Navigating the Waves: A Guide to Managing Social Anxiety

Social anxiety is one of the most common forms of anxiety, yet most people feel very alone in what they are going through. It's that persistent fear of judgment, the trembling before social interactions, and the urge to retreat into the safety of solitude. It's real and it's challenging. With the right support and treatment, social anxiety doesn’t have to take over our life. In this blog, we'll explore strategies and insights to help navigate the turbulent waters of social anxiety.

Understanding Social Anxiety

It’s important to clarify that social anxiety isn't just shyness. Social anxiety disorder involves an intense and persistent fear of social situations, among other symptoms. It can manifest in various ways, from avoiding social gatherings to experiencing physical symptoms like sweating, trembling, or a racing heart when faced with social interactions.

Practicing Self-Compassion

Self-compassion can be one of the most challenging, yet important parts of working through anxiety. Often the first step of taking back control in our life is accepting that it is okay to feel it; you are not your anxiety or a failure for experiencing it. Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding you would offer a friend facing similar challenges. Another important thing to remember is that progress is not linear and often progress takes time. It doesn’t look the way we often think it will or want it to, but that doesn’t mean it’s not happening. 

Remember Difficult Emotions Are Normal

There is often a misconception that we shouldn’t feel anxiety or other difficult emotions. These are a natural part of life and the human existence. When we fight feeling things like anxiety and sadness, it often leads to even more difficult emotions. Think of it like an emotional snowball (I’m anxious about my anxiety, and now I’m angry that I’m so anxious). Surprisingly, difficult emotions become a lot easier to deal with when we let them be there and we let go of the self-judgement we feel while experiencing them. 

Responding to Our Thoughts Differently

Social anxiety often feeds on unhelpful thoughts and self-doubt. Depending on your therapist’s approach (if you are seeing one) and what works best for you, you can use different strategies to lessen the power these thoughts have over you. For example, we often jump to the conclusion that others are judging us when they really aren’t; we can practice recognizing this is happening and reminding ourselves that we have no evidence to support this assumption. We could also look for other alternatives to negative conclusions we jumped to. Perhaps we work on practicing mindfulness techniques to be able to notice which thoughts are taking over and ground ourselves so they have less impact on our emotional state. 

Gradual Exposure

Facing your fears head-on might seem daunting, but gradual exposure can help you get better at managing anxiety-provoking situations and build confidence in yourself. This might look like starting small by exposing yourself to mildly uncomfortable social scenarios, then gradually increase the difficulty as you build the skills and ability to do so. Celebrate each small victory along the way, no matter how insignificant it may seem. An experienced therapist can help you with this process, if it feels daunting to do alone. 

Develop Coping Strategies

It is helpful to build a toolkit of different coping strategies to navigate challenging moments. Different people find different things helpful and not every tool will work for every situation. Some examples of strategies that people find helpful for social anxiety include deep breathing exercises, mindfulness techniques, and progressive muscle relaxation.These tools can help manage all the uncomfortable physical symptoms that also come along with anxiety. overwhelmed.

Seek Support

We often feel isolated in the difficult things we are going through. Reaching out to supportive friends, family members, or mental health professionals is often an important part of learning to  manage social anxiety. Joining a support group or seeking therapy can provide a safe space to share experiences and learn from others facing similar challenges.

Practice Self-Care

With anxiety treatment, there is often a focus on reactive strategies that we use in the moment we are struggling. It’s important to also focus on proactive strategies, which means doing things that help nurture our emotional and mental well being. Engage in activities that bring you joy and relaxation, whether it's spending time in nature, pursuing hobbies, or practicing mindfulness. Establishing healthy lifestyle habits, such as regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and sufficient sleep, can also bolster your resilience against anxiety. This is important for regulating our nervous system, so we are more equipped to handle difficulties. 

Conclusion

Social anxiety can take over, leaving you feeling like your world is so much smaller. With patience, perseverance, and self-compassion, it's possible to learn how to manage it and take back the life you want. Remember, you're not alone and there's no shame in seeking support. Together, we can navigate the waves of social anxiety and emerge stronger, more resilient, and more connected to ourselves and others.

Want to learn more about anxiety? Leave us a comment with what would be helpful for you!