Social Anxiety and Hypnotherapy
Anxiety, and particularly, social anxiety, is an issue that effects many people and their lifestyles. In fact you may be surprised to discover that someone, who appears to be very confident and successful, may also suffer with social anxiety.
Anxiety of itself is a horrible and all pervading sense of fear, worry, dread and concern about something. Anxiety is usually the fear of something. That fear might be of the environment, the event, the people, or sense of the situation you either find yourself in or are needing to attend.
Social anxiety is not just about an occasion such as a party, wedding, christmas office party or other social activity. Social anxiety can also include the daily interaction that anyone has to do in the routine of their lives.
This can include asking for a ticket at the train station. Ordering a coffee in a cafe or restaurant. It can be when facing the checkout assistant at the supermarket as well as interactions with both work colleagues and customers.
Social anxiety can also encompass conversations, whether with friends or family whilst using the telephone.
All in all, social anxiety is both unpleasant and life restricting. Hypnotherapy is very effective in helping sufferers of any form of anxiety and especially social anxiety to reduce their fears and feel much more comfortable and confident.
Social Anxiety
Social Anxiety Hypnotherapy
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rate or flag this page
By Hypnotherapist-uk
Social Anxiety and Hypnotherapy
Anxiety, and particularly, social anxiety, is an issue that effects many people and their lifestyles. In fact you may be surprised to discover that someone, who appears to be very confident and successful, may also suffer with social anxiety.
Anxiety of itself is a horrible and all pervading sense of fear, worry, dread and concern about something. Anxiety is usually the fear of something. That fear might be of the environment, the event, the people, or sense of the situation you either find yourself in or are needing to attend.
Social anxiety is not just about an occasion such as a party, wedding, christmas office party or other social activity. Social anxiety can also include the daily interaction that anyone has to do in the routine of their lives.
This can include asking for a ticket at the train station. Ordering a coffee in a cafe or restaurant. It can be when facing the checkout assistant at the supermarket as well as interactions with both work colleagues and customers.
Social anxiety can also encompass conversations, whether with friends or family whilst using the telephone.
All in all, social anxiety is both unpleasant and life restricting. Hypnotherapy is very effective in helping sufferers of any form of anxiety and especially social anxiety to reduce their fears and feel much more comfortable and confident.
Social Anxiety
Social anxiety?
Social anxiety?
Overcome Social Anxiety
Here are some quick tips and ideas that can help you overcome social anxiety.
1) Avoidance
Do not avoid situations that bring anxiety altogether. Avoidance increases anxiety and fears and does not reduce them. Pick and choose the experiences you attend (if you can) and have a hierarchy of events or occasions ranging from the most challenging to the easiest.Experience the easiest first and challenge yourself to gradually attend the others in your hierarchy as your confidence grows.
2) Relaxation
Decide to learn some relaxation exercise. This could be meditation or self hypnosis or some other healthy practice. If you do this regularly you will feel more calm and relaxed and more able to feel comfortable during those social interactions.
3) Practice and Plan
If part of your uncomfortableness is not knowing what to say, do some planning before you attend. Give some prior thought to the conversations you can start, even if it is just about the news and current affairs. Practice those convesations just like someone who needed to give a speech in public would also rehearse.
4) Passion
Find your passion. When we have an interest that is all encompassing and important to us, we find it easier to talk from our feeling of passion. That passion might be a charitable cause, hobby, sport or other past time.
5) Professional Help
Don't be afraid to ask for help. Seek help from your medical practitioner if your need is urgent. Seek the help of a hypnotheapist to help reduce your anxiety and build your confidence.
6) Confide
Choose someone to confide in. Choose someone who you trust such as a work colleague, friend, partner or relative. You may be surprised to know that this can really help.
7) You are not alone
Many people suffer from social anxiety disorder and have managed to overcome it or at least reduce its impact on their lifestyle. You can do the same.
8) Born Free
You were not born with social anxiety disorder. It is something you have developed or acquired because of past events and your way of perceiving those past events. This means you can change what you have learnt and learn a new way of being.
Showing posts with label Social Anxiety. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Social Anxiety. Show all posts
How to Control Social Anxiety by Using Scripts
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Many people who experience problems with excessive blushing find their situation compounded by social anxiety. The relationship between social anxiety and problem blushing is a complex one. The problems experienced by many excessive blushers are triggered by social anxiety. For others, blushing may trigger social anxiety. Regardless of which situation leads to the other, it's a fact that both can be problematic.
Many people who experience problem blushing and social anxiety find that using scripts to help them communicate in high stress situations can be a great option for minimizing the problems associated with these conditions. Scripts can keep people from worrying about saying the wrong thing or forgetting the appropriate way to respond in any given situation. If the stress of speaking out of turn is reduced or eliminated, interacting with other people can become much less frightening and anxiety-inducing for problem blushers.
When you have the benefit of being able to follow a script that you create yourself during communication events, you don't have to spend your time stressing out about what to say. Of course, you can't script out every word of a conversation, because you have no way of knowing in advance what the other person is likely to say. However, you can script your introduction, a polite way to close the chat, and the questions that you are likely to need to ask. You can even brainstorm a list of the types of things you are likely to be asked, so you can prepare potential responses ahead of time.
By having even a very basic outline drafted out before you make a phone call or attend a meeting or other even, you can more easily wrap your mind around the way the conversation is supposed to progress. You can even use scripts to practice your communication techniques. One of the best ways to control your fear of interacting with other people is to put yourself in communication situations that aren't particularly important to your personal or professional success, so you can practice interacting with other people in a non-threatening environment.
Many people find it to be beneficial to practice communicating by drafting scripts that can be used to guide telephone inquiries made to businesses. Maybe you're in the market for a new exercise bicycle, billiards table, or some other type of product. If you have social anxiety and a problem with excessive blushing, you may find that that these types of interactions cause your heart to pound and your face to turn bright red.
Instead of facing the stress of going to stores to research your options in person, create a script and use it to call retailers to inquire about the types of products you need. Once you have conducted a few of these test calls, you will be much more knowledgeable about the products you are interested in purchasing. You can take what you learn from these test calls to make a list of the types of things that cause you the most stress and anxiety in unfamiliar communication situations.
Going through this test communication process, is likely to provide even those with the worst cases of social anxiety with some degree of comfort in social interaction situations. You can keep practicing until you experience a positive interaction, and these types of practice interactions can be very beneficial for providing you with the increased self confidence you need to go out shopping for the items you need without having to worry as much about getting flustered, blushing, and losing control of the conversation.
Many people who experience problem blushing and social anxiety find that using scripts to help them communicate in high stress situations can be a great option for minimizing the problems associated with these conditions. Scripts can keep people from worrying about saying the wrong thing or forgetting the appropriate way to respond in any given situation. If the stress of speaking out of turn is reduced or eliminated, interacting with other people can become much less frightening and anxiety-inducing for problem blushers.
