{"id":79090,"date":"2020-01-15T20:19:18","date_gmt":"2020-01-16T04:19:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=79090"},"modified":"2020-01-15T20:24:51","modified_gmt":"2020-01-16T04:24:51","slug":"beat-social-anxiety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/beat-social-anxiety\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Beat Your Social Anxiety in 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

Bidding\nfarewell to the past year and welcoming the next can be incredibly exciting and\npromising. If the thought of attending a New Year’s Eve bash leaves you with\nsweaty palms and heart palpitations, however, you’re not alone. About 15 million people\nin America<\/a>,\nincluding myself, struggle with social anxiety. This disorder can make the new\nyear an extremely stressful event. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luckily,\nif you’ve resolved to beat your social anxiety in 2020, there is hope! Discover\na few ways you can overcome your fears and reach your goals this coming\nyear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Keep a Journal <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The\nsimplest way to begin your journey to a less anxious social life is by keeping\na journal. Write down your thoughts and feelings and regularly reflect on past\nentries<\/a> to\ndiscover patterns. This technique will help you track your progress and\nrealize when you’re falling back into old habits and negative thought\npatterns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Journaling\nwill also encourage you to work through anxious feelings. When left unchecked,\nthese emotions can lead to stress and rumination, which create a downward spiral.\nHowever, you can minimize the roots of anxiety through focused examination,\njotting down self-discoveries as you go. Try writing for at least five minutes\neach day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\nmay consider penning your goals for the coming year. Take a\nself-assessment quiz to set a benchmark of where you are now. Then, create\ngoals to improve your score. Try to make them as specific as possible, so\nyou can accurately and consistently measure progress. As you accomplish each\ngoal, retake the quiz and compare your results to previous scores. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Develop Healthy Habits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As\nyou continue your journey of conquering social anxiety, it’s wise to create\nhealthy habits, such as eating nutritious foods and getting plenty of exercise.\nPersonally, these tasks reassure me that I’m doing everything in my power to\nensure poor health doesn’t contribute to my anxiety. When I fill up on junk\nfood and lock myself inside all day, I commit self-sabotage. These actions only\nmake me feel worse about myself and my social life or, rather, lack thereof. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\nheartily suggest creating a dietary and physical exercise routine and holding\nyourself accountable. Exercise is proven to help people\nliving with social anxiety<\/a> by reducing fatigue, improving concentration and boosting cognitive\nfunction. Physical activity also triggers the release of endorphins within your\nbody, which improves your mood. The combined benefits are worth the effort of\nintegrating exercise into your daily routine. When you feel better about\nyourself, you’ll feel more confident in social settings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diet\nalso has a significant role in regulating your social anxiety symptoms.\nCaffeine, for instance, mimics the body’s fear response by inducing a faster\nheart rate and triggering anxiety. Dehydration can have the same effects. The\nbrain’s thirst receptors tap into evolutionary instincts that compel us to find\nwater, prompting anxiety and fear. As a result, it’s best to stay hydrated and\nrefrain from drinking caffeine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Get Help <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

About\n36{54c12dad2cc2b53ae830e39915b1a3e70288dbcbbeb8bbf8395437c5dc3c512c} of people\nreport experiencing symptoms<\/a> of social anxiety disorder for 10 years before\nfinally seeking help. Of those who participate in cognitive behavioral\ntherapy, 85{54c12dad2cc2b53ae830e39915b1a3e70288dbcbbeb8bbf8395437c5dc3c512c} drastically improve or recover from their disorder. If you’re\nexperiencing symptoms, don’t wait to get help. Many treatment programs,\ntherapies and support groups exist to help you overcome your fears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many\npeople who struggle with this mental illness develop a dependency on alcohol or\ndrugs to alleviate symptoms. Self-medication can lead to addiction or abuse, as\nis the case with\nabout 20{54c12dad2cc2b53ae830e39915b1a3e70288dbcbbeb8bbf8395437c5dc3c512c}<\/a> of\nsocial anxiety sufferers. Although alcohol indeed has the ability to make\nyou more comfortable in social situations temporarily, it can also\nexacerbate feelings of irritability, depression and anxiety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Medication\nmay also be useful for some, though it works best alongside therapy or a\ntreatment program. Ask your doctor if antidepressants are right for you.\nAdditionally, you can use herbal supplements, such as Valerian root and\nmelatonin, as a holistic approach to conquering social anxiety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Put Yourself Out There<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The\nmost effective way to beat social anxiety is to get out there and mingle.\nScary, right? It doesn’t have to be. Start slowly by saying hello to your\nneighbor or joining a local club. Doing something you enjoy or practicing small\ntalk will allow you to interact with others and work on your social\nskills. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If\nyou struggle with initiating conversations, try complimenting a stranger or\nfriend on their outfit. You can also watch the nightly news to keep up on\ncurrent events and gather small talk topics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Become a Social\nButterfly in 2020<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Remember, beating social anxiety is a marathon, not a sprint. You can choose to be brave, even for one minute. Resist the urge to avoid social settings and commit yourself to stepping out of your comfort\u00a0zone in small ways. One day soon, you’ll find yourself toasting the new year with friends by your side and a happy heart.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Jennifer Landis is a mom, wife, passionate freelance writer, and the blogger behind\u00a0Mindfulness Mama<\/a>. Follow her on Twitter @JenniferELandis.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Bidding farewell to the past year and welcoming the next can be incredibly exciting and promising. If the thought of attending a New Year’s Eve bash leaves you with sweaty palms and heart palpitations, however, you’re not alone. About 15 … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13370,"featured_media":79091,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[3709,21,112,6],"tags":[1743,66,4629,353],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Beat Your Social Anxiety in 2020<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/beat-social-anxiety\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Beat Your Social Anxiety in 2020\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Bidding farewell to the past year and welcoming the next can be incredibly exciting and promising. 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