How to Overcome Social Fear
- 1). Phone your family doctor and make an appointment. Your doctor can give you advice, offer medical help, if necessary, and refer you to other health professionals, such as psychiatrists and psychologists. Taking medication and receiving counseling may play a part in helping you overcome your fear.
- 2). Write down the thoughts and feelings you experience in social situations, then ask yourself how logical they really are. Awareness of how unfounded your fears can sometimes be can help you adopt new, more positive thought patterns.
- 3). Tell family and friends about your anxiety. Sharing your fears can ease the burden and make others more sensitive in how they act toward you.
- 4). Spend time relaxing before you go out. Yoga, meditation and listening to music are ways to enjoy a "time out" to distract yourself from stress.
- 5). Plan small social activities at first to get used to social situations. Overcome smaller challenges, such as coffee with friends, before attempting bigger challenges, such as large parties.
- 6). Practice breathing exercises to help you whenever you feel overwhelmed. One technique is to sit straight with one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach; breathe in through the nose for four seconds; hold the breath for two counts and then breath out through the mouth for six seconds. Finding a quiet spot to do this before or during a social situation can help to calm you.
- 7). Organize a regular social activity, such as membership of a society, church or volunteer group. Frequent contact with a small group of like-minded people can help improve your social skills. The regular, structured nature of belonging to such a group means you know what to prepare for.
