How to Overcome Social Anxiety Disorder

Social anxiety is anxiety felt during or in anticipation of social interactions. It normally arises when an individual feels at risk of negative evaluation or embarrassment. For some this anxiety is limited to certain situations such as public speaking. For others it is an all-encompassing problem that is present in almost every social interaction in which they are involved. Social anxiety can seriously impact on the sufferer's life as they desperately seek to avoid anxiety-provoking situations. In the long run this can lead to isolation, loneliness, problems with work and in forming relationships. The good news is that with the right treatment and knowledge social anxiety can be overcome.

Whilst you cannot eliminate social anxiety through lifestyle changes alone, eating healthily and taking regular exercise can reduce your base levels of stress and anxiety. Reducing this background anxiety can make social situations easier to deal with when they do arise. Exercise releases feel good chemicals in your brain that have a calming effect. It also reduces stress, improves mood and takes your mind off anxiety-provoking thoughts. With regard to food, it's now well understood that there is a strong link between nutrition and mental health. Its important to eliminate caffeine and alcohol to as great an extent as possible. Stimulants such as caffeine cause anxiety and insomnia and may be the reason you stay up at night worrying. Whilst alcohol can make social situations easier to cope with, as it leaves the system it can cause extreme anxiety and even panic attacks.

Another way to reduce your base level of anxiety is to dedicate a small amount of time to relaxation each day. There are a number of different ways to achieve this. Yoga is excellent for stress. Deep relaxation can also be achieved through breathing meditation, whereby you attempt to clear your mind of all thoughts. Finally, there are a wealth of audio resources that can be used to attain deep relaxation. Some of these use hypnosis. By taking some time to relax each day, you can reduce your level of background anxiety which can help you to get a clearer perspective on things.

This is the single most effective treatment for social anxiety. If you commit to a course of CBT and are disciplined, you will almost definitely achieve major improvements. As one might infer from its name, this form of treatment works on the cognitive and behavioural aspects of the disorder that keep it going. This therapy involves recording your thoughts and questioning your unspoken assumptions. By changing the way you think you can in time change the way that you feel. Alongside this process of re-evaluation you begin to face anxiety-producing situations with new methods of thought and behaviour. This is not an overnight process and it does involve some bravery on your part. If you stick to the programme however you will see relatively quick improvements. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is available on the NHS in the UK although its delivery is patchy and there are waiting lists. Alternatively, if you have the money, CBT is widely available privately. There are also some excellent CBT resources that you can work on yourself.

Medication is not going to cure you of your social anxiety, despite what internet advertising may tell you. It is however of some limited use. SSRI anti-depressants (such as prozac) can reduce your level of general anxiety, although they will certainly not remove it altogether. If you are suffering from a lack of motivation due to depression they can also give you the breathing space needed to make important changes. Another class of drugs that is of use is beta-blockers (such as propranolol). Beta blockers are particularly good at preventing physical shaking and muscles spasms that can cause social embarrassment. For some, reducing these physical symptoms of anxiety can in turn reduce the anxiety itself.

You can find a collection of useful materials relating to social anxiety, depression, CBT, exercise, diet and relaxation here. For further information visit social-anxietyadvice.com . for further information.