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Social anxiety disorder is the most-diagnosed mental disorder in society today. More people suffer from it than from any other mental malaise, and they suffer quietly, because even though it is the most diagnosed mental disease, it is estimated that the affliction affects many more people who go undiagnosed.
The primary cause of this lack of diagnosis is often that many people confuse the symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder with that of ordinary shyness, as the two tend to manifest in similar ways.
In fact, Social Anxiety Disorder is essentially a hyper-active, incredibly intense shyness that causes a person so afflicted to be overwhelmed by their phobia that they eschew the situation altogether.
It can be a tough nut to crack. Here are a few ways to help you overcome your Social Anxiety Disorder and Shyness.
SELF-ANALYSIS
Focus on and analyze your negative though patterns. Sufferers of Social Anxiety Disorder constantly wallow in their own negative thinking, which is one of the sources of their low self-esteem. A sufferer must learn to retrain their thought processes and focus more upon constructing healthy, positive thinking.
BE THE CHANGE
Look for something simple to change about yourself. Maybe some element of your personal style, your clothing or your personal grooming. Look at your personal habits and look for areas of improvement. Try an exercise program.
PRACTICE
In private, rehearse some new social skills by researching topics you are interested in and discussing them. Practice these discussions in the mirror.
VENTURE OUT
Find new things to do outside of your comfort zone, but take baby steps. Don't overwhelm yourself by "diving in" full bore. Do something simple, like making eye contact with a passerby on the street.
REMEMBER
You are not alone with your intense shyness. Social Anxiety Disorder is one of the most common mental disorders. Try to find a support group to supplement your therapy with a trained psychologist. Realizing that you are not alone in this can be a great way to move forward with your treatment, and to practice the skills and techniques proscribed to you in a friendly and sympathetic environment.
Joshua Uebergang, aka "Tower of Power", teaches social skills to help shy guys build friends and influence people. Visit his blog and sign-up free to get communication techniques, relationship-boosting strategies, and life-building tips by email, along with blog updates, and more! Go now to http://www.towerofpower.com.au/free/
A lot of people don't understand social anxiety. They think it's something you can just get over just like that if you chose too. They don't understand that it is so much deeper than that. The fear that grips you and holds you back from everything you wish life could be. The pain and disappointment and even shame you feel when you can't keep up with conversations and participate like everyone else. You just sit there after those encounters and you replay that conversation over and over and over, you pick every little piece apart. You come up with every little possible thing you could have done differently to make a change in the outcome. And that's your life. Alone and in torment. That was my life. I was so confused and always lost. I didn't have any friends because I never knew what to say and the little bit that people out casted me, I outcasted myself even more. It was easier that way. It didn't make me happier, but it seemed better than the alternative. I tried everything to be better, to be happier with my life and feel comfortable in society. I read countless blogs and searched websites for different ways to break free. Then I found someone named Sean Cooper online. He helps people irradicate social anxiety and shyness from their life. He really spoke to me with his story, because he too had experienced what I had. He has his own testimonials of how he broke away from his social anxiety and lives a real life. He really knows what is going on in your head and how to help you overcome those challenges. I highly recommend checking him out. I put a link for you to check out. After listening and reading everything he had to say I was able to experience a whole new side to life I never thought would be possible. I am happy for the first time it seems in my life and I only hope that you all can find that in your life. It feels never ending and it feels impossible. It is a brick wall that everytime your dislodge a brick they build that wall even thicker but there are ways around that wall. You just have to give it time and find a way that personally works for you. No one is the same and no one person heals the same way or achieves their goals using the same methods. But as long as you start and never give up you will always succeed. I started way before I heard of Sean but I wish I had started with him. I really hope you guys can all find the peace among the struggle. Best of luck.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing and I'll be sure to check out Sean's work!
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