How enthusiastically do you embrace social situations? Do you make every effort to be a part of social events at work, or the schools your children go to or gatherings organised by people who you don’t really know that well? If the answer is no – don’t worry! Whilst it’s possible you may be suffering from a form of social anxiety, it’s a very common condition and millions of people cope with it on a day-to-day basis.
Whilst its causes largely remain a mystery, it can have a debilitating effect on people who’d like to do certain things, but don’t quite have the right confidence or self-belief to do so. Whilst it’s not exactly a life-threatening condition, it can have an impact upon your quality of life, and lead to more serious types of anxiety such as agoraphobia and claustrophobia.
Fortunately there are several steps you can take to overcome it, that don’t necessitate the use of medical-treatment or therapy. Crucially, it’s important to be aware of what is happening to you as you experience bouts of social-anxiety and then reflect upon them.
One form of social anxiety is feeling shy, embarrassed or out of place – and this can sometimes lead to a red complexion. If this happens to you, you should try and realise that no-one especially cares, and that you are probably not going as red as you think. Similarly, if you feel that you’re the odd one out at a party – you’re not the only one. Everyone feels hesitant at first in these sort of intense social-situations, so just try and gravitate towards people you feel comfortable with and allow the anxiety to evaporate. If you have a fear for public speaking or leading presentations – don’t worry – most people dislike it, or at the very least tolerate it. Even in this kind of situation when you feel exposed, you can develop strategies to feel more comfortable, such as standing in a particular manner or having notes and paper-work to hold – which will reduce the visible signs of anxiety and make you appear confident.
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