Most people feel nervous and awkward in pressurized social situations, like job interviews or giving presentations.
It is quite natural to feel self-conscious, shy or nervous in front of others at times.
But, for people with social phobia, common everyday social situations cause extreme anxiety and self-consciousness.
Social phobia or social anxiety disorder is a chronic mental health condition that causes an irrational or illogical anxiety or fear of common social interactions.
This social anxiety disorder causes the fear that you’ll embarrass or humiliate yourself. The paralytic self-consciousness and anxiety can prevent you from speaking in public or socializing.
Managing social phobia
When you suffer from social phobia, self-confidence and positive coping skills is the key to improving your quality of life. Here are a few effective ways to manage it:
- Banish negative thoughts: Eliminating negative thoughts about yourself can help you significantly. Try to see yourself in a more positive light and refrain from self-criticism.
- Adopt stress management techniques: Stress can increase your anxiety and nervousness about common social situations. Explore different stress management techniques and implement them to improve your quality of life.
- Accept help from therapists: Therapists can help you to recognize the physical sensations caused by jumpy nerves. They can also teach you how to interpret these specific sensations more accurately and give you suggestions to build your self-confidence. Specific medications may be recommended to reduce social phobia symptoms in some circumstances.
- Eat well-balanced food: When you follow a well-balanced diet, it helps your body and nervous system to work effectively. As a result, irrational social phobia symptoms can be easily avoided. Try to include as much fresh fruits and vegetables as possible in your regular diet.
Make regular medical appointments and use medications prescribed by your doctor.
If you or your loved one has social phobia, take it seriously. Many psychological treatments like cognitive behavior therapy can help develop positive coping skills, which together with occasional tranquillizing medications, can vastly improve quality of life.
