Top 10 Methods to Help Overcome Social Anxiety

If you find yourself getting anxious at the thought of meeting new people or speaking in front of a group, you may be suffering from social anxiety.

Social anxiety causes one to avoid social situations. Many people rely on self-medication or the abuse of drugs and alcohol to get them through these situations.

Luckily, there are methods you can use to find relief in healthy ways!

1. Put yourself out there. It can be a daunting prospect, but try to accept any invitations you are given, even if you don’t particularly want to go. With a positive attitude, the more you practice, the easier it becomes.

2. Get help from a professional. Of course, talking to a close friend about your anxiety may help, but remember that they aren’t trained for this. Make an appointment to speak to a professional therapist. They may be able to suggest some customized coping mechanisms that would work for you.

3. Strengthen your overall health. Poor health can leave you feeling anxious. Eat nutritious foods and exercise regularly. Healthy food and exercise both uplift your mood and can decrease stress and anxiety. Exercise also helps to release feel-good hormones.

Besides getting some exercise, joining a local fitness class would also allow you to practice meeting new people while those feel-good hormones are in full effect. This will make it easier for you to cope with meeting them. Plus, who knows - you might meet your new best friend!

4. Write it down. List the times that you have managed to overcome your fears. What did you do to overcome your fears in this situation? How did you feel when this happened?

• Whenever you encounter an event where you are feeling socially anxious, write that down, too. How does this situation compare with the ones on your list?

• Regular reflection of the times you were successful in combating your fears can help with current situations.

5. Congratulate yourself. You may not be confident in public, but you have plenty of other things that you can be proud of! Recognize and remind yourself of any achievements you have made. This will help boost your confidence, which will help you overcome social issues as well.

6. Practice your social skills. Learn how to make introductions and give compliments. Practice making eye contact and remembering names. Listen to what others have to say and keep the focus on them - not you.

• These few skills will not only help you through a social situation, but the other person will walk away from the conversation feeling like a million bucks!

• Remember - others will not always remember what you said, but they will remember how you made them feel!

7. Join a support group. Talking to others who are undergoing the same challenges as you are can be comforting. Plus, you will all be able to encourage each other and offer support and advice from your own experiences.

8. Try going somewhere new. When you go to new places, you’ll meet new people. Using your new skills to interact with them will give you more practice and confidence in dealing with social situations.

9. Remember that you don’t need to be perfect. Those with social anxiety have a tendency to think that they need to be perfect. Yet, perfection isn’t attainable for anyone! Instead of trying to be perfect, try and enjoy the moment and have a “that’ll do” attitude.

10. Read a self-help book about overcoming social anxiety. There are many inspiring stories about others with social anxiety who have transformed their lives after overcoming their social fears. These stories can inspire you to keep trying as well.

Breaking the cycle of social anxiety will take some time and practice, but you can do this! Reward yourself for each small step you make.

Focus on the journey ahead and the steps you can take that will bring you success. Before long, you won’t have to worry about social anxiety again!

A caring counsellor can help you deal with social anxiety issues. While working with your counsellor, you’ll experience freedom from the bonds in which social anxiety has held you captive. Contact us today to learn how we can help you overcome social anxiety.

Photos:

“Counselling”, Courtesy of Schvets Productions, Pexels.com, Free License; “Woman Writing”, Courtesy of Vlada Karpovich, Pexels.com, Free License; “Three Friends”, Courtesy of Helena Lopes, Unsplash.com, CC0 License; “People at Table”, Courtesy of Brooke Cagle, Unsplash.com, CC0 License

The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this article are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please contact one of our counsellors for further information.

5 Strategies for Coping With Anxiety

Do you feel anxious when the pressure's on? Do you struggle to calm your nerves in the midst of stressful situations? These are very normal feelings. Sometimes, however, these worries can become overwhelming even in your day-to-day routines.

Extreme anxiety can inhibit your everyday life. Anxiety about a particular situation can cause you to feel worried about everything else. Anxiety can run your life if you let it, but you can take control and learn to thrive in situations that challenge your resolve.

 Learning to deal effectively with anxiety is a powerful skill that will benefit you in many ways. Your relationships with others will be impacted in a positive way. You'll go after your dreams instead of giving up easily. And your self-confidence will grow as you develop the habit of effectively responding to situations despite the fears inside of you.

If you begin to use these five strategies today, you'll notice the difference immediately. These ideas are simple, but they have the power to revolutionize your life.

 These techniques can help you cope with your anxious feelings:

 1.      Practice deep breathing. One of the most effective ways to cope with anxiety is deep breathing. Deep breaths get much-needed oxygen to your brain and throughout your body, relaxing your muscles. The increased air to your body and mind helps you calm down in times when you would normally become stressed out.

 When you notice that you're beginning to get nervous, pay attention to your breathing. For a few days, practice deep breathing in a relaxed, private, comfortable environment where you're not rushed. Put your hand on your belly, and make your hand rise and fall with each breath. Be sure to take in a slow, full breath. Exhale slowly.

If you practice this deep breathing exercise before the moment of truth, you'll be equipped to control your breathing when a stressful situation occurs. When the pressure is on, and you notice your heartbeat beginning to rise, simply pay attention to your breathing and do what you've practiced.

