How Support Groups Work For People Who Need Social Anxiety Help
Have you ever felt like the person who wrote this blog - seeking help for his social anxiety? "Hello.
I am a twenty-four year old man who has struggled with social anxiety since I was in high school.
I recently joined this particular forum because I have been searching for supportive communities of people who can empathize with my challenges and help me work through them".
Another writer expressed his frustration about not being taken seriously for his problem with anxiety: "So today I was reading someone's blog about having Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) and someone commented that this is not a real disease and that we are people who just don't know how to cope with the real world and aren't willing to grow up.
That was upsetting.
Does anyone feel embarrassed to tell people about this disorder because people don't understand or don't believe this is real"? Many people have felt this way.
Some of them have suffered with anxiety for years - not knowing that they had a problem that could be solved.
Social anxiety refers to a feeling of fear or apprehension that many people experience whenever they encounter any social situation.
Although most of us, at one time or another has felt fear in social situations, it is termed "Social Anxiety Disorder" when it starts to interfere with your life.
It can get to the point where a person feels that it is impossible for them to face the future - and have a normal life, as one person expressed so well - in a blog: "I'm tired of sitting around at home, or just going to school and focusing on homework.
The only person who really asks me to hang out is my boyfriend, and I'm tired of being his loser girlfriend with no friends, except his.
I'm also worried that SAD is going to prevent me from taking what I want to in university because as my class sizes get smaller, I will have to start doing solo presentations, which I won't be able to do...
which will probably prevent me from passing.
I also worry about my future job, and not being able to wear the required clothes, call the required people, or do the required presentations.
Anyone going through the same kind of situation have any advice on any of this"? Are any of these symptoms familiar? When encountering a social situation, some folks encounter chest pain, lump in the throat and difficulty swallowing, sweating, loss of skin color, shaking and shivering, indigestion, neck and shoulder pains, dry mouth, blushing, insomnia, skin rashes, spots, or dryness, nightmares, fear of going crazy, distorted vision, hormone imbalances, headaches, sore eyes, toothaches and jaw pain (from tooth-grinding), pins and needles skin sensations, and many others.
Common fears include people noticing anxious blushing, sweating or shaking, not being able to think of anything to say or appearing weird, boring or stupid".
Unfortunately, people who have this problem can get locked into a vicious cycle of negative thinking and avoidance behaviors.
As a result, they keep themselves from social success.
Social anxiety help can be found with support groups.
They help to open people up - and unlock the cycle of anxiety - so that they are less and less afraid to try again in fearful situations.
The purpose of a social anxiety support group is to provide a safe, supportive environment for people with social anxiety / social phobia to get together, discuss their conditions with others (who also have the same problem), and help each other as best as the can.
What is it like in a support group? Try to imagine yourself meeting with a few people who are like you.
You will see a new person tentatively attempting to approach others in the group for the first time.
You can see that they also are nervous.
As a result - you have the desire to reach out and support them.
You know how they feel.
You don't judge them, or put pressure on them.
As a result of your support, the new person starts to unwind and become more confident.
You relax more too! Eventually, you find that you view people in the group as friends - and go home feeling pretty good - even great! This will happen to you - and those to whom you reach out.
Groups vary - but an example of a group is that they may have two different types of meetings.
One meeting may have a presenter with tips on how to handle social anxiety.
Then other meetings may start out with the lights off and meditation - so that everyone can breathe deeply and relax.
Most groups have facilitators to keep discussions going - and allow shyer people to participate.
Some sessions start with the facilitator asking for a volunteer to read out some reminders about our rules and guidelines to the group.
No one is pressured to do this and if no one volunteers the facilitator will read them.
This is an opportunity for people to practice reading and talking in front of a group, if that is something they wish to work on.
It is also an opportunity for members to play a more active role within the group.
After the rules and guidelines have been read, some groups give everyone an opportunity to say literally one or two words about how they are currently feeling.
All the members' first names will be written on small bits of paper and then a volunteer is asked to pick names out at random and ask the selected people if they would like to say how they feel or pass if they do not want to participate.
Then the groups are broken into pairs - so that people can discuss one-one-one their feelings with others.
These discussions usually remain confidential.
The functions or activities of the group can vary from week to week.
Sometimes the theme is decided upon - ahead of time.
Some theme examples are discussions regarding sharing difficulties, victories, information that people have discovered personal experiences, etc.
