• Home
  • Mental Health
  • Depression
  • Meditation
  • Stress Disorders
  • Anxiety
  • Mental Illness
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Natural Element
  • Home
  • Mental Health
  • Depression
  • Meditation
  • Stress Disorders
  • Anxiety
  • Mental Illness
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Natural Element
No Result
View All Result

Five myths about social anxiety

March 8, 2023



If you have social anxiety, you know what it feels like to experience intense anxiety in social situations. It can involve a fear of judgement or embarrassment and can sometimes result in you avoiding social situations altogether.  

While it’s quite common (around 7 per cent of Australians have experienced social anxiety in the past 12 months), there are a lot of myths surrounding it. Debunking these myths is important, so that they don’t create stigma and self-stigma, or prevent people from seeking help.  

Here are five myths about social anxiety – and the facts that prove them wrong.  

1. “Social anxiety is no big deal – everyone gets it” 
Many people feel nervous about certain social situations, for example giving a speech at an event or presenting at a work meeting. This type of anxiety is natural and can even be motivating. However, there’s a difference between these nerves and social anxiety.  

If severe anxiety is affecting your everyday life and making you avoid social situations, you may have social anxiety. Some people might be diagnosed with social anxiety disorder, sometimes known as social phobia, if their social anxiety is intense and causing problems in day-to-day life. 

The only way to know for sure if you have social anxiety disorder is to see a healthcare professional, such as your GP, or a mental health professional.  

2. “Social anxiety and shyness are the same thing” 
People often think that social anxiety is the same thing as being shy. But this is not the case. Being shy might mean you find it difficult to talk to new people or feel uncomfortable or awkward in social situations.  

However, shy people do not necessarily experience the intense and persistent fear seen in social anxiety.  

3. “All people with social anxiety are introverts” 
Social anxiety is not the same thing as being an introvert. While some people with social anxiety may be introverts, not all of them will be.  

Introversion is a personality trait. Introverts tend to feel energised from spending time alone rather than with lots of others, and usually prefer small group settings or solitary activities. Whereas social anxiety is a mental health challenge relating to fear and anxiety in social situations. 

4. “You should avoid social situations if you’re feeling anxious” 
It’s understandable that you might want to avoid social situations if you have social anxiety. However, while you might feel better in the short term, avoiding these situations can make the anxiety worse in the long run.  

It’s important to consider the costs of avoiding social situations: will you miss out on making meaningful connections? Will it affect how you feel about yourself? Does avoidance really ‘get rid’ of your anxiety, or is it still there when you are next around others?

5. “There’s nothing you can do to treat social anxiety” 
As with many mental health concerns, it can be very helpful to seek professional support.  

A mental health professional will work with you to treat the anxiety in the most effective way possible – whether that’s therapy (such as cognitive behavioural therapy or mindfulness-based therapies), peer support, medication, or a combination of supports.  

Your psychologist or counsellor will be able to help you in preparing to face social situations. It’s a good idea to start small and work up from there – for example, having a coffee with a friend rather than launching straight into a party. Some other well-known tips include focusing on others more than yourself (for example really listening to what they’re saying), paying attention to the present moment, and challenging any negative thoughts or fears you might have about what other people are thinking.  

If you believe you might have social anxiety, we recommend seeing a GP or mental health professional as a starting point.  

Knowing the facts about social anxiety is helpful in decreasing stigma and will encourage you and others to seek help. You’re not alone in facing social anxiety. 

SEEKING SUPPORT 
Effective medical, community and psychological treatment is available, and a person who is experiencing social anxiety can live a fulfilling life.  

SANE offers a range of free support services for people over 18 years of age with complex mental health needs and their families and carers. Visit sane.org/get-support to choose the supports that work for you.  

And if you’re new to SANE Forums, welcome! You can register here to join our safe and supportive online community and connect with others through shared experience.  

If you or someone you know is at immediate risk, call 000 or visit your nearest hospital. For support with suicidal thoughts, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467. 



Source_link

Share120Tweet75Share30

Related Posts

Ae there ALWAYS red flags in relationships?
Mental Health

Ae there ALWAYS red flags in relationships?

March 20, 2023

Ae there ALWAYS red flags in relationships? Source link

You Can Earn $135,000 As An Online Therapist With BetterHelp
Mental Health

You Can Earn $135,000 As An Online Therapist With BetterHelp

March 20, 2023

Affiliate link notice: As an affiliate of BetterHelp and other third-party vendors, We may receive compensation if you make a purchase using the links provided on this page. For more information, visit our disclosure page.Last Updated on March 19,...

Your Guide for Communicating with Narcissists
Mental Health

Your Guide for Communicating with Narcissists

March 19, 2023

Your Guide for Communicating with Narcissists Source link

What personality type are covert narcissists attracted to?
Mental Health

What personality type are covert narcissists attracted to?

March 18, 2023

What personality type are covert narcissists attracted to? Source link

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Categories

  • Anxiety (522)
  • Depression (152)
  • Meditation (246)
  • Mental Health (569)
  • Mental Illness (385)
  • Sound Therapy (2)
  • Stress Disorders (273)

Popular

  • Stress Level Of Americans Is Rising Rapidly In 2022, New Study Finds

    Stress Level Of Americans Is Rising Rapidly In 2022, New Study Finds

    302 shares
    Share 121 Tweet 76
  • How Stress Affects Your Vision

    302 shares
    Share 121 Tweet 76
  • 4 signs of burnout in your teen– and how to help them through it

    302 shares
    Share 121 Tweet 76
  • Helpful Resources During Suicide Prevention Month 2022 – My Brain’s Not Broken

    302 shares
    Share 121 Tweet 76
  • Anxiety Success Stories – Revealing Podcast Interview With Marcos Codas

    301 shares
    Share 120 Tweet 75

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Copyright © 2022 Naturalele.com | All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Mental Health
  • Depression
  • Meditation
  • Stress Disorders
  • Anxiety
  • Mental Illness
  • Contact Us
What Are Cookies
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT