Does Facebook Make Social Anxiety Worse? Or Can it Help Reduce it?

For some people socializing, business meetings and dating is no big deal. They get through it in a breeze. Some even love and enjoy the challenge of the unknown, their self confidence gives them that sense of assurance that nothing could go wrong especially if you are going on your first date.

But for some people who have social anxiety disorder, the thought of going to a crowded place to meet your date is scary. A lot of panicky thoughts will keep on hammering in your head. Worrying about what dress you are going to wear, the things that you will say and even the food you are going to order are just one of the million things that will creep inside your mind. Of course, you always want to keep your best foot forward and learn about your date as much as possible and one way is by looking them up on Facebook.

A new study have emerged that suggests looking up dates on Facebook actually causes increased anxiety and not comfort. The study is published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking suggests that screening someone’s Facebook beforehand might compound anxiety, particularly if you already have a mild social anxiety. The study, led by Assistant Professor of Psychology Dr. Shannon Rauch, conducted last year questioned 26 female undergraduate students at the same time as testing for levels of social anxiety.

Social media has its benefits for people with social anxiety disorder

If you are living with social anxiety for a quiet a long time, the thought of dating is just too much to handle for me. That’s why I love Yahoo messenger, msn and Skype they are the best way for me to meet my special someone before the actual date. Being able to chat beforehand gives you a better idea of what the person like and dislike. You can also find a lot of potential conversations starters once you get to the actual date.

But you can never trust anyone online, some people could take advantage of the system.

Do not let social media dictate your opinion of your date, getting to know your date face to face is the best way to know someone rather than snooping on social media, which will just induce prejudgments. Keep your perspective, do not let your fear overcome your date. It shouldn’t be as scary as you thought it should be. You are dating that person because you like to know him/her. You are interviewing your potential girlfriend/boyfriend as much as they are interviewing you.

So take a deep breath and concentrate on the present. Focus your attention outward on what he/she is saying rather on yourself and stop worrying about what will happen. After all, there’s plenty more fish in the sea and many more people you can date

Originally posted 2014-08-18 22:43:03. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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6 Breathing Exercises that Help Reduce Social Anxiety

You may not think about breathing during the day because it is automatic. But while we do it involuntarily,  breathing is the bridge between our mind and body and a key to our health and wellness. Oxygen is vital to help our brains function properly and assess situations objectively. For this reason, learning how to regulate and improve your breathing can help you stay relaxed when you can sense your social anxiety prickling your self consciousness.

Breathing is also one of the five principles of yoga, as breathing brings more oxygen to the blood and to the brain and helps the prevention of major diseases and cure minor illness. Breathing is also a good way to get rid of waste products and toxins from our body.

It needs to be noted that the effects of breathing techniques on social anxiety disorder have not been studied in a controlled clinical setting. But many experts encourage those who have social anxiety to incorporate breathing exercises into their therapy, as breathing exercises helps reduce self consciousness and increases more relaxed state of mindfulness.

Whether you are on your bed, your office or even when out in public, deep breathing can help to reduce feelings of stress and panic. The following breathing exercises can help  you keep calm and carry on with your day.

1. Equal Breathing or Sama Vritti

This is a good breathing exercise for beginners. One major benefit of Sama Vritti is its ability to calm the body and focus the mind.
How it’s done:

• Choose a comfortable sitting position and cross your legs.
• Close your eyes and focus on your natural breathing.
• Slowly count to four as you inhale and also count to four when you exhale.
• Continue this breathing exercise for a few minutes, you can also experiment on increasing the counting.

This breathing technique is particularly effective before going to bed. So if you have a hard time sleeping, instead of counting sheep try doing this breathing exercise.

2. Abdominal Breathing Technique

This is considered as a deep breathing exercise, the single most important coping technique for panic disorder or social phobia.
How It’s done:

• Place your one hand on your chest and the other on your belt line.
• Your hands tell you what part of your body and what muscles you are using to breathe.
• Take a deep breath through your nose to ensure that your diaphragm inflates enough air to stretch the lungs.
• Take a pause, you decide whatever time feels comfortable to resume.
• Open your mouth. Exhale through your mouth by pulling your belly in.
• Pause again.
• Continue and repeat the process as you wish.