When you have the benefit of being able to follow a script that you create yourself during communication events, you don't have to spend your time stressing out about what to say. Of course, you can't script out every word of a conversation, because you have no way of knowing in advance what the other person is likely to say. However, you can script your introduction, a polite way to close the chat, and the questions that you are likely to need to ask. You can even brainstorm a list of the types of things you are likely to be asked, so you can prepare potential responses ahead of time.
By having even a very basic outline drafted out before you make a phone call or attend a meeting or other even, you can more easily wrap your mind around the way the conversation is supposed to progress. You can even use scripts to practice your communication techniques. One of the best ways to control your fear of interacting with other people is to put yourself in communication situations that aren't particularly important to your personal or professional success, so you can practice interacting with other people in a non-threatening environment.
Many people find it to be beneficial to practice communicating by drafting scripts that can be used to guide telephone inquiries made to businesses. Maybe you're in the market for a new exercise bicycle, billiards table, or some other type of product. If you have social anxiety and a problem with excessive blushing, you may find that that these types of interactions cause your heart to pound and your face to turn bright red.
Instead of facing the stress of going to stores to research your options in person, create a script and use it to call retailers to inquire about the types of products you need. Once you have conducted a few of these test calls, you will be much more knowledgeable about the products you are interested in purchasing. You can take what you learn from these test calls to make a list of the types of things that cause you the most stress and anxiety in unfamiliar communication situations.
Going through this test communication process, is likely to provide even those with the worst cases of social anxiety with some degree of comfort in social interaction situations. You can keep practicing until you experience a positive interaction, and these types of practice interactions can be very beneficial for providing you with the increased self confidence you need to go out shopping for the items you need without having to worry as much about getting flustered, blushing, and losing control of the conversation.
Adolescent Social Anxiety effects
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Social Anxiety in Adolescents
The adolescence is a difficult time of life for most people, because there are many important decisions that we have to make that affect the rest of our life, because we are shaping our personality, values, beliefs, we are sensible to what people think of us. We experience social anxiety in some degree when meeting girls, dating, going to parties and in school, however there are some people that develop severe social anxiety to the point that it takes control of their life.
Adolescence social anxiety is not uncommon, if fact millions of Americans suffer from this disorder. It usually appears in childhood due to genetics, but it can also appear at any other age due to some traumatic event or negative and embarrassing experiences.
Social anxiety in adolescents can become really frustrating because that is the time in our life when we start to make close friends, dating women, start to work, create relationships, have fun and many other experiences that are part of our daily life, but when a teenagers has social phobia it becomes a major block for developing the personality of him or her.
Effects of social anxiety in Teenagers
There are different consequences and effects of social anxiety in teenagers some of the most common are:
* The teenager wants to be lonely and avoids any social situation to be safe of any bad and embarrassing experiences.
* He most probably will have depression due to his loneliness and envy of his friends and people that are having fun while he cant even if he wants.
* Another major effect is that a huge percentage of adolescents with social anxiety get into drugs and alcoholism addiction to cope with they symptoms of anxiety, in parties, events, and any other place that they want to go out with their friends.
* Sometimes they even quit going to school because they cant handle it, a simple thing as presenting himself to the class can be a traumatic experience.
* The constant use of alcohol to cope with their symptoms produce depression.
Those are some of the most important negative effects of social phobia in teenagers. However it does not have to be this way, there are things that can be done to improve themselves and control or overcome their social phobia.
Most people think that this disorder does not have a cure, but the truth is that there are some very effective treatments that require some time and dedication but they do work.
Adolescent social anxiety treatments
The common treatments are medications and psychotherapy. There are several kinds of medications like MAOIs, SSRIs and Beta Blockers, those are anti depressants and anti anxiety medications.
Some examples are Paxil, zoloft, nardil, etc
There are also some alternative natural remedies, like herbal medicines and natural supplements. For example kava kava is an herbal remedy that has the same effects as medications to reduce anxiety, calm, relax and be more social.
Psychotherapy
According to some experts the most effective treatment for adolescents is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that helps change their negative beliefs and thoughts that trigger their fears in social situations. But following the therapy the patient will be able to change his fears of social situations and not perceive them as socially dangerous anymore.
It involves also exposure therapy which helps the teen to gradually expose himself to social situations that he can handle and be comfortable little by little.
There are other tips that teenagers can do to improve themselves and reduce their anxiety, for example they should:
* exercise regularly
* practice relaxation techniques
* practice visualization
* read motivation books
* give up food that contain caffeine
* Expose your self gradually to social situations
* Learn communications Skills
In fact i encourage you that if you think you lack of communications skills and you dont know how to express your self in front of others read a book or take a course on communication skills, it can be really powerful and have a great impact in your results and social confidence.
As a last point i want to say that adolescents need the support of their family even when they are doing things wrong, they are going through some difficult emotional problems in their social life that require support and help from their loved ones.
The adolescence is a difficult time of life for most people, because there are many important decisions that we have to make that affect the rest of our life, because we are shaping our personality, values, beliefs, we are sensible to what people think of us. We experience social anxiety in some degree when meeting girls, dating, going to parties and in school, however there are some people that develop severe social anxiety to the point that it takes control of their life.
Adolescence social anxiety is not uncommon, if fact millions of Americans suffer from this disorder. It usually appears in childhood due to genetics, but it can also appear at any other age due to some traumatic event or negative and embarrassing experiences.
Social anxiety in adolescents can become really frustrating because that is the time in our life when we start to make close friends, dating women, start to work, create relationships, have fun and many other experiences that are part of our daily life, but when a teenagers has social phobia it becomes a major block for developing the personality of him or her.
Effects of social anxiety in Teenagers
There are different consequences and effects of social anxiety in teenagers some of the most common are:
* The teenager wants to be lonely and avoids any social situation to be safe of any bad and embarrassing experiences.
* He most probably will have depression due to his loneliness and envy of his friends and people that are having fun while he cant even if he wants.
* Another major effect is that a huge percentage of adolescents with social anxiety get into drugs and alcoholism addiction to cope with they symptoms of anxiety, in parties, events, and any other place that they want to go out with their friends.
* Sometimes they even quit going to school because they cant handle it, a simple thing as presenting himself to the class can be a traumatic experience.
* The constant use of alcohol to cope with their symptoms produce depression.
Those are some of the most important negative effects of social phobia in teenagers. However it does not have to be this way, there are things that can be done to improve themselves and control or overcome their social phobia.
Most people think that this disorder does not have a cure, but the truth is that there are some very effective treatments that require some time and dedication but they do work.
