Social anxiety is a very real issue that affects an estimated 15 million Americans, and a large portion of the global population. It can interfere with day-to-day living, and it can be difficult to overcome without professional help. Fortunately, there are a few simple steps that can help you start tackling the issue of social anxiety. Here are 6 simple steps to help you overcome social anxiety:
1. Identify the Source:
The first and probably most important step to overcoming social anxiety is to identify the source of your anxiety. Common sources of social anxiety can include fear of public speaking, fear of being judged or evaluated negatively by others, fear of rejection, fear of making a mistake in front of others, or fear of not being good enough. Once you know what is causing your anxiety, you can start to work on addressing it.
2. Challenge Negative Thoughts:
Our thoughts shape and influence how we feel, so it’s important to challenge any negative thoughts that may be contributing to your social anxiety. This can help reduce your anxiety by replacing those negative thoughts with more positive and realistic ones.
3. Acknowledge Your Emotions:
It can be tempting to try to ignore or push away your feelings of anxiety, but it’s important to acknowledge and validate them instead. Acknowledging your feelings can help you gain control of them, rather than letting them control you.
4. Change Your Perspective:
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when faced with a situation that triggers your anxiety. To help with this, it can be beneficial to look at the situation from a different angle. For example, if you’re feeling anxious about speaking in public, reframe the situation in terms of how you can help the audience.
5. Practice Relaxation Techniques:
Learning and practicing relaxation techniques can help to reduce your overall anxiety levels and can also be used in situations where you may be feeling anxious. This could include deep breathing, mindfulness, progressive muscle relaxation, yoga, or visualisation.
6. Reach Out for Help:
Finally, if you feel like your social anxiety is too overwhelming and is impacting your daily life, then it’s a good idea to reach out for help. This can be either through speaking to your GP or a therapist. A therapist can provide you with coping strategies to help you manage your anxiety and can also provide you with a safe space to work through any underlying issues that may be contributing to your anxiety.
Social anxiety can be a difficult and overwhelming thing to face, but with the right strategies and support, it is possible to overcome it. These 6 simple steps can help you start to tackle the issue of social anxiety. However, if you find that the anxiety is too overwhelming, it’s important to reach out for help.
