Social anxiety disorder (SAD) influences every aspect of your existence. SAD tends to fill your life with grayness and if you start perceiving yourself and the world in a negative way, your perception will eventually become your reality. The good thing is that it doesn’t have to be that way.
Here are 5 ways social anxiety changes your way of thinking and how to take control back and prevent anxiety taking over.
1. How you think about yourself
Social anxiety disorder is associated with lower self-esteem and self-criticism and people who have it tend to always see themselves in a negative way. These negative thoughts will influence on the way you feel and the choices you make for yourself and your life.
2. How you think about others
People with SAD often respond to meeting new people with detachment and fear instead of seeing them as potential friends. People that don’t suffer from the anxiety see new people as potential friends, confidants, people that can give them comfort.
They way you see others will influence the way others treat you. If you see a new person as unfriendly and with judgments, your body language will show it. Very soon, the people become what you thought them to be, but only to you.
3. How you view the future
People that suffer from SAD has an increased risk of depression. Depression is really hard and will make you think that things will never change and improve. People that have both SAD and depression can feel like things will never get better for them and they’ll feel lost. Not seeing a bright future ahead of you, will make you feel sad and hopeless.
4. How you see the world
People with SAD tend to narrow their world. This thing can occur in their home, with their friends, work and every other aspect. People are narrowing their world because they feel it’s safer that way. Unfortunately, this narrowing has a bad side and it is a loss of opportunity. One day you’ll wake up and regret all those chances you never took.
5. How you view opportunity
People with SAD see opportunity as potential disaster. Some people don’t even see the opportunity. The goal is to put yourself out there, see and recognize the opportunities given to you and learn to be grateful for them.
Steps That Can Help You Prevent SAD Taking Over Your Thoughts
- Start imagining strangers as potential friends. Try to imagine that person in your life as a friend.
- Take social skill training. This will help you boost your confidence and self-esteem.
- If you’re suffering from depression, ask for help. It’s treatable and an expert can help you overcome it.
- Find a therapist that can help you deal with those past events that cause your SAD.
- If you suffer from severe panic attack, ask your doctor for help.
- Starts practicing yoga and meditation.