Successful Social Anxiety Control

How to control social anxiety?

This is a question for which the answer has been sought by many, the world over. Unfortunately, for some, they will fear social interaction but not realise they suffer from a social anxiety disorder. Nor, more importantly, realise that it can in fact be cured.

Social anxiety is not rare. Indeed, according the US National Comorbidity Survey (NCS), social anxiety is the most common social anxiety disorder.

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It has a very far reaching impact on sufferers. Social situations are viewed with abject dread (many preferring to remain cocooned in their little shell). And public speaking, should the need arise, is an absolute nightmare, in which nerves become grossly over exaggerated, as do reflexes.

It's a condition that has a number of symptoms. Sufferers not only dread any social event but they dread even the thought of having to attend one in the future. Symptoms include excessive trembling, a rapid heartbeat, profuse sweating, and constant blushing. But it's the fear that gets sufferers most.

This article sets out some basic tips but there is also a wealth of additional 'how to' information at the links further below.

Relaxation

Your mental state goes into overdrive very quickly and you need to learn how to establish a mindset to slow it down. Aromatherapy, meditation, yoga, etc., are all great mind state enhancers which will enable the condition you need to establish before you can exercise some form of control. But this is only the first step, amongst a number of other steps you need to enrol.

Get enough sleep

You make things ten times worse when you're body and mental state is already tired but you continue to remain awake. When you're mind is tired, but does not get sleep, you cultivate fertile ground for negative feelings which culminate in anxious thoughts.

Retrain your brain

It's very important you embark on a self help program in which you adjust your brain to change the way it perceives events currently.

If you think about it, you will realise that if your mind can think in terms of events so negatively then, it can also do the opposite, and reconstruct those events with a positive interpretation. How do less anxious people process information? Actually no differently (we all have the same human components after all). It's just that their brain is programmed with the constructive switch turned on, not the negative one!

It's just that your perceptions have negative programming but it's actually very easy to have your internal switch flicked the other way.

Keep going

It's easy to hide under a rock. But it won't resolve your dilemma. But trying to have a positive approach, when you're brain is switched over to negative, isn't a great idea either. So, first step is to get your switching corrected and then do all the things you wish you could do now but without the anxious state.

It may be hard to appreciate right now but, by continuing to be socially inept, means that a great source of life's enjoyment is unavailable to you and you're missing out. The daft thing is, it's easy to resolve, and you can start resolving it right away.

Professional help is always available and is something you may wish to consider if your condition is bad. Many doctors prescribe anti-depressants in such situations which is really not what you want. You may well acquire side effects and you may become dependent on the treatment. Very often the strong need to continue with the medication, coupled with the new side effects, gives you yet more things to feel anxious about!

You may also be offered CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy). The idea here is to map your reactions and psychological demeanour when confronted with uncomfortable situations. This data is then used in an attempt to replace negative reactions with constructive ones. The therapy does work, but not for all people.

But there is good news. Over the past 30 to 50 years a lot of novel research has been carried out in the field of anxiety and some very effective and interesting new therapies developed. The great thing is many can be implemented in the privacy of your own home without the need for others to know.

More than that, once you are aware of which programs work the best, you can find yourself in for some dramatic and instant results. Clicking on the links below will provide much more in-depth information.

Douglas Barker is renowned for providing punchy key fact sheets in the area of life improvement. This includes expert information at the How to Control Anxiety website, where you will also find crucial aids on social anxiety at the Control Anxiety page.