You can do this any time and any place comfortable for you. This is a good stress reliever before any major exams or a nerve wrecking presentation you are about to take when you fear your social anxiety may be about to kick in and you need to calm it down.

3. Nadi Shodhana or Alternate Nostril Breathing

This is a simple but powerful technique that deeply relaxes your mind and body.
How It’s Done:

• Sit in a comfortable crosslegged position.
• Use your right hand. Hold your thumb over your right nostril.
• Inhale deeply through your left nostril.
• When you are at the peak of your inhalation, close of your left nostril with your third and fourth fingers, and then exhale smoothly through your right nostril.
• Inhale through your left nostril.
• Continue alternating the process 5 to 10 times.

If you want to refocus your mind into something or re energize, this is the right technique for that. Just don’t try this before going to bed, because it has the tendency to keep people awake.

4. Kapalabhati or “Skull Shining Breath”

Also considered as pranayama practice, which means a purification and preparation exercise before doing pranayama proper.
How It’s Done:

• Sit in a comfortable position on a mat or chair.
• Rest your hands on your knees.
• Gently close your eyes.
• Breathe normally for some time.
• Exhale once every two or three seconds for about ten to twelve times in the first round.
• Notice how the inhale happens automatically.
• Wait 30-60 seconds with everyday breathing to see how things are going.
• Do one to three rounds of 10-12 breaths (exhales) each.
• Relax with normal breathing.

It’s best to do this after you wake up every morning, it will warm up you up and shake off that musty energy and wake up the brain. However, if you are suffering from cardial problems, nasal obstruction, cold or any severe respiratory infection, it is better to consult your doctor first.

5. Progressive Relaxation Technique

This is the best technique when you want to reduce your overall body tension.

How It’s Done:
• Close your eyes and focus on tensing and relaxing each muscle group from your body for two to three seconds each.
• Start with the feet and toes, move up to the knees, thighs, rear, chest, arms, hands, neck, jaw and eyes. Make sure to maintain deep, slow breaths all throughout the process.
• To keep on track you can breathe in through the nose while the muscles tense, then breathe out through the mouth on release.

You can do this for just 5 minutes if you go for the shortened version, you just need a comfortable place, some privacy and a few minutes of your time.

6. Visualization Breathing Exercises

This is not only found to be great as a social anxiety stress reliever but is also often used  to heal on minor ailments like headaches and pains.
How It’s Done:

• Close Your Eyes and Relax. Let your breathing get become slower and deeper.
• Practice Stress Relief breathing. Breathe from your diaphragm or belly instead of from your shoulders.
• Visualize. As you breathe in, imagine that relaxation is coming into your body and flowing through your limbs, reaching every part of you. When you exhale, imagine that all the stress from your body is being exhaled. After a few minutes, you should feel fuller of peace and the stress in your body should be reduced.
• Keep Breathing. You can continue this exercise for five or twenty minutes and helps you return to your normal activities with a renewed sense of strength and serenity.

This breathing exercise is very helpful for those who are having trouble sleeping.

These six different exercises can provide you with welcome relief at any time during the day. So if you start to feel socially anxious at work or in a public place, allow yourself to take 5 minutes to practice breathing properly and allow the oxygen work its magic in helping you feel calmer and more relaxed.

Originally posted 2014-09-30 15:04:53. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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7 Tips for Reducing Anxiety and Social Phobia

Everyone gets stressed at times. Whether it’s at home, the office, in the streets or just commuting home, there are things that can make you feel stressed everywhere. When you get stressed it spikes your blood pressure, lowering your body’s defenses and ability to stay calm, which can cause feelings of anxiety and social phobia.

However, you don’t have to go to a spa or a weekend retreat to relieve all the stress in your body to stay calm. You can be your own stress-busting reliever. All you have to do is learn is how to spot what’s making you feel stressed  and stay in control when you feel pressure rising.

