Social anxiety is characterized by an intense fear of being negatively evaluated, rejected or judged in a social situation. In milder cases, the symptoms of social anxiety only appear in specific situations, such as public speaking. In other cases, any form of social situation can act as a trigger.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), around 15 million American adults go through social anxiety disorder with a specific phobia. In most cases, people dealing with social anxiety disorder are swamped by a strong wave of fear, which makes them believe that everything is beyond their control.
Social anxiety is marked by the following symptoms:
Physical: Nausea, trembling or shaking, excessive sweating, difficulty speaking, rapid heart rate, dizziness or lightheadedness
Psychological: Worrying intensely about interacting with other people, avoiding social situations, worrying for days before an event, worrying about being an embarrassment to your family and friends, missing work or academic classes because of social anxiety.
People suffering from this situation worry about appearing or acting anxious. This leads to stumbling over words, blushing and feeling as if the other person is noticing how awkward or boring you are.
Some coping tips for social anxiety:
- Face your fears – One of the most harmful responses to anxiety is avoidance. When a person avoids the source of their anxiety, (in this case any feared social situation) they might feel relief. But, whenever they face a similar social situation next, their anxiety will be worse. So, do not avoid the cause of your anxiety. Try & take baby steps to face your fears.
- Challenge Your Negative Thoughts: Instead of thinking about the worst possible cause & outcome, why not try & think of positive alternatives. Try to identify the negative thoughts that you have before, during & after a social interaction. Train your mind to challenge these negative thoughts & replace them with positive alternatives.
Example:
Negative thought “ I must have bored him. He just left my conversation midway stating that there was an emergency”
Challenge the Negative thought :- “ Could there be a different explanation?” “What if there really was an emergency?”
Alternative positive thought “ It most likely had nothing to do with me. He must have had something urgent to attend to”.
- Practice Mindfulness: Mindfulness is more than just meditation! Through deep breathing exercises and focusing on your environment, you can calm your anxious thoughts, which would help to relieve pressure from your mind and body, in any feared social situation. You could also try repeating some calming statements like, “I am alright, It’s all ok” etc.
- Seek Help: Join a support group to interact with people who also suffer from social anxiety. Having someone to talk to who can understand your situation will allow you to open up and manage your social anxiety. You may also seek the help of a qualified mental health professional to help you cope with social anxiety.
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Author:
The above article is a Guest Post written by Sanjukta Khaund. She is a Transformational Mental Health Coach / Counsellor. She can be emailed at info@sanjuktakhaund.com. You can also check out her website www.sanjuktakhaund.com.