It’s normal to feel nervous in some social situations.
With social anxiety disorder, fear and anxiety lead to avoidance that can disrupt your life.
Social anxiety can affect your relationships, daily routines, work, school, and other activities.
What Is Social Anxiety?
Social anxiety disorder (SAD), also known as social phobia, is a mental health condition characterized by intense and persistent fear of social situations and being judged by others.
People with social anxiety disorder find it hard to meet new people. Many people with social anxiety realize their fears aren’t rational, but it doesn’t change the panic they feel about social situations.
Symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder
People with social anxiety may avoid all kinds of social situations which can interfere with a person’s happiness. Signs and symptoms of social anxiety disorder can include:
- Worry about everyday activities, such as meeting strangers and starting conversations.
- Intense fear or anxiety during social situations
- Avoidance of doing things or speaking to people out of fear of embarrassment
- Fear of situations in which you may be judged negatively
- Avoiding speaking up or expressing opinions
- Anxiety in anticipation of a feared activity or event
How to Overcome Social Anxiety
1. Identify your triggers: Triggers can be unique to each person. Some might find large gatherings intimidating, while for others, it might be public speaking. To identify your triggers, keep a journal of your feelings and the situations that make you anxious. Recognizing these triggers is a crucial step in managing your reactions to them.
2. Start small: When it comes to managing social anxiety, it’s OK to start with little changes. It helps to gradually face social situations rather than avoiding them. If you find this challenging consult a mental health provider who can offer specific strategies based on your needs and goals.
3. Challenge your thinking: When feeling socially anxious, you may believe that others will negatively judge you. Just because you think something is true doesn’t make it a fact. Although such thoughts may seem believable, they are often unrealistic and unhelpful.
4. Treat sleep problems: Studies have shown that people who suffer from social anxiety disorder have higher rates of sleep problems. Poor sleep is linked to worsening anxiety and may increase social avoidance over time. Consider creating a relaxing sleep routine and avoiding screen time later in the day to improve the quality of your sleep.
5. Focus on others: Social anxiety is driven by a fear of being judged. Shifting your focus to others can help. In social situations, concentrate on the conversation and the people around you. Ask questions and show genuine interest in the responses. This shift can reduce feelings of self-consciousness and ease social anxiety.
6. Control your breathing: An effective way to combat rapid breathing and physical anxiety symptoms is to take slow, deep breaths through your nose. Deep breathing can help eliminate the dizziness and lightheadedness that often accompanies anxiety. When you find yourself in an anxiety-causing situation, remember to take a moment to calmly breathe.
7. Keep things in perspective: Remind yourself that people tend to pay a lot of attention to their own lives. This means that people are very unlikely to be paying as much attention to the things you do or say as you think they are. People make mistakes all the time. Even if you make a mistake, you are not the first person to, and you won’t be the last.
8. Practice mindfulness: Mindfulness means noticing your thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations as they arise, without getting carried away by them. To use mindfulness to manage social anxiety, focus on being present in the moment and practice self-compassion, which can help you navigate social situations with greater ease.
9. Ground yourself: It can be helpful to try a grounding exercise when you’re feeling especially anxious to combat these thoughts. Take note of your immediate surroundings or the things you can hear, see, smell, taste or touch in the present moment. By listing off these senses, you can quiet your anxious thoughts and reduce your physical symptoms.
10. Attend a support group: Talking through your fears and hearing the experiences of others can help to validate your emotions and reduce social isolation. It may also help improve your coping skills when it comes to social anxiety.
11. Avoid alcohol: While it may seem to relieve your social anxiety, alcohol cannot resolve the source of your fears. Once the effects wear off, your anxiety returns with a vengeance. This back-and-forth leads many people to create an unhealthy cycle of heavy drinking or substance misuse for that momentary feeling of comfort.
12. Build your social skills: You may find that if you take the time to learn how to optimize your social or communication skills, you will find it easier to interact with others. You can take an in-person or virtual class about improving your social skills and learning how to be more assertive. It just takes a little practice to improve things.
13. Know when to seek help: Sometimes, we need a little extra help. If your social anxiety feels overwhelming, consider seeking support from a mental health professional. They can provide strategies and treatments to help you manage social anxiety. If you’re struggling with social anxiety, know that you’re not alone.
Social Anxiety and Shyness
Shyness is a personality trait characterized by feeling awkward, tense, or reserved in social situations, particularly with unfamiliar people, often accompanied by a fear of negative judgment.
Anyone can experience shyness from time to time. In general, the three main factors that distinguish social anxiety from shyness are, how much it interferes with your day-to-day life, how intense your fear and anxiety are, and how much you avoid certain situations.
Having social anxiety disorder consistently interferes with or prevents you from doing everyday activities such as going to the grocery store or talking to other people. Because of this, social anxiety disorder can negatively affect your education, career and personal relationships. Being shy from time to time doesn’t affect these things.
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