Adolescent social anxiety treatments
The common treatments are medications and psychotherapy. There are several kinds of medications like MAOIs, SSRIs and Beta Blockers, those are anti depressants and anti anxiety medications.
Some examples are Paxil, zoloft, nardil, etc
There are also some alternative natural remedies, like herbal medicines and natural supplements. For example kava kava is an herbal remedy that has the same effects as medications to reduce anxiety, calm, relax and be more social.
Psychotherapy
According to some experts the most effective treatment for adolescents is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that helps change their negative beliefs and thoughts that trigger their fears in social situations. But following the therapy the patient will be able to change his fears of social situations and not perceive them as socially dangerous anymore.
It involves also exposure therapy which helps the teen to gradually expose himself to social situations that he can handle and be comfortable little by little.
There are other tips that teenagers can do to improve themselves and reduce their anxiety, for example they should:
* exercise regularly
* practice relaxation techniques
* practice visualization
* read motivation books
* give up food that contain caffeine
* Expose your self gradually to social situations
* Learn communications Skills
In fact i encourage you that if you think you lack of communications skills and you dont know how to express your self in front of others read a book or take a course on communication skills, it can be really powerful and have a great impact in your results and social confidence.
As a last point i want to say that adolescents need the support of their family even when they are doing things wrong, they are going through some difficult emotional problems in their social life that require support and help from their loved ones.
picamilon for social anxiety
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There are many medications and supplements that help relief some of the symptoms of social anxiety, however there are different opinions on which ones are worth and which ones are dangerous and dont help at all. The truth is that it depends on each person and what side effects they cause.
One of the supplements that seems to be getting good reviews for treating anxiety is Picamilon (GABA).
Picamilon is a nutritional supplement that was developed in Russia and has Niacin (Vitamin B3) with GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid). Is an amino acid which is manufactured in the brain and it serves as an inhibitory neurotransmitter. It blocks the transmission from cell to ceel of an impulse in the central nervous system.
There are some drugs that have GABA which they use to create relaxing, anti convulsive and anti anxiety effects. It helps relieve anxiety and stimulate secretion of growth hormone which helps body builders.
There are many people that have tried Picaminol and they say that it has worked much better than any drug the doctors have prescribed. People who have suffered anxiety , panic attacks and depression for years have seen a great improvement.
People with social anxiety that have taken Picaminol also say that they feel more courageous and that is one of the best things that they have tried for their SA.
However you must be aware that some things will work for some people and others not, that is why most people try different supplements, medications and herbs.
Other benefits of Picaminol:
It has low toxicity, shows no allergenic or carcinogenic properties. It has been available for 25 years.
PIkamilone can be use to treat and alleviate:
Depression Tiredness and irritability Migraine prevention and treatment Increasing Energy Misuse of Alcohol Anxiety
Also picaminole is harmless, its natural and does not cause secondary effects, however you should always consult with your doctor or physician first. Although picaminol is a natural supplement, if you are already taking some drug medications you might need to choose one or the other to avoid secondary effects, consult with your physician.
As i said above it might not work the same for everybody but results seem to be very positive from most people that have tried. I also encourage you to try a behavioral therapy treatment if you want to completely overcome your social anxiety. Remember that medications and supplements help you deal with the symptoms in the short term, but they do not cure the disorder.
One of the supplements that seems to be getting good reviews for treating anxiety is Picamilon (GABA).
Picamilon is a nutritional supplement that was developed in Russia and has Niacin (Vitamin B3) with GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid). Is an amino acid which is manufactured in the brain and it serves as an inhibitory neurotransmitter. It blocks the transmission from cell to ceel of an impulse in the central nervous system.
There are some drugs that have GABA which they use to create relaxing, anti convulsive and anti anxiety effects. It helps relieve anxiety and stimulate secretion of growth hormone which helps body builders.
There are many people that have tried Picaminol and they say that it has worked much better than any drug the doctors have prescribed. People who have suffered anxiety , panic attacks and depression for years have seen a great improvement.
People with social anxiety that have taken Picaminol also say that they feel more courageous and that is one of the best things that they have tried for their SA.
However you must be aware that some things will work for some people and others not, that is why most people try different supplements, medications and herbs.
Other benefits of Picaminol:
It has low toxicity, shows no allergenic or carcinogenic properties. It has been available for 25 years.
PIkamilone can be use to treat and alleviate:
Depression Tiredness and irritability Migraine prevention and treatment Increasing Energy Misuse of Alcohol Anxiety
Also picaminole is harmless, its natural and does not cause secondary effects, however you should always consult with your doctor or physician first. Although picaminol is a natural supplement, if you are already taking some drug medications you might need to choose one or the other to avoid secondary effects, consult with your physician.
As i said above it might not work the same for everybody but results seem to be very positive from most people that have tried. I also encourage you to try a behavioral therapy treatment if you want to completely overcome your social anxiety. Remember that medications and supplements help you deal with the symptoms in the short term, but they do not cure the disorder.
Jobs For People With Social Anxiety
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One problem that many people with social anxiety have is that have a very difficult time going to work and interacting with their co workers and their boss, sometimes they get to the point that they avoid going to work for fear of meeting with people.
Many wish there were jobs for people with social anxiety, but the truth is that no matter what job you choose you will need to interact with people and with a boss.
However, due to the advances of technology and globalization there are now some possibilities to work from your own home, you might need to talk with some people by email.
But it does not mean that you should avoid talking with people, in fact i believe you should make an effort to go to a normal job or at least try to meet some people that you can be comfortable with. It can be difficult but you need to push your self forward or take a treatment to overcome your social phobia.
To work from home you will need an internet connection and a computer of course. There are different kind of work or jobs that you can get on the internet, you might come across some internet business but i dont recommend you try any work at home business because you will risk money and it has a learning curve.
So what kind of jobs can you find?
You can work as a freelance writer, on their internet there is always people that need content written for their business and websites, you can easily find someone that needs your services for written. In most cases you dont have to talk on telephone to get the work.
For writing services you can get paid from $5 dollars an article to $15 or more depending on how long is the article needed or how many words they need it written. Is not difficult to find topics to write about, just think about what interest you have or hobbies and you can easily write about those or research information on the internet and write about those topics.
There are many other kind of jobs that you can do over the internet if you have social anxiety, for example you can fill online surveys and get paid, you design graphics, research information, proof read and many other things that you can do depending on your abilities, just go to LegitonlineJob and search for the different options available.
The options above are some kind of work that you can do on the internet and you wont need to deal with people face to face. However if you have social phobia i encourage you to look for professional help and follow a treatment, being alone is not going to improve your problem.
Check out the opportunity to work at home without messing with your stupid boss here
Follow an effective treatment such as behavioral therapy and improve your life, now you know how to start working on the internet, is up to you to improve you self.
