Overcoming Social Anxiety Disorder

Self help resource for sufferers of Panic, Anxiety and Depression.

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Within these pages you will find articles, reviews & resources concentrating on self help for Sufferers of Anxiety, OCD, Depression & Panic Attack Disorders

Are you the kind of person who absolutely hates attending parties and having to meet new people and great new faces?

In fact…if you could, would you avoid any social situations at all costs? Are you instead much happier staying at home in the safety of your own four walls rather than risk the embarrassment of getting it wrong in an overtly social occasion?

Answered yes to all three? If you did, then you are almost definitely suffering from Social Anxiety. What causes social anxiety? What can you do? Read on and you can gradually start to pull yourself out of the introspective world you are living in and finally start moving forward, by learning more and getting help for social anxiety now.

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‘So what…’ I hear you ask ‘is Social Anxiety?’

Social Anxiety (AKA Social Phobia), is the description used for the condition whereupon an individual has a fear of or becomes anxious when faced with attending or taking part in a social situation, and in the most part, situations that will involve them meeting new people or travelling to unknown venues. A sufferer from Social Anxiety Disorder will become anxious in these situations because they have the overwhelming feeling that they are being watched, studied and judged be those around them. Individuals dealing with social anxiety will avoid the situation of a social gathering at all costs, primarily because in the past they have experienced traumatic and sometimes even petrifying anxiety attacks as a result of their phobia, and are in no rush to duplicate these feelings again by putting themselves in a situation which can exacerbate the anxiety again.

Are you alone?

It can often seem like you are the only one experiencing this anguish, however in some form or another and to a greater and lesser extent, social anxiety is a lot more common than you may think. Some fears and social phobias are better accepted by others such as performance anxiety on a large stage and public speaking to name just a couple. As these are more common, most people can relate to them and understand why they may cause apprehension.

So how do I know if this is Social Anxiety?

Just because you may be a little shy or nervous when meeting new people, doesn’t necessarily mean you have social anxiety. Most of us can get a little anxious when faced with uncertainty. There are however some tell tale psychological signs which may point toward the realms of social anxiety:

Worrying and becoming obsessed about an imminent social situation, weeks or even

months in advance

Being petrified that others are studying and judging you on your words and actions

Being incredibly self conscious when meeting new people or visiting new places

Anxious that others can see through your ‘façade’ and can see how nervous you really are

Avoiding social occasions or meeting new people, to such a point that it becomes

obstructive in your day to day living.

On the physical side of things, the symptoms are very like a panic or anxiety attack and can include dizziness, nausea, pounding heart, hot flushes, sweating and quick breathing.

How to get Social Anxiety Help?

By changing your lifestyle, you can often help to reduce the symptoms and affects of social anxiety on your everyday life.

Cut down on the caffeine!! It’s hard I know when you already feel stressed but it really

doesn’t help. Coffee, pop and chocolate can all act to stimulate your anxiety rather than help

with it, so try and avoid these if you can.

Alcohol! Drink sensibly, or even better – not at all. You may feel that a few glasses of wine

or a couple of pints after work can help calm the nerves and the feelings of anxiety, however

drinking alcohol can in fact increase the likelihood of you having an attack.

Here’s the biggie….stop smoking. As a smoker you are susceptible to higher levels of

anxiety. The nicotine in your cigarettes acts as a powerful stimulant which in turn can again

increase the risk of anxiety and panic.

Get to bed! Make sure you get the correct amount of sleep each day. Those of us who are

deprived of sleep can expect an increased chance of and anxiety or panic attack.

If at all possible, make sure you try to stay away from medical remedies and instead look for natural methods to combat your social anxiety. CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) is one of the more common and most effective ways to combat your own emotions. Based on taking control of your own mindset and analysing where your fear and anxiety originate, this method can help you gain a greater understanding of your own condition and in turn help to carve out a path of recovery.

Alternatively you should look for social anxiety help treatment by going to your local GP who can help you gain professional help and also suggest and help you to enrol in many of the countries support groups for this condition.