2.      Face your fears. If you worry constantly, you may not be leaving your comfort zone often enough. Seek opportunities to stretch your mental boundaries in ways that aren't extremely stressful. As your mind and body become used to taking on challenges in dealing with your nerves, give yourself greater challenges to increase your ability to handle them.

 If you're in the habit of shying away from things that stress you out, purposefully put yourself into situations that you aren't sure about. This will help you build confidence. The more steps you take outside of your comfort zone, the better equipped you'll be when the real challenges of life cause you to feel anxious.

3.      Eat nutritiously. An often-overlooked way to beat anxiety is to make sure that your body is properly fueled for the challenges it must face. Drink plenty of water. Eat a balanced breakfast. Eat small meals, and eat more often. Keep track of what you're eating in a daily log so that you can begin to notice patterns that sabotage your health.

• When your body is fueled properly, the daily anxieties you experience will be less overwhelming.

4.      Exercise. Your body is made to move. If you sit at a desk all day, you'll likely face greater challenges with worry and stress than someone who's always on the move. Exercise provides tremendous stress relief, an outlet for frustration and a boost to your overall self-confidence. All of these contribute to a peaceful feeling and less anxiety on a daily basis.

5.      Seek professional help. Sometimes, the issues you face with anxiety may require you to seek counseling to overcome them. If you've tried many things without success, a mental health professional that is trained to help you overcome these challenges may be your best bet.

It's normal to feel nervous when stressful situations occur. But without strategies to overcome those nerves, you can feel paralyzed and sabotage your chances of experiencing the success you deserve. Instead, start using these five strategies today to effectively cope with your feelings of anxiety and emerge triumphant over them.

A caring counsellor can help you deal with anxiety issues. While working with your counsellor, you’ll experience freedom from the bonds in which anxiety has held you captive. Contact us today to learn how we can help you overcome anxiety.

Photos:

“Woman Anxious”, Courtesy of Kyle Broad, Unsplash.com, CC0 License,; “Man in Nature”, Courtesy of Egor Vikhrev, Unsplash.com, CC0 License; “Mediterranean Diet”, Courtesy of sam moghadam khamseh, Unsplash.com, CC0 License; “Woman Writing”, Courtesy of Kateryna Hliznitsova, Unsplash.com, CC0 License

The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this article are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please contact one of our counsellors for further information.

5 Benefits of Gratitude

Showing your gratitude can be a great way to spread positive feelings in the world around you. When you think about it, reaching your goals starts with a single positive thought.

 How do you feel when someone sincerely expresses his or her gratitude to you for something you did? Doesn't it make you feel good about yourself? These positive feelings can lift you up, boost your enthusiasm, and motivate you to achieve even more.

 Feeling grateful for what you have can produce the same good feelings and sustain your drive toward your goals.

 This shows how gratitude can have some seriously positive snowball effects.

 Here are some of the benefits of gratitude:

 1.      Reaching your goals. When you feel grateful, it tends to be a lasting and selfless feeling. It's much more than just a momentary burst of positive energy; it has staying power that will provide a great boost for you to reach your goals.

 When you express your gratitude to others, ensure that you're open and expressive. People don't know what you're thinking; hearing it can make all the difference.

 2.      Strengthened relationships. There are many ways you can express your gratitude to your loved ones, including saying, "Thank you," writing a letter, or giving them a thoughtful gift. When you learn to avoid taking your loved ones for granted, you'll have a long lasting and loving relationship.

Showing gratitude is a two way street. Learn how to effectively express your gratitude and, just as importantly, to receive it as well.

 3.      Improved communication. Gratitude can mean better communication all around. By expressing your gratitude to strangers, they'll be more likely to show an interest in helping you, too.

          Gratitude is such a powerful entity that it can even help you communicate with your pets! They should be appreciated too.

 4.      More effective constructive criticism. No matter how we express constructive criticism, it often makes the recipient defensive or even angry. No one likes a blow to the ego. In this situation, a grateful attitude can take you a long way. You can express criticism quite effectively when you also emphasize what you appreciate about them.

 5.      Preserving memories. You can preserve memories in a positive way when you keep a gratitude journal. You'll be able to enjoy your memories again and again when you read about these happy times in the future.

 Show Your Gratitude Every Day

 Showing gratitude to others may seem like a selfless act, but it's something that you also benefit from. When you show your gratitude every day, you change the way you think.

 You'll appreciate your good life when the majority of your thoughts remain positive. Negative thoughts can sometimes be overwhelming, and just because you have them doesn't mean you're a bad person. They happen to everyone, but you can strive to keep them to a minimum with the help of a grateful attitude.

One way to show your gratitude every day is to remind yourself of the big picture when a negative thought arises. If a petty argument with your spouse makes you feel angry and heated, take a deep breath and think for a moment. Remember that the argument is not permanent and, instead, feel grateful for the gift of this relationship.

Our days on this earth are numbered so we must cherish the time that we do have and enjoy the benefits of living each day as if it were our last.

The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this article are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please contact one of our counsellors for further information.