Celexa for Social Anxiety
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Celexa for Social Anxiety
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rate or flag this page
By rayuso
Does Celexa works for Social Anxiety?
People that suffer from social anxiety are always looking for new medications to help them get over their symptoms, they want to get rid of anxiety and depression. The truth is that many of the medications and pills cause some kind of side effects but they can help in reducing some of the symptoms.
Celexa (Cetalopram) is a Selective Serotonin Reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) anti depressant. This medication is used to treat depression by restoring the unbalance of the chemicals in the brain.
You should only take this medication with a proper prescription from a doctor, do not attempt to take large amounts of it or much longer than recommended.
What people say about Celexa
Some people say that with this medication they could at least go out of their house to see a doctor, but it didnt help with getting a convrsation going on their daily life and they still avoidance.
Others report that some of the pleasure that they had are gone and they social anxiety and Agoraphobia have not gotten any better.
Others say that it works but the side effects are bad because they lack of sex drive.
The fact is that there are different views and results from each person that takes it, what seems to be common is that it has important side effects and it might not work for you, so you have to consult with your doctor first.
If you want, you can read reviews of celexa
Celexa Side Effects
There are different secondary effects that you need to be aware when taking this drug medications here are some of the most common:
Serious side effects
* tremors
* muscle stiffness
* shivering
* twitching Convulsions (seizure)
* problems with coordination
* agitation
* sweating
* confusion
* fast heartbeat
Minor side effects that occur more often:
* drowsiness, dizziness, trouble concentrating
* feeling nervous, restless, unable to sit still
* insomnia
* nausea, gas, loss of appetite
* weight changes
* decrease on sex desire, impotence, orgasm difficulty
* yawning, dry mouth
Other side effects could occur, but you should consult with your doctor, be careful when taking any medication and dont take larger dosis than what your doctor says.
Celexa Effects with Other Drugs
You should be careful of what other medications you take with celexa, you should not mix it while taking other medications such as:
carbamazepine, lithium, Prozac, Luvox,Imitrex, Frova, Amerge, Zomig and more. You should ask your doctor first and tell him what other medications, anti depressant or supplements you are taking right now.
* Also dont take alcohol while taking citalopram because it can increase the side effects.
* Never overdose on celexa
* Be careful if you are pregnant an antidepressant can cause problems to your child.
* When you first start to take an antidepressant you have to consult with your doctor on a regular basis and tell him how you feel and what your emotions are, if your symptoms get worse call your doctor immediately.
As you can see celexa is another medication used to treat symptoms of social anxiety, for some people can be useful but it has its risk so you should always look for a doctor first.
If you want to find an alternative more safe way to treat your social phobia you should try Cognitive Behavioral Therapy there are people that have achieved great results and you can too. The results and long term positive changes on your beliefs and thoughts of social interactions.
77
rate or flag this page
By rayuso
Does Celexa works for Social Anxiety?
People that suffer from social anxiety are always looking for new medications to help them get over their symptoms, they want to get rid of anxiety and depression. The truth is that many of the medications and pills cause some kind of side effects but they can help in reducing some of the symptoms.
Celexa (Cetalopram) is a Selective Serotonin Reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) anti depressant. This medication is used to treat depression by restoring the unbalance of the chemicals in the brain.
You should only take this medication with a proper prescription from a doctor, do not attempt to take large amounts of it or much longer than recommended.
What people say about Celexa
Some people say that with this medication they could at least go out of their house to see a doctor, but it didnt help with getting a convrsation going on their daily life and they still avoidance.
Others report that some of the pleasure that they had are gone and they social anxiety and Agoraphobia have not gotten any better.
Others say that it works but the side effects are bad because they lack of sex drive.
The fact is that there are different views and results from each person that takes it, what seems to be common is that it has important side effects and it might not work for you, so you have to consult with your doctor first.
If you want, you can read reviews of celexa
Celexa Side Effects
There are different secondary effects that you need to be aware when taking this drug medications here are some of the most common:
Serious side effects
* tremors
* muscle stiffness
* shivering
* twitching Convulsions (seizure)
* problems with coordination
* agitation
* sweating
* confusion
* fast heartbeat
Minor side effects that occur more often:
* drowsiness, dizziness, trouble concentrating
* feeling nervous, restless, unable to sit still
* insomnia
* nausea, gas, loss of appetite
* weight changes
* decrease on sex desire, impotence, orgasm difficulty
* yawning, dry mouth
Other side effects could occur, but you should consult with your doctor, be careful when taking any medication and dont take larger dosis than what your doctor says.
Celexa Effects with Other Drugs
You should be careful of what other medications you take with celexa, you should not mix it while taking other medications such as:
carbamazepine, lithium, Prozac, Luvox,Imitrex, Frova, Amerge, Zomig and more. You should ask your doctor first and tell him what other medications, anti depressant or supplements you are taking right now.
* Also dont take alcohol while taking citalopram because it can increase the side effects.
* Never overdose on celexa
* Be careful if you are pregnant an antidepressant can cause problems to your child.
* When you first start to take an antidepressant you have to consult with your doctor on a regular basis and tell him how you feel and what your emotions are, if your symptoms get worse call your doctor immediately.
As you can see celexa is another medication used to treat symptoms of social anxiety, for some people can be useful but it has its risk so you should always look for a doctor first.
If you want to find an alternative more safe way to treat your social phobia you should try Cognitive Behavioral Therapy there are people that have achieved great results and you can too. The results and long term positive changes on your beliefs and thoughts of social interactions.
How to deal with social anxiety
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A person that has social anxiety avoids social activities and stays alone most of the time to be safe from people that want to judge them and make them feel anxious. The problem is that they become frustrated, depressed and very lonely, negativity becomes part of their life.
So what do you have to do to deal with social anxiety? There are different things that you can do to improve your self but first i believe that is important that you believe in your self, you need feed your self confidence.
I want you to write down your strengths and weakness in a piece of paper. Your strengths can be any skill that you have, any sport that you play, cooking, playing an instrument, reading fast, passion for a topic or anything you love that you know a lot of.
* You have some weakness, those may be lack of social skills or you are too shy, etc. The point is that everyone has strengths and weakness as you, is just that you are too focus on your weakness, you are being too self conscious and you need to change your focus to your strengths.
Now, focus on your strengths on what you are good at and you love to do, there are many people that would like to have the skills you have and will love you to share with them.
* Here is a tip to deal with social anxiety, find and meet people that like to do what you do, have the same hobby or passion. For example if you like to play tennis find people that want to play tennis or take classes and meet those people, that will be an easier way to meet new friends rather than going to a difficult environment like the disco.
Another way is to find people that have problems or that need help for something that you are good at, that are your strengths and offer them your help, they will love you for it, you will make new friends and feel more comfortable with them.
