Wednesday, May 30, 2012

How to Deal With Social Anxiety

Expert Author Chad Klass
There are some quick tips you can learn that will help you to start to overcome your social anxiety. When you are feeling anxious, the best things to focus on are your emotions, thoughts and behaviors. You can deal with your anxiety by learning to focus on these three areas and soon you'll be able to feel more relaxed in various social settings.
Cognitive behavioral therapy can be useful and you should check into it if you have time. But if you want some quick tips that you can try out right now, continue reading this article.
Step one in dealing with your anxiety is to accept it and know it's there. Understand how it makes you feel. Part of social anxiety is a feeling of inferiority to others. Once you realize that you feel that way, and accept those feelings along with who you are, your anxious thoughts will begin to diminish. It sounds a bit contradictory. But part of any type of anxiety that makes it even worse is an amount of denial, which intensifies the anxiety.
Many people who suffer from social anxiety think too much and are always worried about what others may think of them. Stop thinking so much! You'll be able to greatly diminish your socially anxious thoughts by thinking about other things and not focusing on what others may be thinking about you.
If you suffer from this type of anxiety, it's not uncommon to feel alone and depressed. The manifestation of these emotions usually drive away potential friendships or relationships. It's human nature not to be around people who are constantly depressed. People want to be around fun and happy people. To counteract your social anxiety, try smiling and laughing. Talk with people and be happy. You'll soon notice others being drawn to you. Once you form a few solid friendships, your social anxiety should begin to melt away.
Never be afraid of having anxiety. Most people have a little anxiety in social settings from time to time. The trick is to face your fears and work to overcome them. Remember to try deep breathing and relaxation exercises. They will help to calm you and make facing a social setting a little easier.
Some people find online self-help programs to be useful and others prefer to seek professional counseling. The key is to do whatever feels most comfortable to you. You need to take small steps and win minor victories. Each little victory will give you a little extra confidence. The more confidence you feel, the less socially anxious you will be.
Chad Klass is an author who has suffered from anxiety and social anxiety over the years. He now wants to do what he can to help others deal with the problems of social anxiety. For social anxiety resources, check out Chad's blog.

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