By Smile for the camera Most of us can remember when reality TV was still in its incubation period before it exploded into every family room across the globe. Debates have been had on when the exact advent was of what can be referred to as “reality TV”, otherwise known as unscripted entertainment in the style… Continue reading
By The National Social Anxiety Center predicts that approximately 12% of Americans will experience some form of life-interfering social anxiety in their lifetime. Forming new friendships or relationships, introducing oneself to strangers, or speaking during a meeting are all examples of situations that can trigger social anxiety. While social anxiety can feel debilitating, there are effective… Continue reading
By Many outcome studies have shown cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, to be the most effective approach to overcoming social anxiety. While core interventions of CBT such as cognitive restructuring and behavioral experiments (learn more about these strategies here) can help people to make great improvements to their social anxiety symptoms, one trait that can have… Continue reading
By To kick off the new year I’m going to examine situations where we are being judged or there is a strong possibility that we will be judged by others. We can call these performance situations. One of the core fears of Social Anxiety Disorder is being judged by other people to varying degrees and levels…. Continue reading
By The perils of beating ourselves up “I can’t believe I said that! I’m such an idiot!” “I made the conversation so awkward and boring!” “I came across as so anxious and weird! How can I ever face these people again?!” “I made such a terrible impression! I’m humiliated!” These are just a few examples of… Continue reading
By When you have social anxiety, being criticized can feel like being under attack in a war zone! It is your worst fear coming true. This is what you dread – facing the criticism nukes. Individuals with social anxiety would like to avoid all situations where there is even a small likelihood of being criticized. However,… Continue reading
By He probably thinks I’m an idiot for stammering my words. They obviously hate me because they didn’t say hi when I walked by. I won’t be able to go to that social event without everyone judging me. Everyone is staring at me. She laughed when she walked by, so she must be making fun of… Continue reading
By Everyone has moments of fear over their performance on things like college exams and projects or they worry whether they’ll please their boss or colleagues. For those who suffer from social anxiety, however, concerns like these may not only impact their ability to learn, they may also lead them to make different education or career… Continue reading
By If you are a parent of a shy adolescent, it is common to wonder whether your teenager’s timid behavior is negatively impacting their future. A 2016 study by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) found that about half of all teens in the United States describe themselves as shy. Many parents worry whether shy… Continue reading
By To see one in all and all in one is to break through the great barrier which narrows one’s perception of reality. -Thich Naht Hanh. The illusion of the self and learned beliefs If you have ever experienced social anxiety intensifying to the point of significant distress or interfering with your goals in life, you… Continue reading
By For those struggling with social anxiety, there may be a myriad of different worries that lead to avoiding social or performance events. Worries such as “I won’t be able to come up with anything good to say” or “I’ll make a stupid mistake and embarrass myself” are very common. For some individuals, the worry that… Continue reading
By Social anxiety can often contribute to people feeling like they are alone. Automatic thoughts such as, “I’m too awkward”, “I can’t make friends”, and “Everyone thinks I’m weird”, are hallmarks of social anxiety. These thoughts can make it difficult to reach out for help. Core Benefits of Group Work Group therapy for social anxiety has… Continue reading
By People are inherently social. We band together in social groups at work or in school, we pair up in relationships and bond with friends over sports games. We even go out of our way to join online games or social media groups themed around a common interest. This bonding is deeply ingrained in our psyche… Continue reading
By It is common for those struggling with social anxiety to want to avoid social situations that don’t feel good. While avoiding those situations may lessen your anxiety in the short-term, it is not going to make facing those scenarios any easier in the future. In fact, the avoidance can actually make the anxiety worse! Exposure… Continue reading
By “I’m bad at meeting people.” “I’m socially inept.” “People dislike chatting with me.” “I’m a boring conversationalist.” “Others can see that I’m anxious which they’ll think is weird, or will make them uncomfortable.” “I’m an introvert. I shouldn’t be expected to mingle. Chit chat is for extroverts!” “I hate small talk!” These are common hot… Continue reading