Everyone feels anxious at one time or another in social situations, whether it’s going on a first date, being interviewed for a potential job position, or giving a presentation. But some people have an outright overwhelming fear when it comes to interacting with others.
This is not a matter of being shy or introverted – it’s a true disorder called social anxiety or social phobia. People with this disorder may become triggered simply by having to be on an elevator with someone, order a cup of coffee, or speak with a coworker. Having social anxiety can impact your quality of life, leading to isolation or depression and affecting emotional, mental and physical health.
When you have social anxiety, simple everyday actions can cause you to become extremely anxious and self-conscious because of fear of being judged, scrutinized or humiliated. This stress can disrupt your life and impact your relationships, work, routines, and more. You are likely to avoid situations completely because you just can’t deal with how they are making you feel. In addition, you may tend to overanalyze every word or conversation and gesture – along with the other person’s reactions – and negatively critique yourself. If you can identify with this explanation of the disorder, read on to see if you suffer from some of the common symptoms.
Do the Following Signs of Social Anxiety Sound Like You? Do you –
• Fear being judged
• Dread interacting with strangers – in person, online, or by phone
• Avoid activities or conversation because you fear embarrassment or drawing attention to yourself
• Experience anxiety during social situations that affect your focus or memory
• Decline invitations to social events
• Critique your interactions after a social situation, particularly focusing on your flaws
In addition, those suffering from social anxiety can also experience a variety of physical symptoms, such as:
• Headaches
• Sweating
• Nausea
• Blushing
• Rapid heartbeat
• Trembling
• Rashes
• Transient body pain
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Shortness of breath
• Inability to maintain eye contact
• Trouble concentrating
• Panic attacks
While avoiding situations that cause you anxiety may help you feel better in the short term, it’s simply not practical or healthy. Your anxiety will likely continue and can possibly worsen. We now know you can definitely learn to regulate and reduce stress that you are feeling in social situations, and you can improve your mental, emotional and physical health so that you are living a happier life.
How to Overcome Social Anxiety
If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms know that there are proven ways to overcome how you are feeling, including psychotherapy that teaches you specific stress reduction techniques. Psychotherapy will help you to identify triggers to anxiety and provide you with tools to face your fears and cope with your symptoms.
Here is a list of a few of the tools you will learn and practice:
• Managing negative thought patterns so that you are more effective and productive
• Setting achievable goals and taking actions to reach them
• Improving communication skills
• Rewarding yourself when you achieve your goals to reinforce the progress
• Gaining self confidence through support and practice