Social Anxiety: The Fear Of Meeting New People
Social anxiety is a problem that silently affects many people. They are the ones who hide behind the doors of their homes and who prefer to meet only with those closest to them.
Insecurity, shame when interacting, constant feeling of being observed and judged, low assertiveness, phobias … We are facing an anxiety disorder that is more common than we think, and that can occur with less or greater intensity.
Also, under these conditions, the mind itself acts as the worst enemy. It is common for thoughts to appear that attend to ideas such as “behave as you should or they will look at you badly, do not show yourself as you are” or “they will laugh at you, they will turn their back on you because you will seem strange to them …”.
The fear of being rejected, of not liking others has a clear component: lack of self-esteem.
We do not believe in ourselves and we do not accept ourselves as we are. It is not that we are afraid of being disowned, it is that we already do it ourselves. Let’s see more data below.
What is social anxiety?
Social anxiety usually appears in adolescence. Thus, studies such as the one carried out by a team of researchers from the US National Institute of Mental Health and published in the journal Pediatrics , indicate that if it is not treated in that early youth, it tends to intensify even more with the passage of time. weather.
Likewise, this disorder is usually characterized by the appearance of psychological and physical symptoms:
Psychological symptoms
- Scared of speaking in public.
- Anxiety when you are with more people.
- Anguish before a date, job interview …
- Negative thoughts about yourself
- Feeling fallible at all times.
Physiological symptomatology
- Dizziness
- Stomachache.
- Tachycardias
- Avoid eye contact.
- Show a rigid body posture.
- Tremors, sweating in situations where you have to be with more people.
How can we treat social anxiety?
The best thing to do in these cases is to go to a psychologist if possible. Normally, the most appropriate approach to cope with anxiety is undoubtedly psychological therapy, and more specifically cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). On the other hand, here are some tips that could be helpful.
Start by speaking well to yourself
Other people will not always speak well of us and this is something we have to assume. We cannot be liked by everyone and this does not have to be a negative thing. You don’t like all people either.
So before starting a conversation with someone new or establishing new relationships, speak well to yourself. You can practice with the mirror. Without a doubt, it is one of the best tools we have at our fingertips.
You are not perfect, but you are unique. Everything that makes you up makes you special, to be who you really are. This you must protect it so as not to lose it.
Look at the times you have been spellbound seeing a person who was herself at her best. Confident people are not afraid to show themselves as they are and it shows.
Every morning, look in the mirror and smile at yourself. This will be the first exercise to do. Say something nice about yourself and repeat it again when you go to bed. Little by little, you will be able to accept and love yourself as you are.
The least expected day you will realize that you no longer care what others think and you will enjoy meeting new people who may (or may not) become part of your life.