How Can I Get Over the Anxiety to Talk to People?

If you are intensely terrified of social situations, include public speaking, meeting new people, or mingling in a crowd, you may have a social phobia called "social anxiety disorder." Others may see you as a shy or introverted person; however, inside, you fear being criticized, belittled or ridiculed. There are ways you can overcome this phobia and rediscover joy in your life.

Affirmations

• Make positive affirmations or statements to help you overcome your social anxiety. You say affirmations all of the time out of habit anyway, as everyone does. Making specific, positive affirmations to achieve your goal of talking to people is a powerful way to get over your anxiety.

  Begin the healing process of social anxiety by saying,

  "I love and approve of myself, and I trust the process of life. I am safe."

  Repeat this affirmation out loud and/or write it down 10 to 20 times each day. Say this affirmation while looking into your eyes in a mirror. Create some of your own positive affirmations.

  According to Louise L. Hay, founder of Hay House, Inc., metaphysical lecturer and bestselling author of "You Can Heal Your Life", "To look at yourself straight in the eye and make a positive declaration about yourself is, in my opinion, the quickest way to get results with affirmations."

Emotional Freedom Technique

• Learn and practice emotional freedom technique (EFT) for social anxiety (or any disorder). Gary Craig, founder of EFT, describes it as a mind and body medicine like acupuncture, but without the needles. Craig says,

  "EFT is an emotional version of acupuncture wherein we stimulate certain meridian points by tapping on them with our fingertips. This addresses a new cause for emotional issues (unbalanced energy meridians). Properly done, this frequently reduces the therapeutic process from months or years down to hours or minutes."

Hypnosis

• Find a good, certified hypnotherapist or hypnotist in your area who is experienced with phobias such as social anxiety disorder. Hypnosis is a natural state where you're deeply relaxed physically and mentally but awake. Your subconscious can be easily accessed by the hypnotherapist and reprogrammed so you no longer have this phobia.

Psychotherapy

• Choose a psychologist or therapist who has much experience treating clients with social anxiety disorder. Psychologists are still learning about this phobia, many times misdiagnosing it for disorders like panic or bipolar disorder. Note that some therapists use techniques, such as hypnosis or EFT, in their practice.

Medication

• You might try medications used for social anxiety disorder called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These SSRIs are drugs that effectively reduce anxiety, such as venlafaxine (Effexor), paroxetine (Paxil), fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), fluvoxamine (Luvox) and more. Notice improvements after about three months of taking these medications. Expect to change antidepressants until you find one that works for you with the least, undesirable side effects. Medication is usually taken along with psychotherapy.