How to stop social anxiety

Do I have social anxiety? And what to do about it

Social anxiety is when you feel anxiety and fear when interacting with other people, especially in social situations.

Often you can feel panic coming over you, you stumble over your words, want the floor to swallow you up, can’t make eye contact and worrying what others are thinking or what you should say next.

This can leave us feeling disconnected and stuck in our own heads, so that we cannot enjoy ourselves. It can feel like the spotlight is on us whilst your thoughts race a million miles an hour.

I would get hot and flushed and try to hide what was happening for me. This is the horrid truth of social anxiety, it can ruin so many elements of your life.

I remember making excuses, like needing the toilet, just so I could be alone.

I would avoid social situations, turn down invitations and not answer the phone, for fear anxiety would strike again.

I’m sure you can relate to this because it is more common than you would think. This limited my life, restricting me in not only social situations but it could strike in any context, with family, friends, peers or colleagues.

Three tips to try to get your anxiety in check

Over the last 15 years I have worked as a therapist and resilience coach. During this time I have taken a deep dive into anxiety, overcome it and taught many people how to do the same. So, I wanted to share a few quick tips for you to try out.

TIP ONE
Breathe! When we are anxious we tend to breathe shallowly or hold our breath; this changes the gas levels in our blood and starves us of oxygen. So, when you feel anxious, make a point of doing slow, steady breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.

TIP TWO
When you notice yourself getting anxious, place both feet flat on the floor. This gives you a nice stable base. Place your focus and attention on your feet, paying attention to the contact between your feet and the floor. Then start to move your focus from your head and thoughts to the floor, which is more grounding.

TIP THREE
Focus on the other person, asking someone questions and letting them talk can be a whole lot easier than the focus being on you! If you ask questions that get the other person to open up, you can simply be with them and listen to what they say. People love to talk about themselves so this takes the pressure off of you.

However your anxiety is showing up in your life, whatever you are feeling anxious about, learning what anxiety is and the tools to master your mind are vital in beating anxiety. 

Want to end your social anxiety?  

If you have found this interesting and want to finally learn what is needed to live beyond anxiety and introduce calm into your life, I have prepared an online masterclass which is free to join. 

I will be debunking some of the myths about anxiety and teaching you some powerful tools you can use straight away in your life. 

You can register by clicking below and start your journey beyond anxiety today.  I can’t wait to share what I have learned over the last 15 years, ridding myself and so many others of anxiety, both as a therapist in mental health services and as a coach. 

Click here to register for your free masterclass.

See you in the training. 

Your Calm Coach and Trainer
David Williams 

 

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