How to treat social phobia?

As a member of society, we are connected with other people every day. Once social phobia occurs, all aspects will be adversely affected. In order to change this negative symptom, you must examine the reality, don't indulge in negative thoughts, don't put pressure on yourself, don't imagine, don't panic, etc.

1. Examine the reality

The first step is to understand what's going on in your brain chemistry when you feel anxious and fearful. You're not abnormal; your brain just reacts abnormally to new stimuli, causing you to be extra cautious in handling them. Knowing this will help you make sense of what happened and make you more relaxed in the future.

You don't have to become shy and anxious. Tell yourself that this is just the reaction of some chemicals and cells when they encounter some non-existent threats. There is no need to panic (ignore the accelerated heart beating and sweaty palms). Calm down and deal with it rationally.

2. Don’t dwell on negative thoughts

When you're giving a presentation, there are usually three related concepts: what you intend to present in your mind, what you actually present, and what you hope to present to others.

When you focus on areas where you can improve, those negative thoughts, then it becomes a vicious cycle. When you leave a meeting, party, or social situation, don't dwell on what you could have done better or wonder, "Why did I say that?"

Everyone talks nonsense from time to time, however, focusing on the negative will lead you to believe that you are the one who says the wrong thing in social situations, and this thought will often manifest. Realize that everyone makes mistakes, don't dwell on it, just ignore it.

3. Don’t apply pressure

Don't feel pressured to be interesting, funny or talkative; it's best to just be your normal, natural self. It's the pressure to be a certain way that exacerbates social anxiety and shyness.

You've mastered countless conversations in your life, and your next one is just a small test. You don't have to be the life of the party. Be your best self and speak your mind when you must. If you don't have to talk, don't feel pressured, just chill out and have fun.

4. Don’t assume

Don't always assume that people will judge you. Most people are primarily concerned with themselves and the things around them, and they don't have time to make fun of your behavior. Remember this, if you remember nothing else from this entire article, remember this: we are all human and occasionally clumsy.

Everyone makes inappropriate remarks from time to time during a conversation. Don't assume that awkward situations and dull moments are entirely your fault, and don't feel guilty about the negative elements in the conversation. There will always be inappropriate things happening, there will definitely be dull moments, these are all normal, just keep being yourself.

5. Don’t panic, you need to pause

There is no need to panic in social situations. If someone asks you a question, stop and think for a moment before giving an appropriate response. Most people who experience anxiety and panic in social situations will answer immediately. They feel they have to answer questions immediately, and as soon as someone finishes speaking, they feel they are forced to start talking unnecessarily.

When you do this, your words will sound more thoughtful and insightful, you will express what you want to say more completely, and you will seem more capable of action.

The need to answer questions immediately reveals that this person is uncomfortable with silence. Usually, the people with the least weight in the conversation want to avoid silence, but silence is okay. It shows that your appearance makes you feel comfortable.

Learn to pause, don’t rush to answer questions, gather your thoughts, avoid saying “hmm,” and present your talents in a more intelligent way.