Treating your social phobia
For some people pushing themselves forward to make social interactions and meet others becomes impossible even if they have the same interests and hobbies. So its important to look for professional help to you reduce your anxiety and avoid depression.
Medications can help you reduce anxiety and behavioral therapy can help you control your disorder or overcome it. In a behavioral therapy a psychotherapist identifies your thoughts and beliefs so he can then change them by make you understand that those beliefs are irrational.
* What you can do to identify your beliefs is, try a social situation on your daily life, something that makes you anxious, then when you get home write down what were your thoughts at that moments, how you felt and why do you think you were anxious, what did you think the other person though about you?
I have given you a general overview of how to deal with social anxiety, but the best way is to find professional help so someone can give you a treatment for your particular situation.
So what do you have to do to deal with social anxiety? There are different things that you can do to improve your self but first i believe that is important that you believe in your self, you need feed your self confidence.
I want you to write down your strengths and weakness in a piece of paper. Your strengths can be any skill that you have, any sport that you play, cooking, playing an instrument, reading fast, passion for a topic or anything you love that you know a lot of.
* You have some weakness, those may be lack of social skills or you are too shy, etc. The point is that everyone has strengths and weakness as you, is just that you are too focus on your weakness, you are being too self conscious and you need to change your focus to your strengths.
Now, focus on your strengths on what you are good at and you love to do, there are many people that would like to have the skills you have and will love you to share with them.
* Here is a tip to deal with social anxiety, find and meet people that like to do what you do, have the same hobby or passion. For example if you like to play tennis find people that want to play tennis or take classes and meet those people, that will be an easier way to meet new friends rather than going to a difficult environment like the disco.
Another way is to find people that have problems or that need help for something that you are good at, that are your strengths and offer them your help, they will love you for it, you will make new friends and feel more comfortable with them.
Treating your social phobia
For some people pushing themselves forward to make social interactions and meet others becomes impossible even if they have the same interests and hobbies. So its important to look for professional help to you reduce your anxiety and avoid depression.
Medications can help you reduce anxiety and behavioral therapy can help you control your disorder or overcome it. In a behavioral therapy a psychotherapist identifies your thoughts and beliefs so he can then change them by make you understand that those beliefs are irrational.
* What you can do to identify your beliefs is, try a social situation on your daily life, something that makes you anxious, then when you get home write down what were your thoughts at that moments, how you felt and why do you think you were anxious, what did you think the other person though about you?
I have given you a general overview of how to deal with social anxiety, but the best way is to find professional help so someone can give you a treatment for your particular situation.
Social Anxiety and Insecurity
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Meeting people, going to a party, eating in front of others, walking in public can become very scary and challenging situations for people that have social anxiety. It is known that millions of Americans suffer from this disorder and need professional help.
People with this disorder have an intense fear and insecurity of being judged and watch by others. What seems something very simple for any other person for them becomes a nightmare.
There is a clear link between social anxiety and insecurity, people that are insecure are more likely to have this disorder. The opposite side is people that are confident and can be in any social situation comfortably.
However just because a person is insecure it doesnt mean that he will have social phobia, in fact there are many people that are very insecure inside but are not constantly afraid of being watch or talking with people, they are insecure in certain situations with authorities and with new people.
The problem is that in people that is not confident social anxiety is more easily trigger. For example if you are an insecure person you dont talk too much, you are shy and people from school start to scrutinize you and tell you bad things about your body image and embarrass you in front of others, then social anxiety can appear and you might not feel comfortable in any social situation again for fear of being judged and scrutinize by them.
That is one possible cause for social phobia, however there are many other causes like genetics, chemical unbalance in the brain, the environment, cultural influences, a trauma, etc.
You should learn some strategies to cope with social anxiety and also take some treatments to help you get over it. There are no quick solutions but there are certain things that you can do to reduce your anxiety, depression and insecurities.
here are some things that you can do:
* Read some motivational books and success stories from people that have achieved great things, this will inspire you and make you feel more confident.
* Learn relaxation techniques like deep breathing and muscle relaxation this will help you reduce your anxiety in a social situation.
* The next time you are in a social situation and you feel anxious, take a look around and see that almost no one is actually looking at you, they are just like you and are in their own world.
* When you start to get anxious ask your self in the dangerous situation is real or is just an irrational fear. This can help you reduce your fear and recognize that there is nothing threatening.
* Take some communication courses to get communications skills, this can really help you be more confident and eliminate insecurities of not knowing what to say. You can learn how to approach people, how to make conversations, how to be physically confident and much more.
* If you find that is very difficult to meet new people because you dont know what to say or how to approach them, try to find people that have your same hobbies and interest, this way it will be much easier to talk to them because you like the same things.
One last thing that i want to recommend you is to take a treatment to eliminate your phobia, the best way is psychotherapy. You can take a Behavioral therapy where the psychotherapist will help you identify your fears in a give social situation and help you eliminate those irrational fears.
When you start to realize that your fears and anxiety are irrational and that you can change your negative beliefs you insecurities will start to disappear.
People with this disorder have an intense fear and insecurity of being judged and watch by others. What seems something very simple for any other person for them becomes a nightmare.
There is a clear link between social anxiety and insecurity, people that are insecure are more likely to have this disorder. The opposite side is people that are confident and can be in any social situation comfortably.
However just because a person is insecure it doesnt mean that he will have social phobia, in fact there are many people that are very insecure inside but are not constantly afraid of being watch or talking with people, they are insecure in certain situations with authorities and with new people.
The problem is that in people that is not confident social anxiety is more easily trigger. For example if you are an insecure person you dont talk too much, you are shy and people from school start to scrutinize you and tell you bad things about your body image and embarrass you in front of others, then social anxiety can appear and you might not feel comfortable in any social situation again for fear of being judged and scrutinize by them.
That is one possible cause for social phobia, however there are many other causes like genetics, chemical unbalance in the brain, the environment, cultural influences, a trauma, etc.
You should learn some strategies to cope with social anxiety and also take some treatments to help you get over it. There are no quick solutions but there are certain things that you can do to reduce your anxiety, depression and insecurities.
here are some things that you can do:
* Read some motivational books and success stories from people that have achieved great things, this will inspire you and make you feel more confident.
* Learn relaxation techniques like deep breathing and muscle relaxation this will help you reduce your anxiety in a social situation.
* The next time you are in a social situation and you feel anxious, take a look around and see that almost no one is actually looking at you, they are just like you and are in their own world.
* When you start to get anxious ask your self in the dangerous situation is real or is just an irrational fear. This can help you reduce your fear and recognize that there is nothing threatening.
* Take some communication courses to get communications skills, this can really help you be more confident and eliminate insecurities of not knowing what to say. You can learn how to approach people, how to make conversations, how to be physically confident and much more.
