How can you overcome social anxiety?
I've been dealing with social anxiety since I was a little kid. At first, everyone just assumed I was an introvert, and that I just liked to keep to myself. But as time went on, I just kept avoiding social situations more and more until it was obvious something was wrong. Now I've been working towards overcoming it, but it is a lot harder that I'd anticipated. Instead of getting used to socializing with others, the more I do it, the more I confirm for myself that I don't like it. Its like you're at an amusement park with your friends, and there is a ride you really don't want to go on, but your friends are pressuring you to ride it. They eventually convince you, but the ride is just as bad, if not worse than you thought it would be, and afterwards you realize you were right all along, and you never want to ride it again. So how can I get past social anxiety if I can't get used to social situations?
Hey im the same way and i think that people dont accept you if your shy they judge you more I dont think I will ever overcome my anxiety issues because of everything that I been through but I accept it but others cant some understand and others dont get it most people seem.so free im not even free just trapped I hope you can overcome it just keep practcing😔💜
I suffer from social anxiety as well and it is so hard for me to do anything but exposure although uncomfortable is the only way to ease it a bit, at least to be able to go to a store our something outside the house. I work on it all the time , you keep trying and things will get better for you. Take care.
Hi there, everyone
I can't tell you that I have the solution for your social anxiety even though I wish I did. What I can do is share the story of my battle with social anxiety.
I also struggled with social anxiety from a young age. I struggled with the fears of what other people thought of me. I made preconceptions of what they thought of me - of which they were all negative. I concentrated on negative thoughts to "prepare myself on the offchance that they actually were thinking negatively of me". I had the automatic thoughts that were so out of control. And I avoided every social situation that I could, whether it was a big social occasion or being in the workplace kitchenette with one other person.
I lived it all.
It can be managed however and when you do begin to manage it, those negative thoughts start to disappear. The automatic thoughts stop. And things do change for the better.
I began my journey back in September of 2014 and am proud to say that I manage my social anxiety effectively now. My choice of words there was quite deliberate. I do not believe that social anxiety is something that can be cured, but you can control how you think and respond to situations, which makes your anxiety more manageable :)
I've been told that I need to do everything that I feel I can't doto overcome social anxiety. I've done many of these things many times through the years, including some that are very hard for us.But after all of the efforts, successes, etc I still feel anxious when an opportunity of socializing appears so I'm not sure of how much exposure actually "cures" the thing.
This could be something that only happens to me because I have other issues that need to be treated so maybe I'm not a good example. Anyways, it got slightly better but although I know in my mind that everything is alright, I keep getting anxiety. Maybe I need to work on understanding things better or a different way.
However, exposure helped me get better with a phobia I have with spiders and the anxiety I got here was way worse. Curious.
hi there @girl3132
you are right and inquestioning whether there is a miraculouscure for social anxiety.the goal in my eyesis to be able to manage it at the end of the day. if you achieve that thing you have done well or are doing well