Here are some quick tips for reducing anxiety, which can in turn reduce social phobia through lightening your mood and giving you a clearer perspective on things:

1. Meditate

Multiple research studies have found that daily meditation can alter the brain’s neural pathways. This can make you more resilient to stress and just a few minutes of meditating each day can help reduce anxiety. There are many great meditation apps you can download on your smartphones that can guide you through a meditation.

2. Deep Breathing

Just by taking a 5 minute break and focusing on breathing deeply is a powerful anxiety-reducing technique. This is because it activates the body’s relaxation response.

“Try slowly inhaling to a count of 4, filling your belly first and then your chest, gently holding your breath to a count of 4, and slowly exhaling to a count of 4 and repeat several times” as suggested by Marla W. Deibler, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and director of The Center for Emotional Health of Greater Philadelphia, LLC.

3. Be Present

Focus on what’s happening in the moment when you feel stressed. When we are anxious we tend to think ahead and stress out on the uncomforting thoughts on what might happen in the future. You need to check whether this is what is making you feel anxious and slow down. When you spend time in the moment and focus on your senses, you naturally feel less tense and more calm.

4. Reach Out

Be more open about how you feel at the moment to your siblings, friends, parents or any of the closest people that you trust and you can draw support from. Your real life social network is one of your best sources of support to help you handle stress and anxiety better.

5. Laugh Out Loud

As they say, ‘laughter is the best medicine’. Laughter is a good anxiety reliever, it also raises feel good hormones which serve as a strong counterbalance to anxiety and depression. The best way to use laughter as a stress and anxiety reliever is sharing those joyful and humorous situations with friends and family. You can arrange a weekend gathering at your place and binge watch your favorite shows or have a movie marathon. Sharing fun times with friends is one of the most effective ways to counter low thoughts that can make you feel anxious.

6. Get Moving

Exercise is an excellent stress and anxiety reliever. It helps lighten your mood and release feel good endorphins that give you a new perspective on things. You don’t have to stick to a stiff exercise regimen in order to get moving or become a gym bunny. You can use the stairs instead of the elevator, walk or jog around your block during weekends or walk your dog to your nearest park. Get out and enjoy your local surroundings instead of sulking in your bedroom or slumped in front of the TV all day.

7. Be Grateful

No matter how your day turns out, there are always positive things that you can be grateful for. Keep a gratitude journal to remind yourself that life is not that bad at all and there are a lot of things to be thankful for.

As wellness coach Joni Emmerling puts it, “Being thankful of all your blessings keeps out the negative thoughts and worries.”

Originally posted 2014-09-19 22:44:39. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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New Study Highlights Benefits of Exercise for Helping Treat Social Anxiety

Yet again, studies and research have proven the how relaxation activities, such as yoga and work out exercises, help in the treatment of social anxiety. The research was published in the journal PLOS ONE and headed by Adam Heenan, a clinical psychology PHD candidate at Queens University in Canada. Heenan said that workout and relaxation exercises are able to change people’s perception of the world, thus reducing threatening and negative feelings.

The participants in the study were between the age of 17 to 29, which composed of both male and female. They give no information on their state of mental health at the time of the study and their level of social anxiety was solely assessed by some of the tests the Heenan’s given them.

The test asked participants to view a point-light display of a person walking and asked whether the figure was approaching them or not. A lot of them said that the figure was walking towards them. Heenan concluded that this was a sign of social anxiety and intimidation, with rates higher before their relaxation exercises than after.

“We found that people who either walked or jogged on a treadmill for 10 minutes perceived these ambiguous figures as facing towards them as the observer less often that those who simply stood on the treadmill,” says Heenan.

As a person who had suffered the stigma of social anxiety disorder motivating one’s self to do a simple exercise is a challenge itself. Everyday, I always promise myself to do an hour of jogging the next morning. But when I wake up the next day, I feel unenthusiastic and anxious that I might see my high school friends, an old crush or even my neighbor’s scrutinizing eyes. It’s hard to convince myself that it’s all good and that every uncomfortable thoughts were just in my head.

