How to Overcome Social Anxiety For a Better Life

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Social anxiety is fear, and sometimes avoidance of social situations. People with social anxiety are uncomfortable meeting other people. It is a debilitating condition that stops people from being able to interact in a normal way and can affect a person’s quality of life.

Some people believe that social anxiety is brought on by negative childhood experiences. Situations like childhood bullying, rejection, and isolation can be triggers for social anxiety in later life.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 1 in 13 people around the world suffers from social anxiety.

It is important to get help for anxiety because if untreated it can lead to depression. Almost half of those with anxiety also have depression, and this is likely to be because of the toll that it takes.

There are ways to manage anxiety so that you can enjoy the social life that you deserve.

Start Saying Yes

This sounds contradictory because somebody with social anxiety finds it hard to say yes to social events, but over time putting yourself out there can increase your confidence.

If you are getting invited to go out it’s because other people enjoy your company and want to spend time with you. Often it is the thought of being around people that is scary, but once you’re out there you’re likely to feel more relaxed.

If you find it hard to dive straight in then start with one social event a month. Do something that you think you will enjoy and don’t put pressure on yourself to stay out for too long. If you feel comfortable you can increase socialising to more than one day a month.

It may take a lot of effort to get out there, but each time that you do it will help you to face your fears.

Challenge Thought Patterns

Social anxiety is a result of past trauma. The trauma that you may have faced affects the way that you think. You may start to think that everyone is the same and that you are being judged, rather than getting to know people.

One of the ways to try and overcome thoughts that can bring on anxiety is to recognise when these thoughts come up and challenge them. This will involve staying conscious of your thoughts. When these thoughts come up try to recognise that they are thoughts caused by fear and try to turn them into positive thoughts. An example of this is getting a negative thought that makes you feel as though you will be rejected and turning this into a positive by thinking that you have opinions that people will want to hear.

Use positive affirmations. There are two ways that you can use these affirmations. Firstly you can say them ahead of an event to stop you from panicking about attending. You can also use affirmations when you are at an event and you can feel yourself getting nervous. It is believed that over time positive affirmations can improve your mindset.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

CBT is a therapy that is done with the help of a professional. It is aimed at breaking down negative behaviours and thought patterns. By doing CBT you can improve your confidence and emotions.

During CBT you discuss your feelings in a safe environment. CBT is very common for a range of mental health challenges and has proven to be effective. Negative thoughts that start in childhood can be hard to change and that is why getting this type of professional help is beneficial because it gets to the root cause of the problem.

Reduce Alcohol Intake

You may enjoy a drink after a hard day, but alcohol can make anxiety worse. Personally, when I drink alcohol I notice that I feel anxiety for no reason the next day.

Many people think that alcohol is a good way to calm their nerves before an event, but over a long period of time alcohol can have a negative impact on how you feel. Alcohol affects the serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is a hormone that controls your mood. By drinking alcohol it can reduce serotonin levels and cause feelings of anxiety.

If you still want the occasional drink then consider still drinking but reducing your intake. There is a danger that people with anxiety can self-medicate and try to use alcohol to fix their problems.

With the right steps, you can effectively reduce your anxiety levels. The steps that I have mentioned are just some of the steps that you can take. Although things won’t change overnigh,t doing these steps will change your thinking over a period of time.

If you are in a situation where you suffer from social anxiety, remember that things can be changed.

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