Practical Ways to Manage Social Anxiety

• Practical Ways to Manage Social Anxiety - Annotated

  Do you get nervous in a crowd? Freeze before making a presentation? Stumble over words in a conversation with someone new? How do you handle it?In this piece from Psychology Today, we learn that social anxiety if simply fear - fear of being around others. Author Srini Pillay says the fear is fear of embarrassment. I'm no psychologist, but I don't buy that. I suffer from anxiety - and if you see me someplace and then suddenly notice I'm gone, you've probably witnessed my common reaction! to run away! From my personal experience, I can tell you for me at least, it isn't fear of embarrassment. In any case, Pillay offers some good tips here.  Consider medication and therapy if your anxiety is severe. Reflect on your identity, the role of others in your life, and the real risks you face in social situations. Accept that fear is okay. And, there's more in the article. My thanks to Holy Kaw on Alltop for the original link. 

  tags: anxiety PsychologyToday students tips

  • The issue with social anxiety, as with most forms of anxiety, is that the anxieties and fears are not just conscious.  “Dealing” with them through avoidance may get rid of the conscious fears but the unconscious fears still wreak havoc on the human brain
  • Beneath the surface, the brain is still “running the circuit” of fear, except that you cannot hear or feel it.

  • So what can you do to deal with this?

    1.  Stop isolating.  Instead, consult with a psychiatrist or your primary care physician to see if medication may help take the edge off.

    2.  If you are opposed to medication, know that there are many therapies out there that can be very effective.  Ask your psychiatrist about CBT and metacognitive therapy as a start.  A longer-term psychodynamic therapy is usually also helpful.

    3.  Once you’ve addressed extreme anxiety with one of the above, reconfigure your self-concept and reflect on the points above.  This will help you direct your attention away from yourself toward other people.

    4.  Do not expect that the fears will go away immediately.  Recognize that many of them are unconscious and will take time to “find”.

    5.  Overcoming your fears is definitely possible and has been achieved by many people.  But this is not an overnight process. Many other ancillary techniques such as meditation and exercise can be helpful.  In my book “Life Unlocked: 7 Revolutionary Lessons To Overcome Fear”, you will learn about how these fears may be keeping you from your own success.

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