Tips for overcoming anxiety

 Tips for overcoming anxiety

Social anxiety is a highly individual experience. The tips that help one person may be less helpful for another. For this reason, it can be useful to try various methods to find out what works best.

The following tips may help people overcome anxiety in social situations.

Increase social situations gradually

People with social anxiety disorder often avoid social situations where they may trigger their feelings of anxiety. Although this reduces anxiety in the short-term, avoidance can make anxiety much worse in the long-term.

If possible — and with the help of a therapist, if necessary — the person can gradually increase their exposure to the situations they fear. This creates space for them to have a positive experience with the situation.

Having positive social experiences can boost a person’s confidence and reduce their anxiety or reassure them that they can overcome it.

Take time to relax

Engaging in mood-boosting activities releases feel-good chemicals in the brain, which can relieve stress and make a person feel better about their feelings of anxiety.

Before going into a social situation that feels scary, try doing something relaxing or enjoyable, such as listening to music, reading, playing a video game, or meditating.

Reframe your thoughts

If a person holds onto the idea that they are shy, it will reinforce current anxiety about talking to people or being in public. Thoughts fuel behavior patterns.

A technique tied to CBT involves guiding people through the reframing process. Writing down these thought processes can help.

For example, “I am a shy person” can become “I acted like a shy person at the gathering.” It may help the person to know that they can change how they perceive themselves and how they feel that others see them.

Avoid relying on alcohol

Using alcohol and other substances may reduce anxiety in the short-term, but it can make anxiety worse over time and lead to dependence or substance use disorders.

Diagnosis

A doctor may ask questions about the person’s medical history and carry out a physical exam to rule out any physical causes of their symptoms. They may then refer the person to a mental health professional.

A mental health professional will ask the person about their symptoms, including when they occur, how often they occur, and when they started.

Clinicians use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition to diagnose mental health conditions, including social anxiety disorder.

The diagnostic criteria for this condition include:

  • having a persistent fear about one or more social situations that might involve scrutiny from others (such as conversations, social interactions, being observed, or performing in front of others)
  • having a fear of acting in a way that others will judge negatively or that might lead to rejection or offense (such as a fear of seeming anxious or of doing something embarrassing)
  • avoiding situations that might cause feelings of anxiety
  • experiencing symptoms that persist for 6 months or longer, cause significant distress, or impair the person’s work, social life, or other key areas

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