Social anxiety is a fear or nervousness about social situations where one is concerned about being judged by others. It can develop in childhood or adolescence and sometimes runs in families. Symptoms include sweating, increased heart rate, and feeling sick when around others. The document provides tips to overcome social anxiety, including testing yourself in real social situations to determine your stress level, identifying social factors you avoid, challenging irrational anxious thoughts, and practicing facing fears in real world situations. It also advises changing one's perspective when dealing with difficult people rather than focusing on what is wrong with oneself.

1. SOCIAL ANXIETY
How to Overcome your Fear
Created by I M Confident Niagara Canada
www.imconfident.com

2. WHAT IS SOCIAL
ANXIETY?
• Fear or nervousness about what might
happen in a social setting
• Concern of being judged or evaluated
by others
• Fear of what others think
• Insecurity and self-doubt of ability to
interact
• Abnormal and overwhelming sense of
apprehension causing physiological
signs (sweating, tension, increased
pulse)

3. HOW DOES SOCIAL ANXIETY
DEVELOP?
• No definite causes have been
found
• Usually occurs in early childhood
or early adolescence
• Sometimes runs in families
• Can result from negative
environment
• Having poor role models

4. DO YOU HAVE ANXIETY?
? Do you feel uncomfortable being with other
people
? Do you have a hard time communicating with
others
? Do you fear being judged
? Do you constantly worry about seeing people
? Do you avoid public places and going to events
? Do you have difficulty making good relationships
? Are you self-conscious in front of other people
? Do you easily blush, sweat or get nervous when
around other people
? Do you feel nauseous or sick to your stomach
when with other people

5. HOW TO OVERCOME SOCIAL
ANXIETY
1) Test real world situations
2) Identify social factors
3) Challenge anxious thoughts
4) Practice facing fears in a real world

6. 1)TEST REAL WORLD
SITUATIONSThink about the things you do that make you feel
anxious and determine what the stress level is?
HOME 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
WORK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
FRIENDS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
SHOPPING 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
OTHER 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

7. 2) IDENTIFY SOCIAL FACTORS
• Are you stuck in your safety zone?
• What do you avoid doing because of fear?
• List the things you avoid doing and use
them as learning experiences
• Write about your experiences – good and
bad – what happened and what can you do
to improve the next time

8. 3) CHALLENGE ANXIOUS
THOUGHTS
• Are they realistic or irrational?
• Some things are not as bad as they seem
– we often make a big deal out of minor
things
• Stop, think and take time to calm down
before things are blown way out of
proportion

9. 4) PRACTICE FACING FEARS
IN A REAL WORLD
• You can do things AFRAID
• Don’t be critical of self
• Don’t listen to lies from other people OR
YOURSELF
• Instead practice doing better and
congratulate yourself for trying.

10. HOW TO DEAL WITH
DIFFICULT PEOPLE
• Change your perspective - think about why
the other person is negative instead of
what is wrong with you
• Focus on your positive points and use
positive self-talk
• Be grateful that you aren’t a negative
person
• Practice conversations before meeting
people
• Act like you are secure even if you feel
afraid