Newcomers are often provided with an opportunity to share their story.
Some groups start out with the opportunity to allow people to give a number (from 1-10 or 1-100) that describes how anxious they are feeling at that moment.
Usually the group itself drives the discussion.
The ending of the group allows people to re-rate how high their discomfort level is.
People often report feeling more relaxed than when they started.
As a result, this is a good time for people to experiment speaking in front of the other people.
Some people find that even though they didn't want to participate in the beginning, they are able to in the ending session.
There are many other varieties of groups or sessions within groups.
Other examples include topic sessions (having a set topic and picking out individual groups of 4-5 people who discuss the topic together), public speaking sessions (for about 5 minutes, and can include sharing a personal story of anxiety, reading from a book, etc.
).
, holding socials (going for walks, bowling, going to the movies, sharing "happy hour" together once a month etc.
) new member sessions (allowing for sharing from older members, question and answer, explanation of group dynamics etc.
), sharing sessions, goal setting (in small groups), women and men only sessions.
Other groups have game sessions that allow people to interact together in a relaxed fashion.
The best way to get the most out of social anxiety help groups is to attend the sessions frequently, and apply the written and oral information that is disseminated.
Set goals and expectations that are reasonable.
Use the group - and other multiple resources (literature, professional therapy, natural remedies etc.
) to enhance your chances of success.
Take advantage of group opportunities to improve your social skills.
In other words, participate in as much of the group sessions as you can (speaking, going to "happy hour", participate in games, etc.
).
Plan to gain self-confidence, not anxiety relief).
This should be a goal - because harping on anxiety can hamper your success.
Participating in LIFE is your ultimate goal.
Try not to compare yourself with others - but compete with yourself.
Your own progress is your focus - not the progress of others.
Also, go to other social gatherings beyond the group.
Finally, if you don't have a social anxiety help group in your area, find others who would like to start one - and go for it! There are other like-minded people in your area who have no one to turn to - and would appreciate meeting others who feel the same.
It is worth a try - and you may find friendships that last a long time, as well as people who are there for you when you stumble, or falter in your journey to ultimate self-confidence in anxious situations.
You are certainly worth the effort it takes to reclaim your life.
Find the social anxiety help that you need.
Join or create a social support group today!
I am a twenty-four year old man who has struggled with social anxiety since I was in high school.
I recently joined this particular forum because I have been searching for supportive communities of people who can empathize with my challenges and help me work through them".
Another writer expressed his frustration about not being taken seriously for his problem with anxiety: "So today I was reading someone's blog about having Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) and someone commented that this is not a real disease and that we are people who just don't know how to cope with the real world and aren't willing to grow up.
That was upsetting.
Does anyone feel embarrassed to tell people about this disorder because people don't understand or don't believe this is real"? Many people have felt this way.
Some of them have suffered with anxiety for years - not knowing that they had a problem that could be solved.
Social anxiety refers to a feeling of fear or apprehension that many people experience whenever they encounter any social situation.
Although most of us, at one time or another has felt fear in social situations, it is termed "Social Anxiety Disorder" when it starts to interfere with your life.
It can get to the point where a person feels that it is impossible for them to face the future - and have a normal life, as one person expressed so well - in a blog: "I'm tired of sitting around at home, or just going to school and focusing on homework.
The only person who really asks me to hang out is my boyfriend, and I'm tired of being his loser girlfriend with no friends, except his.
I'm also worried that SAD is going to prevent me from taking what I want to in university because as my class sizes get smaller, I will have to start doing solo presentations, which I won't be able to do...
which will probably prevent me from passing.
I also worry about my future job, and not being able to wear the required clothes, call the required people, or do the required presentations.
Anyone going through the same kind of situation have any advice on any of this"? Are any of these symptoms familiar? When encountering a social situation, some folks encounter chest pain, lump in the throat and difficulty swallowing, sweating, loss of skin color, shaking and shivering, indigestion, neck and shoulder pains, dry mouth, blushing, insomnia, skin rashes, spots, or dryness, nightmares, fear of going crazy, distorted vision, hormone imbalances, headaches, sore eyes, toothaches and jaw pain (from tooth-grinding), pins and needles skin sensations, and many others.
Common fears include people noticing anxious blushing, sweating or shaking, not being able to think of anything to say or appearing weird, boring or stupid".
