How do you deal with social anxiety?
Health: Getting nervous in certain social situations is common for everyone. But if you face nervousness and are afraid of everyday events and causal social interactions, then you might be suffering from a social anxiety disorder. People suffering from social anxiety disorder feel more self-conscious and suffer from low self-esteem being afraid of criticism or rejection from others.
Having social anxiety disorder may cause many problems in your life but, it is a completely achievable goal to deal with it. Here in this article, we are going to discuss some strategies and tips with which you can feel more comfortable and deal with social anxiety.
Control your breath
If you feel anxious in certain situations, your breath might get fast and shallow making you feel even more uncomfortable. So you can try out some breathing techniques to manage anxiety symptoms over time.
Pranayama is a yogic practice focusing on the breath that can help you to calm down and relax your whole body and mind. But one cannot see instantaneous results with this yogic practice. So find a comfortable position in your home and practice it every day to see excellent results in your lifestyle.
Prepare yourself for the situations
It is very likely for you to avoid some situations because they might make you anxious. But doing so can never improve your condition. So plan for social situations in advance to avoid nervousness and help you feel more confident.
For example, you have to take a seminar tomorrow at your workplace, and prepare well for the situation to avoid nervousness. Try some relaxation breathing techniques to help you calm down before you leave the house for the event.
Don’t focus on yourself
Try shifting your attention to what is happening around you instead of thinking and remaining what is present in your head. For example, if you are outside among people, try to listen to what is happening and do not focus too much on yourself. This way other people also can’t identify how anxious you are just by looking at you.
Talk to yourself
Writing down a journal is a great way to talk back to you and let go of the negative thoughts and anxiousness. Write down all the negative thoughts you have faced in a particular situation and write down all the positive thoughts that can challenge the negative ones and how you can overcome them. This way you can gradually change your thought process if you make it a practice.
Take small steps at a time
Start with the small changes in your daily life to see the result in managing your social anxiety situation. You don’t have to do big things like leading a meeting or striking up a conversation first. For example:
- If you are in a small gathering with close friends or loved ones try to socialize in your own space first to make you feel more comfortable.
- Raise your hand in a class to ask a question or to clarify a doubt.
- If you are at a grocery shop or a store, willingly start a small conversation with the cashier like asking them how their day was or complementing their outfit, etc.
Appointment with a therapist
Social anxiety sometimes goes beyond shyness or feeling of nervousness around new people and this can make you extremely uncomfortable creating low self-esteem. So it is best recommended to take some professional support to get rid of this mental health condition with ease.
Therapy provides you with a safe environment to walk gradually through anxiety-provoking situations under guidance. Your therapist might recommend you to group therapy or a support group which gives you a chance to expose yourself to social interactions thereby improving the condition.
A therapist can also refer a person to a psychiatrist for medication if the person is in extreme conditions as medication provides relief from the symptoms making it easier to work with the therapy.
Also Read: Anxiety Disorder: Symptoms, Types, Causes, prevention, and treatment!
