Tips for Chatting With a Socially Anxious Person Share Things About Yourself First. Hone In on Interests. Watch Your Body Language. Avoid Personal Questions. Don’t Interrupt Their Train of Thought. Suggest an Activity.
Table of Contents
What Not to Say to Someone With Social Anxiety Why Are You so Quiet? You Just Need to Think Positive. You Just Need to Face Your Fears. I Know How You Feel; I’m Shy, Too. Why Don’t You Have a Drink to Loosen Up? Let Me Order for You. Wow, Your Face Just Turned Really Red.
The root cause of all social anxiety attacks is fear. When we fear being judged by others, when we fear judgment for ourselves, when we don’t fit into societal norms, or when we believe that it will be worse if we are judged — these are all triggers for our fears of embarrassment.
How do you make someone feel better with anxiety?
Do keep lines of communication open. When it comes to helping someone with anxiety, it is important to keep an open line of communication with them. Do look after yourself. Don’t constantly talk about their anxiety. Don’t enable their anxieties. Don’t put pressure on them. Don’t get frustrated. Don’t expect immediate change.
Social anxiety disorder affects about 5.3 million people in the United States. The average age it begins is between age 11 and 19 — the teenage years. It’s one of the most common mental disorders, so if you have it, there’s hope. The tough part is being able to ask for help.
Gently encourage your child to join in social situations, do things in front of other people, and start new activities. Avoiding social situations can make the issue worse. If your child has an anxious reaction to a situation, don’t worry. Try the situation again another time with more preparation.
Psychotherapy improves symptoms in most people with social anxiety disorder. In therapy, you learn how to recognize and change negative thoughts about yourself and develop skills to help you gain confidence in social situations.