in a one-on-one session and get help. So, I decided to have my first couple of sessions over the phone. This helped me open up with my therapist. Following this, we had the subsequent four sessions on a video call, and my last three sessions with my therapist were in person. This whole transition from phone calls to in-person was a winning moment for me. The therapist not just helps me become comfortable in a social setting, but also helped me channel my thoughts, so I am calmer and less anxious in life,’ shares Daisy, an associate with TangoLearn.
So, these are five effective ways to help you deal with social anxiety. Know of more such tips? Do let us know in the comment box below.