* If you find that is very difficult to meet new people because you dont know what to say or how to approach them, try to find people that have your same hobbies and interest, this way it will be much easier to talk to them because you like the same things.
One last thing that i want to recommend you is to take a treatment to eliminate your phobia, the best way is psychotherapy. You can take a Behavioral therapy where the psychotherapist will help you identify your fears in a give social situation and help you eliminate those irrational fears.
When you start to realize that your fears and anxiety are irrational and that you can change your negative beliefs you insecurities will start to disappear.
8 Ways To Beat And Overcome Shyness
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Shy people instinctively know that they are missing out. Shyness equals lost opportunities, less pleasure and fewer social connections. Shyness can be crippling but there are tried and tested ways to beat and overcome shyness to make it a thing of the past.
The formula for shyness is "too much focus on the self" plus anxiety. To make it even more unpleasant, sometimes when you are feeling shy you experience physical sensations which 'hijack' your calm logical self.
When I was in my teens I was very shy. Once, I met an attractive girl who attempted to engage me in conversation. However, my extreme shyness made me focus on me
noises! When I detected pity in her eyes (or was it contempt, or boredom) I mumbled my excuse and got out of there. I hated being shy and was determined to beat it.
How Shyness Is Developed And Maintained
Shyness really is a combination of social anxiety and social conditioning. In most cases, the heightened emotions of socializing when young simply condition you to respond to social events with fear, instead of excitement and pleasure. To overcome shyness you need to learn to relax socially. This enables you to direct your attention away from yourself and gives you the space to practice certain conversational skills.
To start reducing your own shyness, here are 8 effective tips and ideas that you can put into practice to beat and overcome shyness:
1.
Think about the way you feel and behave around familiar people you are comfortable and spontaneous around. It's that feeling transferred to new people and situations that equates to your emerging social confidence.
2.
One of the most effective way to beat shyness is by striking a conversation with someone new everyday. The next time you go get your cup of coffee or grocery, try adding a "Hi, how's your day?" to the person assisting you. When you start speaking, you help decrease the uncomfortable period between you and that person. Do this routine to one new person a day. Slowly, you will enjoy your little conversation success and find yourself really comfortable talking to strangers.
3.
Focus your attention away from yourself. Sure, you can think a little bit about how you are coming across, but if all your focus is on your own words and feelings then you might as well be by yourself. Notice what other people are wearing and make a mental note, listen to their conversation, imagine where they might live, make a point of remembering names. Not only does this give you more to talk about, it also 'dilutes' social anxiety leaving you feeling calmer.
4.
Ask people questions. Many people like to talk about themselves and will find you interesting if you find them interesting. Ask open questions that require more than a 'yes'/'no' response such as "What do you like about this place?" rather than: "Do you like this place?" Once they've answered use 'add-on' questions connected to the first such as: "Tell me more". This is a great way to keep the conversation going.
5.
Stop trusting your imagination so much! Have you ever had an imaginary picture in your mind of a holiday destination only to arrive and find the reality is different from the way you had imagined? That's how reliable imagination is. Stop imagining what others think. I do lots of public speaking and I've long since stopped trying to second guess what others think of me - it's just too painful. Besides, what a person thinks about you has a lot more to do with who they are than who you are.
6.
Stop using 'all or nothing' thinking. The 'completely this/completely that' style of thought occurs when you are emotional. People who are depressed, angry or anxious see reality in terms of differing extremes, simplistic all or nothing terms. An angry person is 'right' and you are 'wrong'; the depressed person feels like a 'failure' while others are a 'success'. In reality, life is composed of infinite gray areas. So stop fearing that you might say the 'wrong' thing! Or that people will 'hate' you. Once you start to relax more socially you'll notice much less black or white thinking because anxiety actually causes you to think in all or nothing terms.
7.
Take your time. You don't have to blurt things out. Ask questions and if questions are asked of you can take time to consider your response (within reason). Don't just blurt out what you think might be the 'right' answer. A slow answer is a relaxed answer.
8.
Finally, use self hypnotic rehearsal. Hypnosis is the quickest way to change your instinctive/emotional response to any situation. Only think about meeting others when your mind and body is relaxed. This conditions you to associate relaxation with being around new people. In fact you'll find that when you relax deeply enough often enough whilst hypnotically rehearsing being comfortable around others you'll reach the point where you just can't be shy any more! This is what I call a 'happy inability!'
The formula for shyness is "too much focus on the self" plus anxiety. To make it even more unpleasant, sometimes when you are feeling shy you experience physical sensations which 'hijack' your calm logical self.
When I was in my teens I was very shy. Once, I met an attractive girl who attempted to engage me in conversation. However, my extreme shyness made me focus on me
noises! When I detected pity in her eyes (or was it contempt, or boredom) I mumbled my excuse and got out of there. I hated being shy and was determined to beat it.
How Shyness Is Developed And Maintained
Shyness really is a combination of social anxiety and social conditioning. In most cases, the heightened emotions of socializing when young simply condition you to respond to social events with fear, instead of excitement and pleasure. To overcome shyness you need to learn to relax socially. This enables you to direct your attention away from yourself and gives you the space to practice certain conversational skills.
To start reducing your own shyness, here are 8 effective tips and ideas that you can put into practice to beat and overcome shyness:
1.
Think about the way you feel and behave around familiar people you are comfortable and spontaneous around. It's that feeling transferred to new people and situations that equates to your emerging social confidence.
2.
One of the most effective way to beat shyness is by striking a conversation with someone new everyday. The next time you go get your cup of coffee or grocery, try adding a "Hi, how's your day?" to the person assisting you. When you start speaking, you help decrease the uncomfortable period between you and that person. Do this routine to one new person a day. Slowly, you will enjoy your little conversation success and find yourself really comfortable talking to strangers.
3.
Focus your attention away from yourself. Sure, you can think a little bit about how you are coming across, but if all your focus is on your own words and feelings then you might as well be by yourself. Notice what other people are wearing and make a mental note, listen to their conversation, imagine where they might live, make a point of remembering names. Not only does this give you more to talk about, it also 'dilutes' social anxiety leaving you feeling calmer.
4.
Ask people questions. Many people like to talk about themselves and will find you interesting if you find them interesting. Ask open questions that require more than a 'yes'/'no' response such as "What do you like about this place?" rather than: "Do you like this place?" Once they've answered use 'add-on' questions connected to the first such as: "Tell me more". This is a great way to keep the conversation going.
5.
Stop trusting your imagination so much! Have you ever had an imaginary picture in your mind of a holiday destination only to arrive and find the reality is different from the way you had imagined? That's how reliable imagination is. Stop imagining what others think. I do lots of public speaking and I've long since stopped trying to second guess what others think of me - it's just too painful. Besides, what a person thinks about you has a lot more to do with who they are than who you are.
