Tips For Social Anxiety: Social situations can often be overwhelming for some of us. Meeting new people, being in a new environment away from the norm may make one nervous. The actionable tips discussed in this article are to help you deal with anxiety in your daily life or during social situations.
Intend to Get Better
Internal anxiety can feel undefeatable or may have some greater power over you, but it is only if you let it. Make a point of fighting it. Recognize the mental patterns that lead to anxiety and change your thought process. Identify the root causes of the negative thoughts and when you find yourself start to fixate on them, which cause you to spiral. Then start rewriting or shift the interpretation of the triggers to a more realistic view. Use mantras to help you shift your thought process such as ‘it is not that big of a deal or ‘stay calm and deep breaths.
Practice Mindfulness
According to a published research study in the journal of Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, participants, who had normal levels of anxiety, recorded a 39% decrease in anxiety levels after taking a 20- minute mindfulness meditation class regularly. Being present and being aware of your surroundings while letting your thoughts come and go is shown to calm your nerves and stay grounded. There are several mindfulness exercises you can practice regularly to help you with anxious thoughts in a nice peaceful location with an ambient vibe and low lighting.
Push Yourself
Start pushing your comfort boundaries in baby steps. Go out to places that do not require a lot of interaction with people. This can be a coffee shop or a local cinema during off-peak hours. Places where you have some rather control over the number of people you can interact with. Gradually, see how much further you can push those limits over time.
Rate Yourself Based on Exposure Comfort
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On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 represents no anxiety and 10 is an extreme panic attack, how would you rate a particular social situation?
Write down how you would feel in different situations, for instance, how would you feel while in a
networking dinner or going out to hang out with new people? Detail these reactions alongside every situation so when it comes to it you will be adequately prepared on how to handle it. A professional from Claritychi can help you to rate yourself and your anxiety.
Shift Your Focus to Others
Often you find yourself getting caught up in the endless mental chatter in your head, which only
heightens your anxiety. Focusing too much on these negative thoughts only ruins your ability to enjoy the occasion. Try to focus on what is happening externally, listen to the conversations around you, and join in. Be present and listen to what people are talking about as opposed to being caught up on what others will think of your shirt or choice of refreshments.
With these simple tips, you should be able to ease into situations that you do not find ideal. Keep in mind, however, that even though this article intends to help you better navigate social situations, it is even better to seek professional help. Individuals who are well versed in the field of anxiety can help you navigate your own experience and quicken your recovery process. It will take time to get there so focus on the milestones in your journey.