Self-Help Tips to Dealing With Social Anxiety

Dealing with social anxiety makes it hard to be able to deal with people. Many people can actually have problems speaking, and there are even some professionals that do. They have to learn how to socialize with people, in a manner that they can learn to be comfortable for when they have to.

As human beings, we are social, and it is hard for us if we cannot. If you don't feel comfortable in these situations, there are things that you can do to help you. The more you practice them, the more practice you get in dealing with your anxiety. So practice does make perfect, in this case.

Make sure when you talk to someone, make sure you look them in the eyes. Eye contact helps establish that you are speaking with them, and make you a part of the conversation. Not just being spoken to.

Smile! A smile shows a friendly greeting when you see someone. Say hello to them, maybe even before they do. When someone greets you, greet them back. Have a little bit of small talk, doesn't matter what it's about. Just holding a friendly conversation can be helpful for yourself. Ask them about things going on in their life, kids, the weather, any kind of small talk.

Practice smiling, even if you don't feel like it. Smiling takes less muscles than frowning, and actually has the power to help you feel good. There are natural endorphins that are released when we smile. So besides just making you feel better, smiling relieves stress, can help you with your immune system, and can help lower your blood pressure. It is a happy, natural good feeling that occurs when you smile. That in itself can help you stay positive. It's hard to think of something negative while you're smiling. The next time you find yourself thinking something negative about yourself, try smiling.

You have to make sure that you leave some time for yourself. At least once a week, go do something fun that you enjoy. Having things we enjoy at home are one thing, but by going out and doing something, you will keep yourself comfortable being in public.

Sometimes it's easy to forget to have fun when you're feeling depressed, or very anxious about something. By having at least one fun thing you're doing every week, you are giving yourself permission to have fun. Having activities that you enjoy for yourself creates positive feelings that you will be able to remember and feel them at other times.