6.
Stop using 'all or nothing' thinking. The 'completely this/completely that' style of thought occurs when you are emotional. People who are depressed, angry or anxious see reality in terms of differing extremes, simplistic all or nothing terms. An angry person is 'right' and you are 'wrong'; the depressed person feels like a 'failure' while others are a 'success'. In reality, life is composed of infinite gray areas. So stop fearing that you might say the 'wrong' thing! Or that people will 'hate' you. Once you start to relax more socially you'll notice much less black or white thinking because anxiety actually causes you to think in all or nothing terms.
7.
Take your time. You don't have to blurt things out. Ask questions and if questions are asked of you can take time to consider your response (within reason). Don't just blurt out what you think might be the 'right' answer. A slow answer is a relaxed answer.
8.
Finally, use self hypnotic rehearsal. Hypnosis is the quickest way to change your instinctive/emotional response to any situation. Only think about meeting others when your mind and body is relaxed. This conditions you to associate relaxation with being around new people. In fact you'll find that when you relax deeply enough often enough whilst hypnotically rehearsing being comfortable around others you'll reach the point where you just can't be shy any more! This is what I call a 'happy inability!'
How To Overcome Social Anxiety Without Drugs
|
Overcome Social Anxiety
For those who suffer from social anxiety, learning how to overcome social phobia is extremely important. Social anxiety can create many problems at work, at home, in relationships, and in reality it keeps many sufferers stuck in a lifestyle that will never allow them to live full meaningful and productive lives.
Fortunately, overcoming social anxiety is possible and isn’t difficult. In most cases, the best solutions to overcoming this phobia is social skills training, and self help therapy, rather than drugs which is not able to produce permanent changes in your brain.
Defining Social Anxiety
Social anxiety is a psychological condition in which a person may feel an uncontrollable intense or overwhelming fear of any kind of social situation. More severe than shyness, suffers will always be excessively worried about themselves and what other people might think of them and will try to avoid all gatherings where they need to come in contact with a group of strangers. Individuals may also experience physical symptoms such as sweating, dizziness, muscle spasms and even palpitation while in a social envirnoment, and in more serious cases, panic attacks.
How to Overcome Social Anxiety
Since social anxiety disorder is mostly a psychological problem, you can significantly reduce your anxiety through a variety of interesting strategies without medications. Here are a few simple steps that you can take to overcome your own social anxiety.
1. Control Your Reaction to Fear - One of the biggest problems with any type of anxiety disorder is the reactions it causes in our bodies. Increased heart rate, a racing mind, sweating, shakiness, and other reactions can result from our fears. Overcoming these reactions is as simple as learning relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, and self hypnosis.
2. Prepare Yourself Mentally - Rather than let your fear of embarrassment or humiliation overwhelm you in social settings, role play a few scenairos in advamce to make sure you are well prepared for any challenging situations. If you are prepared for things that can go wrong and you know what to do and say in those awkward moments, you will have the confidence to keep calm and handle the situation well.
3. Face Your Fears - Sometimes, our social fears does not stem from a lack of social skills, but rather from a sense of insecurity and a lack of esteem. By stepping outside your comfort zone and placing yourself in uncomfortable situations such as speaking in front of your peers or complimenting someone, and doing it repeatly, the easier it becomes. Soon you will soon realize that there is actually nothing to fear from most people and you may even enjoy and laugh about it.
4. Get Involve Socially - Take an assertiveness class, volunteer for a event that keeps you in a social setting, and work to build relationships with people you normally wouldn’t. Alternatively, join a local or online support group and talk with other like minded individuals with the same problem and hear their struggles and triumphs. This will give you the confidence you need to help break your self imposed barrier of fear.
5. Positive Visualization And Affirmation - The way you think strongly influences the way you feel. The realization that only you can control how you think, and how those thoughts control you, is an important step in overcoming social anxiety. When those thoughts, such as “I’m going to fail” or “they will make fun of me” begin making their way into your mind, challenge those negativity and replace them with more realistic, calmer thoughts. Tell yourself that you are capable, confident, and wonderful to combat those negative thoughts. Positive visualization and affirmation are helpful in motivating you along the road to curing yourself of this problem and improving your self worth.
For those who suffer from social anxiety, learning how to overcome social phobia is extremely important. Social anxiety can create many problems at work, at home, in relationships, and in reality it keeps many sufferers stuck in a lifestyle that will never allow them to live full meaningful and productive lives.
Fortunately, overcoming social anxiety is possible and isn’t difficult. In most cases, the best solutions to overcoming this phobia is social skills training, and self help therapy, rather than drugs which is not able to produce permanent changes in your brain.
Defining Social Anxiety
Social anxiety is a psychological condition in which a person may feel an uncontrollable intense or overwhelming fear of any kind of social situation. More severe than shyness, suffers will always be excessively worried about themselves and what other people might think of them and will try to avoid all gatherings where they need to come in contact with a group of strangers. Individuals may also experience physical symptoms such as sweating, dizziness, muscle spasms and even palpitation while in a social envirnoment, and in more serious cases, panic attacks.
How to Overcome Social Anxiety
Since social anxiety disorder is mostly a psychological problem, you can significantly reduce your anxiety through a variety of interesting strategies without medications. Here are a few simple steps that you can take to overcome your own social anxiety.
1. Control Your Reaction to Fear - One of the biggest problems with any type of anxiety disorder is the reactions it causes in our bodies. Increased heart rate, a racing mind, sweating, shakiness, and other reactions can result from our fears. Overcoming these reactions is as simple as learning relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, and self hypnosis.
2. Prepare Yourself Mentally - Rather than let your fear of embarrassment or humiliation overwhelm you in social settings, role play a few scenairos in advamce to make sure you are well prepared for any challenging situations. If you are prepared for things that can go wrong and you know what to do and say in those awkward moments, you will have the confidence to keep calm and handle the situation well.
3. Face Your Fears - Sometimes, our social fears does not stem from a lack of social skills, but rather from a sense of insecurity and a lack of esteem. By stepping outside your comfort zone and placing yourself in uncomfortable situations such as speaking in front of your peers or complimenting someone, and doing it repeatly, the easier it becomes. Soon you will soon realize that there is actually nothing to fear from most people and you may even enjoy and laugh about it.
4. Get Involve Socially - Take an assertiveness class, volunteer for a event that keeps you in a social setting, and work to build relationships with people you normally wouldn’t. Alternatively, join a local or online support group and talk with other like minded individuals with the same problem and hear their struggles and triumphs. This will give you the confidence you need to help break your self imposed barrier of fear.
