Hello Ashley. Being with other people is so important. Yesterday I was with a friend of mine that I did not see for months and catch up some talking. It was so good for me because at the time I forgot my anxiety. I guess I have to plan more time to be with other people.
You referred communication skills and their importance to challenge social anxiety. What do you recommend to improve our communication skills?
Last time, we had you identify 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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