What Having Social Anxiety Feels Like

What having social anxiety feels like is different for everyone, but there are some things that all people with social anxiety experience. They may find it difficult to talk about what they feel, and they might have trouble coping in social situations. They can be very uncomfortable when they are talking to other people, and they may become incredibly anxious before and during social situations.

It can make it hard to go about your daily life, and you might be thinking about how it could affect your relationships with friends and family. It can even stop you from doing things that you want to do.

You might find yourself worrying about your social interactions for weeks before they happen. You might also worry about the people you are talking to, or about how they might be judging you.

Your heart rate and breathing speed up, and you might sweat a lot. You might feel dizzy or nauseous, and your voice might sound strained.

Symptoms of social anxiety vary from person to person, but they often include excessive blushing, sweating, shaking, palpitations and nausea. Some people with social anxiety disorder experience rapid speech and panic attacks.

The feeling of being judged negatively by others can be very upsetting, but most people with social anxiety know that this isn’t true. They also know that other people don’t mean to embarrass or humiliate them.

They may try to avoid social situations that cause them anxiety, such as going to parties or other events. This can help reduce the fear and anxiety, but it also makes them less comfortable in these social situations in the long term.

It is common for people to have feelings of anxiety before, during or after a social situation, but if these fears are constantly and intensely worrying, they could have social phobia.

There are many ways to treat this, and your GP or psychiatrist may suggest you try medication. They may also recommend therapy to help you deal with your anxiety and learn new ways of coping.

The more you practice coping strategies, the better you will get at them. You can start by changing your thoughts and behaviours, and focusing on the other people around you instead of on what they might think of you. You might also try learning some social skills, which will help you interact more confidently with other people and reduce your fears.

You might also learn how to be more assertive in social situations, which will help you feel more confident when speaking in front of others. You might learn to change your tone of voice or gestures so that people don’t feel intimidated.

Your thoughts can be a big trigger for your fears and anxieties, so it is helpful to challenge them and change the way you think about them. It can be tough, but you will eventually get to the point where you can cope with your fears and anxiety more easily.