Do social situations make you so anxious that you go out of your way to avoid them?
Or do you have a loved one in your life that is avoiding situations?
It is normal to feel nervous when talking in front of a crowd or meeting unfamiliar people. However, for someone who experiences worrying and anxiousness socially, these experiences can feel so intense, that they either choose to avoid them altogether or endure the experience with great distress.
In Australia approximately 4.7% of adults report living with social anxiety. But what is social anxiety? It is that feeling of distress over social situations, fearing potential humiliation and negative judgement by others.
CHECKLIST TO DETERMINE IF YOU HAVE SOCIAL ANXIETY
IF YOU CHECKED MORE THAN HALF OF THE ABOVE, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
• Reflect on all the social situations that you are currently avoiding
• Learn and practice calm breathing to help you manage your anxiety in social situations
• Avoiding the situation makes you feel better immediately, but you still remain scared of the social situation. Instead, try to face your fears in small steps
If you feel you or your loved one need further assistance to manage these social fears, it would be best for you to seek additional advice from a Psychologist. Engaging with one of our team will allow you to develop a complete understanding of your social anxiety, where we can work together in creating a strategy that reduce the distress in your life.