Effective Strategies to Combat Social Phobia

There are situations in everyday life when we feel excited - whether we are giving a presentation in front of colleagues and the boss, whether we are going to a party where we are going to meet someone for the first time, or we are taking an exam. For a person suffering from social anxiety, however, even the most mundane activities and daily interactions can become real challenges.

Social phobia, also known as social anxiety, is a form of anxiety that manifests itself through the individual's fear of being judged or evaluated negatively by the people he interacts with. This phobia makes the patient feel inferior, ashamed, humiliated, depressed, and maladapted.

Social phobia makes the patient feel overwhelmed or even terrified by social situations, causing him to isolate himself and avoid such circumstances, which alleviate his symptoms.

The first important step that a patient with a social phobia must take is to recognize and accept their illness. It is advisable for those suffering from anxiety to seek specialist help - a psychotherapist can teach the patient to overcome unpleasant situations easily to gradually cure his phobia.

Even though in some everyday situations we may feel overwhelmed by emotions, as mentioned above, they are normal and do not necessarily translate into social anxiety.

This condition becomes a medical problem when everyday social interactions cause excessive fear and/or a feeling of shame, invalidating the person, leading them to interrupt activities or even not to start them. For example, filling out a form in the presence of other people or eating in public with friends can be very stressful for someone suffering from social anxiety.

This is a much more common problem than previously thought: worldwide, millions of people experience social anxiety in various forms daily.

There are several tricks that can help a person who suffers from a social phobia:

Never delay - the agitation and anxiety specific to the delay will trigger dark thoughts and unpleasant symptoms, making the situation even harder to bear. Always make your schedule so you can make sure you're never late.

However, when you do not arrive on time, do not rush - running on the street and climbing stairs two by two speeds up your pulse and breathing, triggering a series of unwanted symptoms. Go quietly, calm down and think positively.

Choose the clothes you will wear in advance - if you dress well, you will feel more confident. But before a social event, anxiety will not allow you to focus. So, choose the clothes you will wear before an important meeting or a party, the day before. This way, you will be able to stay calm before the event in question.

Always think things through in advance - your phobia does not allow you to think through intense situations. So, plan and, where you feel a problem may arise, make a backup plan. Thus, you will not be taken by surprise and your phobia will not be fueled.

Prepare notes - if you have an important meeting and you are afraid that you will be intimidated by the people in the room, prepare notes in advance with the things you want to score. Thus, you make sure that you will not lose your temper and that you will have the opportunity to express your opinion.

Distract yourself on the road - the most difficult moments for those who suffer from social phobia are those before social interaction - on the way to a party, a meeting, or a job interview. Do your work reading a magazine, a book, or playing a game on the phone.

Get help - if you have an important interview and you feel overwhelmed by emotions, ask a close friend to accompany you. This way, you will be able to overcome difficult moments more easily. If, on the other hand, you are invited to a party, get a partner and things will be easier for two.

I hope it helps!