Unfortunately, people who have this problem can get locked into a vicious cycle of negative thinking and avoidance behaviors.
As a result, they keep themselves from social success.
Social anxiety help can be found with support groups.
They help to open people up - and unlock the cycle of anxiety - so that they are less and less afraid to try again in fearful situations.
The purpose of a social anxiety support group is to provide a safe, supportive environment for people with social anxiety / social phobia to get together, discuss their conditions with others (who also have the same problem), and help each other as best as the can.
What is it like in a support group? Try to imagine yourself meeting with a few people who are like you.
You will see a new person tentatively attempting to approach others in the group for the first time.
You can see that they also are nervous.
As a result - you have the desire to reach out and support them.
You know how they feel.
You don't judge them, or put pressure on them.
As a result of your support, the new person starts to unwind and become more confident.
You relax more too! Eventually, you find that you view people in the group as friends - and go home feeling pretty good - even great! This will happen to you - and those to whom you reach out.
Groups vary - but an example of a group is that they may have two different types of meetings.
One meeting may have a presenter with tips on how to handle social anxiety.
Then other meetings may start out with the lights off and meditation - so that everyone can breathe deeply and relax.
Most groups have facilitators to keep discussions going - and allow shyer people to participate.
Some sessions start with the facilitator asking for a volunteer to read out some reminders about our rules and guidelines to the group.
No one is pressured to do this and if no one volunteers the facilitator will read them.
This is an opportunity for people to practice reading and talking in front of a group, if that is something they wish to work on.
It is also an opportunity for members to play a more active role within the group.
After the rules and guidelines have been read, some groups give everyone an opportunity to say literally one or two words about how they are currently feeling.
All the members' first names will be written on small bits of paper and then a volunteer is asked to pick names out at random and ask the selected people if they would like to say how they feel or pass if they do not want to participate.
Then the groups are broken into pairs - so that people can discuss one-one-one their feelings with others.
These discussions usually remain confidential.
The functions or activities of the group can vary from week to week.
Sometimes the theme is decided upon - ahead of time.
Some theme examples are discussions regarding sharing difficulties, victories, information that people have discovered personal experiences, etc.
Newcomers are often provided with an opportunity to share their story.
Some groups start out with the opportunity to allow people to give a number (from 1-10 or 1-100) that describes how anxious they are feeling at that moment.
Usually the group itself drives the discussion.
The ending of the group allows people to re-rate how high their discomfort level is.
People often report feeling more relaxed than when they started.
As a result, this is a good time for people to experiment speaking in front of the other people.
Some people find that even though they didn't want to participate in the beginning, they are able to in the ending session.
There are many other varieties of groups or sessions within groups.
Other examples include topic sessions (having a set topic and picking out individual groups of 4-5 people who discuss the topic together), public speaking sessions (for about 5 minutes, and can include sharing a personal story of anxiety, reading from a book, etc.
).
, holding socials (going for walks, bowling, going to the movies, sharing "happy hour" together once a month etc.
) new member sessions (allowing for sharing from older members, question and answer, explanation of group dynamics etc.
), sharing sessions, goal setting (in small groups), women and men only sessions.
Other groups have game sessions that allow people to interact together in a relaxed fashion.
The best way to get the most out of social anxiety help groups is to attend the sessions frequently, and apply the written and oral information that is disseminated.
Set goals and expectations that are reasonable.
Use the group - and other multiple resources (literature, professional therapy, natural remedies etc.
) to enhance your chances of success.
Take advantage of group opportunities to improve your social skills.
In other words, participate in as much of the group sessions as you can (speaking, going to "happy hour", participate in games, etc.
).
Plan to gain self-confidence, not anxiety relief).
This should be a goal - because harping on anxiety can hamper your success.
Participating in LIFE is your ultimate goal.
Try not to compare yourself with others - but compete with yourself.
Your own progress is your focus - not the progress of others.
Also, go to other social gatherings beyond the group.
Finally, if you don't have a social anxiety help group in your area, find others who would like to start one - and go for it! There are other like-minded people in your area who have no one to turn to - and would appreciate meeting others who feel the same.
It is worth a try - and you may find friendships that last a long time, as well as people who are there for you when you stumble, or falter in your journey to ultimate self-confidence in anxious situations.
You are certainly worth the effort it takes to reclaim your life.
Find the social anxiety help that you need.
Join or create a social support group today!
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