I put myself into a lot of social situations today, knowing that there will be many days to recover before going back to work. I don't seem to like having to answer questions about myself. Perhaps because of all the times that such questioning is part of an assessment. I don't like being disagreed with. If it is true for me, don't tell me it's not. If you have a different opinion, that is not the same as saying I'm wrong.
It was a challenging day and I did have a few conflicts, a few snubs, some tense moments and some awkward communication but overall I am very happy for putting myself out and taking those risks.
Last time, we had you identify how sensitivity & shyness. Today, we will be talking about how to challenge social anxiety using the following techniques:
Thought records: Keeping a thought record implies writing down the negative thoughts you experience in social situations and challenging them using the 10 questions for challenging negative thoughts exercise posted below.
Exposure work: Exposing yourself to the phobia is key but slowly. This may involve having a friend come over for a short period of time, going out for a short period of time and increasing the level of perceived discomfort with each exposure. To help you along on a list from 1-10 write down the situations, people or places that would make you the least anxious to the most anxious. Next, devise a plan to move you through each level at a stage that is comfortable for you.
Communication skills: Don’t forget to review the way you communicate with others. This is helpful skill in any situation! Learning how to communicate with others will also allow you to engage others in conversation resulting in participation as opposed to monitoring your own negative thoughts.
Good luck! We now invite our members to ask questions!
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