But when you manage to change those negative thoughts into positive ones then nothing is impossible. Any means of exercise is good for the body, soul and mind. When I started to take control of myself and took care of my health I found new goals and aspiration to live with.

Originally posted 2014-07-22 13:32:06. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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21 Social Anxiety Quotes to Help You Feel Motivated to Seize the Day

Try remembering some of social anxiety quotes which you can refer to whenever you need some motivation and to lighten your mood

Ever have those day’s when you wake up the following morning feeling completely blanked out and lethargic? I felt like that this morning, probably because it’s a Monday. I just didn’t want to get up, and just lay there on my bed staring at the ceiling. My mind was telling me to get up to start my day but I couldn’t seem to escape the feeling of being tied to my bed.

I think it was because I was lacking the motivation, and my social anxiety was acting up again. In any case, I decided to look up some uplifting social anxiety quotes to help find some energy and focus.

I often avoided social interactions growing up, I felt awkward whenever I needed to introduce myself to someone or my sisters introduced their new friends to me. I kept on thinking how come I feel these weird uncomfortable feelings over and over again? When I am in doubt of myself and anxious of what people might think of me, I always remember these few lines from the poem Desiderata:

“If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater & lesser persons that yourself.” “Speak your TRUTH QUIETLY & CLEARLY, and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant, they too have their story.”

If you are having self-doubt and want to lift your spirits and feel more positive, try using some of these social anxiety quotes to help lighten you up and inspire you to approach the day in a new light.

Social Anxiety Quotes

1. “All too frequently, anxiety crushes not only your spirit and your potential, but your ability to take care of your mind and body.” ~Jonathan Davidson and Henry Dreher, The Anxiety Book: Developing Strength in the Face of Fear.

2. “Worry, doubt, fear and despair are the enemies which slowly bring us down to the ground and turn us to dust before we die.” ~Attributed to Douglas MacArthur

3. “Do not be afraid of tomorrow, for God is already there.” ~Author Unknown

4. “Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday.” ~Author Unknown

5. “We experience moments absolutely free from worry. These brief respites are called panic.” ~Cullen Hightower

6. “Worry is a complete cycle of inefficient thought revolving about a pivot of fear.” ~Author Unknown

7 “To fear is one thing. To let fear grab you by the tail and swing you around is another.” ~Katherine Paterson, Jacob Have I Loved

8. “Once you become self-conscious, there is no end to it; once you start to doubt, there is no room for anything else.” ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic’s Notebook, 1960

9. “Shyness has a strange element of narcissism, a belief that how we look, how we perform, is truly important to other people.” ~André Dubus

10. “The shy and the extroverted have this in common — that they both fancy they are the center of attention.” ~Robert Brault, rbrault.blogspot.com

11. “When I am anxious it is because I am living in the future. When I am depressed it is because I am living in the past.” ~Author Unknown

12. “Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. What if they are a little course, and you may get your coat soiled or torn? What if you do fail, and get fairly rolled in the dirt once or twice. Up again, you shall never be so afraid of a tumble.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

13. “If you can’t sleep, then get up and do something instead of lying there worrying. It’s the worry that gets you, not the lack of sleep.” ~Dale Carnegie

14. “If one is forever cautious, can one remain a human being?” ~Aleksander Solzhenitsyn

15. “Real difficulties can be overcome, it is only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable.” ~Theodore N. Vail

16. “People gather bundles of sticks to build bridges they never cross.” ~Author Unknown

17. “Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere.” ~Glenn Turner

18. “There are two days in the week about which and upon which I never worry… Yesterday and Tomorrow.” ~Robert Jones Burdette

19. “If a man harbors any sort of fear, it percolates through all thinking, damages his personality and makes him a landlord to a ghost.” ~Lloyd Douglas

20. “Other people’s opinion of you does not have to become your reality.” ~Les Brown

21. “You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.
You’re on your own.
And you know what you know.
You are the guy who’ll decide where to go.”
~Dr. Seuss

 

Originally posted 2014-12-01 10:04:41. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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How Can I Do a Test for Social Anxiety Disorder?

