How to break free from Anxiety
In New Zealand, 9.4% of adults will suffer from social anxiety at some time in their life. It’s more than being nervous or shy, its an overwhelming fear of social situations, worrying of being judged, embarrassed or humiliated and the result is significant distress. Going out in public or speaking on the phone can become challenging, which, as you can imagine, can have a huge effect on your day-to-day activities. This can be long term if not addressed.
Options for Social Anxiety
Swift Apatheia is a form of psychotherapy derived from integrating trauma therapy, neurophysiology, memory, imagination and linguistics. It’s a journey or process of discovery of our personal issues, by becoming more conscious of parts of ourselves that we were previously not aware of. Like a ripple effect, this important part of learning about ourselves, helps us improve our relationships with others.
The basis of Swift Apatheia has been scientifically proven in ongoing research in many places around the world. Developmental theories in these therapy techniques have been successfully used worldwide in Neuro Linguistic Programming practitioners for more that thirty years to bring peace to those needing help to deal with their anxiety, trauma and many other personal issues, without talking at length about it, or taking medication.
Counselling therapy is a type of talk therapy where you and your therapist will work together to focus on changing the way you think about yourself, other people and situations.
Medication may be prescribed by your Dr for anxiety if other treatments haven't worked. These drugs can help reduce symptoms such as panic attacks, excessive worry or fearfulness that make it hard to go out in public or interact with others.
Self-help strategies are also helpful, such as relaxation techniques (like deep breathing), meditation or yoga; exercise; keeping a journal; making time for fun activities like reading books or playing video games; getting enough sleep each night (7-8 hours) - these are all things that have been shown to help improve social skills over time!
Strategies for Coping with Social Anxiety
Deep breathing is a great way to reduce your anxiety and calm yourself down. It's also a good way to get in touch with your body and focus on something other than what's causing you stress. Breathe deep into your belly for the count of three (or five if you can make it), and out through your mouth gently. Repeat until calm .
Positive Self-Talk is necessary when you're feeling anxious. Often, before you know it, the voice in your head with all the negative thinking patterns that are not helpful or true at all has become larger than life. Saying things like "I'm going to mess up," "they don’t like me anyway," or "I'll never succeed." Instead of letting these thoughts take over, practice reframing them into something more positive by saying things like "I've done this before, so I can do it again" or "people might me, they just don’t know me well enough yet." This will help shift your mindset away from negative thoughts toward ones that are more realistic and supportive!
How to Build Self-Confidence
Set realistic goals for yourself
Become consciously aware of your successes however small, and celebrate them.
Practice self-care. It is not selfish.
Dealing with Social Anxiety in the Workplace
People with social anxiety have been found to compensate for the difficulties they are experiencing at work, so they can do their job. This would include things like checking their work over and over to ensure there are no mistakes or redoing it and only communicating via email to avoid any closer contact. This takes up alot of time and energy, leaving the anxiety sufferer often out of sight for any possible promotion. It’s not uncommon for people with social anxiety to avoid the situations that make them anxious altogether.
There are a number of ways to cope with social anxiety in the workplace. First, it's important to identify the triggers that cause your anxiety (however small) and then develop coping strategies for them.
Tips for Social Anxiety in Social Settings
Focus on the Positive. When you're feeling anxious in social settings, it can be easy to focus on what's wrong with your situation or how awkward you feel. Instead of thinking about these things, try focusing on what is going well and how much fun everyone else seems to be having.
Be Assertive. There's no need to go out of your way to be aggressive or forceful when speaking with others. If someone asks a question or makes an observation that requires an answer from you, don't let shyness get in your way! Answer confidently and politely (even if you don't know all the details), then move along with whatever activity is next on the agenda.
Choose your company wisely. If possible, avoid situations where there will be lots of strangers around. instead try joining up with friends or acquaintances who are already comfortable around each other so they can help make things easier for both you as well as them.
Managing Social Anxiety in Relationships
When it comes to social anxiety, relationships are a big part of the problem. If you're afraid of what others think, or if you have difficulty making friends because of your shyness and introversion, then it's likely that your relationship with your partner will suffer as well.
Be Honest and Open. Communication is key when it comes to any relationship. however, this is especially true for those who suffer from social anxiety. If something is bothering you or making you feel uncomfortable about being around other people, whether it's an upcoming party or even just going out for dinner, it's important that both partners communicate their feelings openly so that there aren't any surprises later on down the line.
Establish Boundaries. Boundaries can be defined as "the limits of behavior that may safely happen without adverse consequences."
Now you know how to overcome social anxiety and make friends. You've learned how to build self-confidence and manage your emotions, as well as how to be more assertive in social situations.
You can use this guide as a reference whenever you need it, or you can return here for a quick refresher on any of the steps that are covered in this article.
If you have any questions or concerns about anything we discussed here, please don't hesitate to reach out! I’m always happy to help our readers with anything they need!