5. Positive Visualization And Affirmation - The way you think strongly influences the way you feel. The realization that only you can control how you think, and how those thoughts control you, is an important step in overcoming social anxiety. When those thoughts, such as “I’m going to fail” or “they will make fun of me” begin making their way into your mind, challenge those negativity and replace them with more realistic, calmer thoughts. Tell yourself that you are capable, confident, and wonderful to combat those negative thoughts. Positive visualization and affirmation are helpful in motivating you along the road to curing yourself of this problem and improving your self worth.
How to develop basic communication skills for someone suffering from Social Anxiety Disorder for 20+ years
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How to develop basic communication skills for someone suffering from Social Anxiety Disorder for 20+ years
83
rate or flag this page
By Satori
I've had Social Anxiety for years now, and I've overcome it. I can start conversations easily with nearly anyone. My secret? Homelessness. It forced me to interact with people even though I wouldn't choose to. But there are similar solutions that are less extreme that will do the same thing.
* Go to a bar that also has music you like, and drink. I'm serious! Get drunk and chatty. Try dancing, if you feel like you want to. It lowers inhibitions for everyone, not just people without Social Anxiety Disorder.
* For a less extreme version of what I went through, have a friend drop you off in a large city at least fifty miles away from where you live, with only enough money on you to make a phone call in an emergency. No cel phone, and no wallet. Now get yourself home. How you do it is up to you, but I guarantee you will learn to strike up conversations with people, and then you'll know you can do it.
* Consider for a moment just what you're anxious about. I'm not suggesting countering anxiety with logic; that doesn't work. But in my case, I was anxious about other people's opinions of me or my behavior. "Oh no! They're all scrutinizing me!" Well, so what? Have you seen most people? These are the same people who subsidize human torture and the war in Iraq. I'm not saying that people aren't fundamentally valid - because that's never the case. But the level of hypocrisy of most people's choices stinks. Are you seriously worried that those people are going to think badly of you? Seriously. If you're anything like me, your anxiety comes from a sense of perfectionism you have about yourself. Somewhere inside you, you know that you should be better. Or perfect. And you're right. It's part of your dignity and grace as a spiritual being. But you can't manifest it totally overnight, you can just be better and better, to the best of your ability. And if you're closer to perfect than most people who live essentially thoughtlessly, they have a loooooong way to go before they're doing well enough to look down on you. So frag 'em and their opinions about you - which aren't your business anyway - and just get on with being the best person you can be. Starting with letting loose and having fun every now and then. You certainly deserve it.
* There is something called a Toastmasters Club. They encourage and develop social and public speaking skills by getting together and taking turns having one of their members give a speech over lunch. Check for a chapter in your area. You're hardly likely to find a more supportive environment to bring out the New You and start showing it off.
* Avoid coffee and other stimulants. They only make it worse. It's kind of obvious, but I don't know your habits.
* Do something outside your comfort zone that has nothing to do with approaching people socially. Take skydiving if you're so inclined. Or scuba diving. Something "out there" - maybe even something a little kinky. Whatever it is, make sure it's something that you're interested in or curious about, and that it's something outside your normal comfort zone. You'll discover that just because something is outside that comfort zone, it isn't the end of everything. And you can then take that first-hand experience and apply it inside yourself to your social comfort zone.
* Don't give yourself an emotional breakdown over this. There's no sense in building up even more anxiety about your anxiety issues. Ask yourself honestly if you feel that you're giving a fair amount of effort to getting past your anxiety, and if you are, let it go and don't worry about it. Respect yourself and take the time you need to work through it. You deserve that too.
* Remember that the people in stable and healthy emotional places in their lives - and that means the people that should matter to you - will love and accept you regardless. Would you really want to pin your hopes on someone who's so fickle or shallow that they'd think less of you for an honest mistake? I wouldn't either. =)
83
rate or flag this page
By Satori
I've had Social Anxiety for years now, and I've overcome it. I can start conversations easily with nearly anyone. My secret? Homelessness. It forced me to interact with people even though I wouldn't choose to. But there are similar solutions that are less extreme that will do the same thing.
* Go to a bar that also has music you like, and drink. I'm serious! Get drunk and chatty. Try dancing, if you feel like you want to. It lowers inhibitions for everyone, not just people without Social Anxiety Disorder.
* For a less extreme version of what I went through, have a friend drop you off in a large city at least fifty miles away from where you live, with only enough money on you to make a phone call in an emergency. No cel phone, and no wallet. Now get yourself home. How you do it is up to you, but I guarantee you will learn to strike up conversations with people, and then you'll know you can do it.
* Consider for a moment just what you're anxious about. I'm not suggesting countering anxiety with logic; that doesn't work. But in my case, I was anxious about other people's opinions of me or my behavior. "Oh no! They're all scrutinizing me!" Well, so what? Have you seen most people? These are the same people who subsidize human torture and the war in Iraq. I'm not saying that people aren't fundamentally valid - because that's never the case. But the level of hypocrisy of most people's choices stinks. Are you seriously worried that those people are going to think badly of you? Seriously. If you're anything like me, your anxiety comes from a sense of perfectionism you have about yourself. Somewhere inside you, you know that you should be better. Or perfect. And you're right. It's part of your dignity and grace as a spiritual being. But you can't manifest it totally overnight, you can just be better and better, to the best of your ability. And if you're closer to perfect than most people who live essentially thoughtlessly, they have a loooooong way to go before they're doing well enough to look down on you. So frag 'em and their opinions about you - which aren't your business anyway - and just get on with being the best person you can be. Starting with letting loose and having fun every now and then. You certainly deserve it.
* There is something called a Toastmasters Club. They encourage and develop social and public speaking skills by getting together and taking turns having one of their members give a speech over lunch. Check for a chapter in your area. You're hardly likely to find a more supportive environment to bring out the New You and start showing it off.
* Avoid coffee and other stimulants. They only make it worse. It's kind of obvious, but I don't know your habits.
* Do something outside your comfort zone that has nothing to do with approaching people socially. Take skydiving if you're so inclined. Or scuba diving. Something "out there" - maybe even something a little kinky. Whatever it is, make sure it's something that you're interested in or curious about, and that it's something outside your normal comfort zone. You'll discover that just because something is outside that comfort zone, it isn't the end of everything. And you can then take that first-hand experience and apply it inside yourself to your social comfort zone.
* Don't give yourself an emotional breakdown over this. There's no sense in building up even more anxiety about your anxiety issues. Ask yourself honestly if you feel that you're giving a fair amount of effort to getting past your anxiety, and if you are, let it go and don't worry about it. Respect yourself and take the time you need to work through it. You deserve that too.
* Remember that the people in stable and healthy emotional places in their lives - and that means the people that should matter to you - will love and accept you regardless. Would you really want to pin your hopes on someone who's so fickle or shallow that they'd think less of you for an honest mistake? I wouldn't either. =)
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