By Understanding Social Anxiety and CBT
One pattern of thinking that is central to the maintenance of social anxiety involves a consistent overestimation of the likelihood of a negative social event occurring. Common examples include the estimation of likely being rejected, judged negatively, or being the focus of negative attention. This overestimation… Continue reading
By Fear of public speaking is extremely common, often people fear it more than death itself! The experience varies from person to person – from feeling a little nervous to complete panic or freezing. Public speaking tends to be feared more intensely and more often by those who have social anxiety disorder (SAD). However, whether it is giving a… Continue reading
By What is Post-event Rumination and How Does It Relate to Social Anxiety?
“Why did I say that?” “I was the most awkward person at the party.” “I was so quiet that no one even noticed that I was there.” Have thoughts like this plagued you following a social event? When a person is stuck thinking over and over about an event that occurred, they are… Continue reading
By Work and Stress
Work is stressful. We all have had jobs that, as a matter of course, caused our anxiety levels to spike and brought a general sense of being overwhelmed. But in the workplace, there are several things that can be ameliorating factors: one of which is our peers, co-workers, and managers. The literature seems to suggest that the… Continue reading
By “What do I do with these upsetting thoughts that make me socially anxious?”
In a pair of previous blog posts, I explain the role of two strategies used in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for dealing with upsetting thoughts that help cause our social anxiety: mindfulness and cognitive restructuring. Now I get into the nuts and bolts of… Continue reading
By The way in which people communicate has changed drastically over recent history, and will likely to continue to do so at a rapid pace. It is difficult to remember a time without Facebook, Twitter, text messages, or even e-mails. How did we communicate with each other before then? Oh, yes, we spoke to each other in person. I remember now!
This makes me… Continue reading
By Thoughts and Feelings in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Social Anxiety
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has repeatedly been shown to be the most effective treatment for social anxiety disorder for the large majority of people. A central principle in CBT is that what we feel—such as social anxiety—is created not directly by a situation we… Continue reading
By Statistics shows that about 3.7 percent of the U.S. population ages 18 to 54—approximately 5.3 million Individuals are diagnosed with a social phobia each year. Social phobia occurs in women twice as often as in men, although there is a higher volume of men that seek help for this disorder.
Dating is a challenging process, no matter how much you and… Continue reading
By Upsetting Social Anxiety Thoughts
–I don’t know what to say. What do I say next?
–I might say something stupid / offensive.
–S/he’ll think I’m boring / stupid / unattractive / socially inept, and will dislike me.
–What I have to say isn’t good enough. No one will be interested.
–They can tell I’m anxious and will think I’m… Continue reading
By What is Avoidant Personality Disorder?
Avoidant Personality Disorder (avoidant PD) can be thought of as a more extreme and pervasive type of social anxiety that cuts across many parts of your life. For example, if you have social anxiety, you may have specific social fears such as public speaking, dating, making phone calls, fear of authority figures,… Continue reading
By Bringing Your Social Anxiety With You For The Holidays
We have waited all year and they are finally here: The Winter Holidays. Holidays can be a time of excitement, fun, and celebration. They often brings us together with loved ones near and far, giving us the opportunity to reconnect and strengthen our relationships. The holidays are also a time to… Continue reading
By Anxiety is a function that is built into the human nervous system, for better or for worse. Understanding that it is natural (though seldom logical, and almost never comfortable) allows space for questions such as, “What would it feel like to fully accept anxiety when it is present?” “If I stopped fighting, what would happen?” “Can I be fully present… Continue reading
By What is Paruresis?
For the vast majority of people, tending to bodily functions such as urinating happens without much thought or concern. For about 21 million Americans, roughly 7% of the general population, urination causes great worry and inconvenience. They have developed a condition called paruresis also known as shy bladder syndrome, pee… Continue reading
By What is Introversion?
Introversion is “the state of or tendency toward being wholly or predominantly concerned with and interested in one’s own mental life.” According to the Myers-Briggs inventory, introverts are more likely to think, “I like getting my energy from dealing with the ideas, pictures, memories, and reactions that… Continue reading
By Social Anxiety and The Desire To Avoid
For those of you who suffer from social anxiety, you have most likely experienced the urge to avoid being around others. Whether its attending a party, going to lunch with colleagues, or giving a presentation, if you are socially anxious, almost any social situation can create the urge to run. But does avoidance… Continue reading