7 WAYS TO MANAGE SOCIAL ANXIETY
HAVING ANXIETY ISN’T ABNORMAL, and it’s good to not be alarmist whenever you feel a flood of it coming on. Most of the time, a stray anxiety wave, or even an attack, doesn’t necessarily mean anxiety is a problem in your life. There is a vast DIFFERENCE between having anxiety from time to time and actually having an anxiety disorder. There are also a variety of ANXIETY DISORDERS that can plague a person. What triggers the anxiety differs on the disorder – in this case, we’re speaking directly about social anxiety.
Social anxiety isn’t the same as not wanting to hang out with friends one night, either. It’s a REAL ANXIETY DISORDER that can make someone unable to interact with others because of crippling anxiety that keeps them from engaging. If you have an anxiety disorder that affects how you interact with others, MANAGING THIS CONDITION IS VERY IMPORTANT, as it can be both socially and mentally debilitating. Here are seven ways you can start managing your social anxiety.
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GET HELP FROM LITERATURE Sometimes it’s unrealistic to expect someone to pay for professional medical treatment, though it’s ALWAYS RECOMMENDED TO USE THIS AS YOUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE against any psychological or mental management issue. However, it is possible to learn how to cope through methods you learn from a valid source. One such source can be self-help literature. Before you purchase anything, however, always vet your sources. It’s not good enough to buy any self-help book, but instead buy one WRITTEN BE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS who know what they’re talking about.
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START SEEING A THERAPIST As stated above, seeing a therapist or other healthcare professional about any disorder should be what you do first. These PROFESSIONALS KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THESE ISSUES and can give you the best information to help you work through them. One perk therapists have over self-help books is that your therapist actually knows you. THEY CAN BETTER TAILOR YOUR THERAPY TO SUIT YOUR SPECIFIC SITUATION AND NEEDS. Not everyone’s anxiety disorders come from the same place and have the same triggers, thus the care of these disorders should be highly specialized. Some coping mechanisms work for everyone, but actually helping to professionally manage your anxiety can be what helps you more than anything.
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DEEP BREATHING This may seem silly, but sometimes BREATHING PROPERLY CAN BE WHAT KEEPS YOU FROM HAVING AN ANXIETY ATTACK. Deep breathing exercises that put emphasis on focus and patterns can keep your mind occupied outside of the anxiety instead of forcing you to focus on it, furthering your anxiety or anxiety attack. Deep breathing is also good for preparing for highpressure scenarios that may cause anxiety, as well as any other anxiety triggers. IT CAN KEEP YOU CALM in circumstances where anxiety is inevitable.
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EXPOSURE THERAPY This method doesn’t always work for everyone, but it’s one you may consider in order to try to slowly get rid of your anxiety triggers. This method involves WRITING DOWN 10 ANXIETYDRIVEN SITUATIONS THAT YOU EXPERIENCE. These situations trigger your anxiety and can cause an attack. List them in order of severity and go down the list, exposing yourself to them as you are comfortable. The more you get used to these situations, the more the anxiety will subside.
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Become more accustomed to socializing
You don’t have to run into the middle of a crowd, but it is a GOOD IDEA TO START EASING YOURSELF INTO SOCIAL SITUATIONS LITTLE BY LITTLE. Start with scheduling phone conversations, then try something a little bigger. Inviting one friend over, then going to their house. Gradually building up your tolerance for social situations can help you experiment with where exactly your social anxiety line is.
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START FOCUSING ON THE SMALLER, OBJECTIVE GOALS People with an anxiety disorder often discredit progress they make. They compare themselves to so-called “normal” people who can socialize easily. They think things like “everyone can do something as simple as make a phone call, so just because I did it once doesn’t mean I’m making progress.”
The truth is that even something that seems so simple can be major progress. If you have social anxiety, it’s important to NOT COMPARE AND CONTRAST YOURSELF WITH OTHERS. Champion every goal you accomplish and focus on making tiny milestones really count.
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STAY LEVEL-HEADED AND RATIONAL Going hand-in-hand with the above tip, it’s always important to understand your goals and how achievable they are. It’s unrealistic to think that an anxiety disorder can vanish after reading one book or going to one or two therapy sessions. You won’t be able to become a social butterfly after managing anxiety for a month. STAY GROUNDED in what you’re capable of and push yourself a little at a time. This helps you keep those goals you have in mind attainable, and it also doesn’t set yourself up for failure.