5 Tips for Dealing With Social Phobia
Living with social phobia is a constant challenge to those that suffer from it. Their fear is not just the tingling nervousness that most people experience but an overwhelming terror that consumes them. There are ways to cope with this terror that have been proven to work if the person is willing to give them a chance. There is never any one sure fire thing that works for everyone yet one or more of the following ideas might be useful.
- Understand the true fear: Understanding the underlying fear if vital. Something made one this afraid of being humiliated. This core thing is going to be different for each person. Is it grounded on something that happened to them when they were younger or is it the result of a lack of self-confidence or poor self-image. Knowing the genuine cause of the fear is the first step in overcoming it.
- What is your inner message saying?: Many people have that inner voice that just tells them they are going to fail. Becoming aware of this inner conversation with one's self and changing the message one gives one's self will help reduce anxiety levels greatly. Instead of telling one's self that they are going to mess up learn to say that 'I can do this'. That inner conversation is very important.
- Be realistic: Do not expect to go from suffering social phobia to being able to give the keynote address at a packed college graduation over night. This is not the time to dive right in to the deep end. Wade in first facing what the fear is in slow steps and small doses first. Rome was not built in a day and this phobia is not going to be defeated in one either.
- Remember to breath: Take slow, deep breaths when confronted with one's fear. This will help maintain an attitude of calm or at least help avoid a panic response when confronted with the fear.
- Don't go it alone: Take a trusted friend or family member when knowingly going into an anxiety ridden situation. There is no reason to face this fear all alone. Lean on those that offer love and support and allow them to help with this.
These are only a few tips for dealing with social phobia. All of them are not going to work for everyone but one or two of them may be helpful in each situation.