Nearly 20 percent of Americans experience social anxiety at some point in their lives. Unfortunately, many never even realize that they have the condition because the side effects differ. If you feel anxious, you may want to consider these tips.
1. Address Your Anxiety
Sometimes, acknowledging that you are anxious can do the trick. Recognize that your brain is tricking you into thinking that you are in danger, but the reality is that you are fine.
2. Heart Rate Variability Training
This method requires that you examine the physical symptoms of anxiety in your body and then use this knowledge to fight back against the fight-or-flight response.
3. Seek Therapy
It is never a weakness to admit that you need help. Therapists who specialize in social anxiety can help you through a series of exercises and possibly even through eye movement desensitization and reprocessing sessions.
4. Learn the Art of Touch
It may seem counterproductive at first, but reaching out and touching somebody can actually relieve social anxiety symptoms.
5. Become Comfortable with Names
If you struggle with social anxiety, it is helpful to learn and remember the names of those around you. The better you are at remembering names, the quicker you show people that you care, building a comfortable kinship. You can do this with the help of memory association tricks.
6. Give Compliments Generously
Everybody loves a good compliment, and you will feel better about yourself when you throw out genuine compliments as you feel them. Complimenting somebody’s fashion sense, hair, or taste in entertainment is a good place to start.
7. Become a Good Listener
Sometimes the best way to have a social life is to become a good listener. In order to do this, you will find yourself asking a lot of questions. People love to talk about themselves, so simply asking a question like, “What was that like?” will trigger a deep conversation.
8. Create a Solid Routine
Nearly anybody can benefit from building a routine that makes them feel good about themselves. For those with social anxiety, simply getting up early every morning and going for a run can set the tone for the day.
9. Always Find Common Ground
When you think about it, you can find something in common with nearly every human in the world. Sometimes breaking the silence simply requires one person to bring up something the two have in common. If you meet somebody through a friend you can always ask, “So, how do you know them?”
Image via: Healthscopers
