What is Social Anxiety?

Social anxiety disorder is a type of mental health condition in which social interaction causes one to experience severe, drastic anxiety.

Symptoms for Social anxiety disorder may include:

Anxiety in social situations

Fear of talking to others

Fear of public speaking

Irritability, crying, and tantrums

Note: Having these symptoms does not mean you have social anxiety, and not having some of these symptoms does not mean you don’t. Always be sure to consult your mental health physician.

Strategies for Social Anxiety

Guided Imagery

Guided Imagery is a technique used to distract one’s self from unpleasant emotions or feelings. Using your imagination and 5 senses, you can relax you mind and body by picturing a place in your mind you would most want to be. If you’re feeling overwhelmed in public, guided imagery is a great way to calm yourself down.

Mindfulness

Because social anxiety is physically tasking as well, it is imperative that you are aware of your body. Practicing mindfulness or meditation is a great way to center yourself, even before going out into a social setting.

Identify Triggers

It’s important to know what is causing your anxiety so you are able to get to the root of it. Measuring your stress on a scale of 1-10 and then identifying the people or places that make you the most anxious is a good starting point.

Stop Mind reading

It’s impossible for you to know what everyone is thinking all the time, so instead of automatically assuming everyone is thinking the worst, take that burden off yourself and stop trying to read everyone’s mind (chances are, they aren’t thinking anything bad about you at all!)

Grounding Techniques

Social anxiety often manifests itself mentally, as well as physically. Being aware of your body, breathing, and senses can help center your body, and calm you before spiraling.

Talk to someone

Social anxiety is more common than a person might think, so talking to people you love and trust is extremely helpful. Knowing you don’t have to carry this burden alone and having someone so close to you understand makes dealing with tough situations a little easier. Journaling is also a good way to let out some pent up feelings.

Helpful Questions

  • The internet is a great place to look for videos on mindfulness and meditation—there are hundreds of videos on youtube that will walk you through step by step!

  • Learning, listening, and patience are the best ways to show someone with social anxiety that you care (and if you do, they’ll know!)