Over the last few decades recognition of social anxiety disorder has grown rapidly. No longer is it seen as just a case of someone being over sensitive, too shy or introverted, but a recognised and diagnosable condition. But as with all anxiety disorders, it can be difficult to test for social phobia without clear guidance from a doctor or a psychiatrist.

It’s not like having a fever, when you can just check someone’s temperature or their physical symptoms. What’s more, social anxiety disorder can be a complex condition, with symptoms that can very in severity dramatically between individuals. Some people might just prefer to avoid going to parties and speaking in front of people they don’t know, while others might struggle to leave their house altogether due to the fear of negative stares.

Thankfully, a social anxiety disorder test was devised by Dr Michael R. Liebowitz, a psychiatrist and researcher at Columbia University, New York. First devised in 1987, his social anxiety disorder test continues to be the most widely used and recognised method of diagnosing the condition. Studies have shown it to be an efficient and cost effective way for people to test for social anxiety disorder so they can then progress towards beginning a process of treating the inaccurate, underlying thoughts that drive it.

What is the social anxiety disorder test?

The Liebowitz Social Anxiety Disorder Test consists of 24 questions designed to assess the scale at which social phobia affects your life based on an overall score of its severity. Thirteen of the questions focus on performance related anxiety, such as speaking on a phone in public or talking to someone in authority, while eleven deal with social situations, such as going to a party or speaking in a meeting.

After completing all the questions you are then given a score out of 144. If your score is high, and you are classified in the more severe categories, the important thing is to not feel down and depressed. The fact is that, as with all diagnosable conditions, social anxiety disorder can be treated.

With a diagnosis comes treatment

If you think you might be suffering from social anxiety disorder, the wisest thing to do is to visit a medical professional, whether it’s a doctor or a psychotherapist. They can give you a professional diagnosis along with advice on the best course of action to reduce your symptoms to the level where social anxiety disorder no longer gets in the way of living a fulfilling life.

If your social anxiety is fairly mild, it could be that all you may need to do is to start making some lifestyle changes, such as taking up new hobbies that give you a sense of achievement and boost your esteem as well as provide you with healthier interactions with other people. In more severe cases, where social anxiety disorder is causing you to feel depressed and is adversely affecting your life, then seeing a cognitive behavioural therapist along with a course of medication might be advisable.

So it’s wise to consult a medical professional, whether it’s a doctor or a psychiatrist, for a diagnosis and advice if your anxious thoughts and feelings are getting in the way of your ability to enjoy a happy, fulfilling life.

Originally posted 2013-06-04 14:19:53. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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15 Million Americans Estimated to Suffer from Social Anxiety

It looks as though my overcoming social anxiety disorder website is nearly up and running at just the right time based on the recent news headlines.

In the results of a survey, announced in Businessweek, it was discovered that potentially 15 million Americans could suffer from social anxiety, with it damaging their ability to live fulfilling social and romantic lives.

The fear of encountering hostility or rejection from other people means that millions of Americans are living isolated from their peers.

Some of the findings included:

• 36% suffer from social phobia for 10 years or more before getting help.
• Most started developing social problems in their early teens.
• Nearly 60% feel ashamed of their condition.
• 75% felt their social fears affected their ability to engage in everyday activities.

However, there is a glimmer of light shining between the clouds that are covering so many people’s lives in gloom because the survey also found that nearly 60% were able to build happy love lives after receiving treatment.

We no longer live in the dark ages when it comes to social anxiety – with all the research and clinical studies from the last 50 years providing in-depth understanding into how the condition can be treated.

A combination of cognitive behavioral therapy, relaxation techniques and antidepressant medication can enable people to shed the shackles of their social anxiety and live happy, fulfilling lives.

It’s just a shame that so many people take so long to get help and lose active years of their lives in the process.

Which is why I started this website – to spread awareness on CBT and enable more people to be able to build fulfilling relationships with others.

Originally posted 2008-04-16 22:32:04. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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