How to overcome social anxiexty?

Hi, first of all thank you for writing to us!

Social anxiety is one of the most common anxiety disorders, and many of us will recognize some – or all – of the symptoms of social anxiety. In this reply, I will start with the most common symptoms of social anxiety and thereafter say something about how you may start to work on this on your own and lastly how to seek help. 

• What is social anxiety? 

Are you scared of being judged by others? Are you self-conscious in everyday social situations? Do you avoid meeting new people due to fear or anxiety? Do you worry a lot before meeting people and planning how to behave? If you have been feeling this way for at least 6 months and these feelings make it hard for you to do everyday tasks—such as talking to people at work or uni—you may have social anxiety disorder.

Social anxiety disorder is an intense, persistent fear of being watched and judged by others. This fear can affect the studies, coming to class, participate in social activities and other daily activities. It can even make it hard to make and keep friends. The good news is that social anxiety disorder is treatable. 

• How can I reduce social anxiety of my own?

The first step is to recognize the symptoms. “How does my social anxiety work?” “What situations trigger the anxiety?” “Is it every social situation, or are some situations manageable?” 

What are my trigger thoughts? Usually these are thoughts such as:

• “What if people don’t like me?”
• “What if I make a fool out of myself?”
• “What if other people see that I’m anxious?”

How do I cope with my feelings and thoughts? Do I decline invitations, not show up or plan my visit in detail? When you know what you are doing, it may be easier to work around how you deal with your thoughts and feelings. For example - is it possible to try to say hi to fellow students instead of looking down? Perhaps you can try to focus on the lecture instead on trying to figure out what other people think of you. These are baby steps but try not to listen to these thoughts. Instead, try to focus on what is happening around you and see what you may discover? 

• Where can I seek help?

If your social anxiety makes your everyday life stressful and tough, and it is difficult to attend your studies, you may seek help at your samskipnad. It's important for you to know that therapy can help you to overcome your social anxiety. 

I hope that this was helpful, and that you can start exploring these ideas on your own or seek help if you need it.