Understanding and Conquering Your Social Anxiety

It is normal for people to experience social anxiety. It only becomes a problem when the anxiety is so intense that it interferes with normal daily activities. People with social anxiety are living in fear that they might do something humiliating in a social situation. Exposure to the feared social situations will trigger their extreme anxiety. It is difficult for them to do common tasks like eating or writing in front of other people. Sometimes just the thought of speaking in front of an audience will give them anxiety attacks.

People with social phobia are aware that their fear is unreasonable but they cannot control their fears. The fact that they know their fears are irrational and there is nothing to be afraid of makes them feel insecure and this makes them more anxious. In most cases they avoid the feared social situations but they are also human beings who want to live as normal as possible. They also have to work, go to school, travel and shop so there are sufferers who can endure facing those situations even if they feel really miserable and frightened but in severe cases, people with social anxiety disorder end up staying at home for months. Conquering your social anxiety disorder is important to get your life back.

How to conquer social anxiety disorder?

Self-help is an option because social anxiety is something that is all in the mind but for severe cases it may not be enough. It is always best to seek the help of mental health professionals rather than trying to solve the disorder on your own. In conquering your social anxiety, you may need a series of treatments and your doctor can help you administer the treatments applicable for your condition. CBT or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is one treatment to help people with anxiety problems. The therapy can help sufferers to change their negative thinking pattern which is the main cause of their anxiety.

Avoid alcohol. Some people with social anxiety problems turn to alcohol to help them cope with social situations. If this becomes a habit, you are producing another problem which is alcohol abuse. Although alcohol has a temporary calming effect, it will eventually increase the level of your anxiety. Talk to your doctor about this. If you are taking anti-anxiety medications, drinking alcohol can be dangerous. So one important step in conquering your social anxiety is quit drinking alcohol. Treat your body well because abusing your body can increase the level of your anxiety. Aside from alcohol, caffeine must be avoided because it can also worsen your symptoms.

Keep a positive attitude. Although social anxiety is not an easy situation, there is always hope to defeat this mental illness because it is a treatable condition and there are many effective treatments available now. It is important to maintain a positive attitude and avoid entertaining negative thoughts.

Join a support group. Knowing that you are not alone is a big relief. Hearing the stories of other people with the same problem can be very helpful in conquering your social anxiety because you can learn some tips from them on how to cope with anxiety disorder. Sharing is always a good thing. A support group will also improve your interaction with other people. Try not to isolate yourself just because you are afraid to be scrutinized or criticized by other people. In most cases, people are kind and understanding, there are only a few who are mean and they do not deserve your concern.

To succeed in conquering your social anxiety you need to have the will and determination to beat it. Anxiety disorder is a treatable condition and there are people who were able to free themselves from this mental illness. It is important to find the best treatment that will work for you. Do you want to find out how people with the same problem as yours reclaimed their lives and defeated social anxiety disorder? To find out visit Panic Disorder Freedom

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