For those who suffer from social anxiety, they feel discomfort and fear when interacting with other people. They may worry about being judged negatively or looked down upon by others. Social anxiety can inhibit people from making meaningful relationships in a social setting. Below are some tips to help cope with social anxiety.
- Realize anxiety is natural
- Everyone experiences anxiety and at times it can be useful. What you are experiencing is natural, just in an unnecessary context.
- Remember Anxiety isn’t reality.
- Tune into your thoughts and become aware of what you’re telling yourself when you’re in a social situation. Keep in mind your initial fear of social judgment may not be real.
- Breath anxiety away
- Try breathing techniques to address sudden instances of anxiety. This can be before or during a social situation.
- Shift your focus
- Instead of focusing on the anxiety, change your focus to the task at hand. Pay less attention to your heart racing and more attention to the person your interacting with. Set a small goal to switch from being in your own head to concentrating on the person in front of you like, finding one common interest with them or finding one interesting thing about them.
Written By: Jenai Muhammad, graduate level intern, Edited by Charity Loring, LMSW Loring Therapy, LLC www.loringtherapy.com Adapted from: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/shyness-is-nice/201305/must-have-coping-strategies-social-anxiety
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