10 Tips for Navigating Social Anxiety

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Do you ever feel overwhelmed at the thought of attending certain social outings? Maybe it’s large crowds, or a situation where you know someone will be there who makes you feel a little uncomfortable. At different stages of our lives, certain situations may feel more challenging than others. What we once might have gone to effortlessly can feel more daunting.

Also read: 8 Ways to Show Up for Yourself Today

Whether it’s social anxiety or just a few anxious moments, it’s extremely common for uncomfortable feelings to come up during social interactions, and it doesn’t make you any less of a person or broken. Sometimes, there can be a lot of shame around this topic, which can make an already difficult situation feel extremely debilitating. Today, I wanted to share a range of strategies for managing social anxiety to support you in feeling your best.

10 Tips for Navigating Social Anxiety

1. Recognize and Validate Your Feelings


Acknowledging our feelings and emotions can often feel foreign. We may feel the urge to push them down or ignore them when they start to surface. Recognizing the signs and symptoms you experience when you're feeling socially anxious can help you become more aware of what’s really going on, which then allows you to begin working through those feelings.

2. Take Charge


Try not to let social anxiety take charge of you. Instead, aim to take control of the symptoms. Practice deep breathing and mindfulness to help bring you to a calm and centred state.

3. Refrain from Avoiding Social Situations


Many people with social anxiety will cancel plans at the last minute. But when you do this, you miss out on chances to practice and build confidence, as well as the potential for connection and fun, which can be hard to find otherwise. Instead of cancelling altogether, see if you can start small. If a full evening feels like too much, maybe start with just an hour.

4. Plan Ahead


If you're going to a new restaurant or venue, take some time to look at the website to learn key details about the setting. This can help you understand things like dress codes, parking, and dietary options, and help you feel more prepared and confident. Even visiting the location ahead of time can ease anxiety on the day of the outing.

5. Go with a Friend


There is real power in community, especially when you have a close, trusted friend or loved one by your side. Having someone with you can increase your confidence and help you feel more comfortable in a social setting.

6. Arrive Early


Arriving early can give you the chance to get settled before the crowd arrives. If you decide to stay only for a short time, arriving early can also give you a more relaxed pace to decompress and process your experience afterward.

7. Avoid Alcohol


Alcohol is tricky. On the surface, it seems like it reduces social anxiety and may temporarily boost your confidence. But in reality, it has been shown to worsen anxiety, sleep, digestion, and a number of other things, which can make you feel worse after the social event. If you're concerned about social anxiety, try to avoid alcohol or at least significantly limit it. Opt for a non-alcoholic beverage and focus on strategies that actually support you long term.

8. Dress for Success


If you're feeling anxious, it’s probably not the best time to wear anything that makes you feel physically uncomfortable, like brand new high heels, or anything that doesn’t make you feel your best. Think of dressing in comfortable, easy-to-wear clothes as one less thing to worry about. It can help you feel more confident and at ease.

9. Be Kind to Yourself


Be kind to yourself and celebrate your efforts. Recognizing that social situations are difficult, and working hard to navigate them, is something to be proud of.

10. Seek Professional Help

Sometimes, connecting with a mental health professional can make a big difference, and there’s absolutely no shame in reaching out for support. A mental health professional can provide you with helpful tools, including, but not limited to, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), medication and more.