The Channel 46
How many times have you felt nervous and jittery while in a social situation? Public speaking or interacting with strangers isn’t exactly a cakewalk for everyone. We humans are social beings, and we learn to face social situations with time. However, it becomes a problem when the intensity and frequency of this anxiety increase whenever we are a part of a social situation. This excessive fear and stress that gets triggered around social situations is called social phobia. It’s a type of anxiety disorder, also known as social anxiety disorder.
1. Avoid Caffeine At All Cost Stimulants like coffee, chocolate, and soda will give you a temporary boost but will make your anxiety worse. Caffeine can even trigger panic attacks. If you face a hard time giving up tea and coffee then try to reduce your daily intake. Try drinking ample amounts of water as it will significantly help you to control your caffeine addiction.
2. Ensure You Get A Good Night’s Sleep Getting at least eight hours of sleep per night is mandatory. Lack of sleep can increase anxiety and worsen symptoms of social phobia. Maintain your sleep-wake cycle by going to bed and waking up following a schedule.
4. Incorporate Healthy Lifestyle Changes Studies have shown that making lifestyle changes help in checking anxiety. Reducing your overall anxiety level will help you to be more in control of yourself when in a social situation. For example, add exercise or yoga in your daily routine. Devote at least half an hour to exercise every day. Working out will increase your brain’s production of endorphins, which are feel-good hormones that regulate mood and anxiety.
5. Actively Take Part in Social Situations Rather than fearing social situations and avoiding them, take efforts to participate in the same. Take baby steps, but practice talking to people, making eye-contact, and similar healthy social interactions. This will increase your confidence.
6. Prep-up For Social Events Prepare yourself thoroughly in advance before attending social events. Role-playing and practising conversation starters is an excellent way to build confidence. The more you talk, the less anxious you will feel, and it’ll be easier to speak with others.
7. Acknowledge You Are Not Alone Fighting This Battle Social anxiety disorder or social phobia is extremely common and millions of people suffer from it. They too are constantly scared of being judged in social settings. Also, most people are generally busy focusing on themselves to worry about you. Seeing the world in this perspective will help you feel confident and combat social anxiety.
The Channel 46