Extremely Shy Or Social Anxiety?

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Monday, October 12th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed

Dealing with Social Anxiety can be tough but there are many things you can do to make you more comfortable in social situations. Learning to control your emotions and thoughts is not easy but it is possible to gain a considerable amount of control in little time. Adjustments in the way you react to situations can be made gradually.

First, make an effort to adjust your thinking towards a more positive one. Attempt to stop yourself when engaged in negative self-talk. Using the power of visualizations, practice being a pillar of confidence everyday. By building these positive visual memories you’ll start feeling a bit more confident.

For most sufferers of social anxiety disorder, simply thinking about certain experiences is enough to cause symptoms. Vivid imagination and real life experiences act on the nervous system the same way. This can be used with positive effect. With each incident that triggers anxiety, in advance get yourself in a positive state by imagining things going really well.

We’ve all had bad experiences but to dwell on past negatives is only going to make you more depressed. Don’t replay bad experiences in your head over and over again. Usually when we replay the bad experiences we make them bigger than they really are. Making mistakes is part of life so don’t take bad experiences get the better of you.

If you can’t stop thinking about something, use distractions; go for a jog, exercise, read or bake a cake. Try also to replay experiences differently, in a positive way. Add bright colors, make things silly and funny, and see yourself redoing everything with confidence.

Adjust your physiology and behavior gradually; speak louder, smile more and be more direct. Picture someone who is confident and assertive and mimic what they do. Study what they do that makes them appear confident; their body language, speech and behavior. Practice these new behaviors everyday and gradually introduce them into your social life.

Avoid stimulants that can aggravate social anxiety symptoms such as caffeine and nicotine. Herbal drinks such as chamomile are non-caffeinated and relaxing. Watch lots of comedies to help build up background happiness and also to help you unwind at the end of the day.

These simple tips for social anxiety can make a difference in your life. Changes take time, so be patient. Furthermore, advanced techniques can be used to quickly relieve symptoms. Read more about these advanced methods at the social anxiety help site.