Five ways to cope with social anxiety

Five tips that will help a person seeking help with social anxiety.

Social Anxiety is a very debilitating, silent, disease affecting approximately 4% of the population. Uncontrollable blushing, nervousness, and a fear of social interaction are a few of the symptoms. Many, suffer in silence and never seek help, some self medicate with alcohol masking the symptoms causing even more strife. But if a person recognizes the symptoms and seeks help, he or she will find welcome relief.

We live in age of miracles…medicine for just about everything and anything that ails us. Social Anxiety is no different; many medications are available to take that will offer some significant relief. Most help build up serotonin levels, the feel good chemical in the brain that lacks in people with social anxiety. Many of the medicines prescribed are used just for anxiety but there are other medications, for other conditions, that can be used to treat social anxiety. An example of this would be, a blood pressure medication, used, instead, to help with anxiety symptoms. However, medication alone may not be the answer for the sufferers of social anxiety, you may also need the help of therapist.

Therapy will consist of a visit to either a psychiatrist or a psychologist, and you made need a referral from a physician. If you have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) at your workplace they may, also, be able to assist you. Your therapist will, on your first visit, do an evaluation and determine a course of therapy to successfully treat your anxiety. One of the first things you will learn is that social anxiety is not entirely a mental health problem. Social anxiety can have physical symptoms and sometimes this revelation helps a person seek treatment with a mental health specialist. Therapy will provide some great coping mechanisms to help deal with social anxiety.

A therapist will also go over some breathing techniques to help deal with social situations. Without ever realizing it, people with anxiety do not breathe correctly when they become nervous or apprehensive. Lack of oxygen will intensify the feelings that come with being in a meeting or having to speak in front of a group of people. A big meeting with the boss for instance may already be causing you some nervousness. Being nervous will, subconsciously, cause you to take in a smaller breath. Depleting yourself of oxygen leads to an accelerated heart rate and the nervousness is intensified. Remember to breathe; it will help.

Support groups are a wonderful way to learn about and help deal with social anxiety. Check your local newspaper or look through the phone book for a group that meets in your area. Groups will typically have a speaker come in or someone to help learn skills to help you cope with social anxiety. The great thing about support groups is that everyone there is just like yourself and you may be surprised at the close relationships you will form, and your increasing comfort level with these relationships.

Social anxiety is a treatable condition. Your first step should be a visit to your primary physician, where he may prescribe medication and write referrals for future treatments. After that, remember you are not alone, millions of people suffer from social anxiety but remain silent. Take pride in knowing you are combating and beating the fight against this silent and difficult disease.