Easter can be an anxious time for many people so if you are reading this post and have social phobia, congratulations, you survived it.

Times when family and friends get together can be seen as difficult for those of us, like me, who are shy or suffer from social phobia.  Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving,  major birthdays (like 21st and 40th) can be difficult to face, not only if you are anxious because of a phobia, but also because many families fight during these times.   I prefer to spend time with my mother, partner, children and grandchildren,  the people I am comfortable with.

This is natural to feel that way but remember, if you suffer from social phobia you need to keep practicing being social or it will again become difficult.  They say practice makes perfect and in this case they are right.  In regard to the family fights, just stay out of it and stay calm if possible, and if that all fails think about giving them a big miss.  See the family individually instead.

I had a party to go to and a wedding just recently so I got to practice my social skills.  If you face the fear of socializing and having a panic attack then you will learn to overcome it for good.  There is no way I am going to allow myself to slip back from what I have achieved.  Don’t let it happen to you.

How well did you do this last Easter season?

The first time I had a panic attack I thought I must have some sort of virus that made me nauseous and that gave me diarrhea. My face was flushed and I was convinced I had a fever.  I was at a Christmas party at the time and spent the majority of the evening in the powder room.  I felt just miserable all night. Its amazing how strong are The Astonishing Power of Emotions.   I didn’t understand then that the waves coming up over me through out the evening were actually panic.  It took me two days for my stomach to recover.   Social Anxiety can sneak up on you and without help the phobia keeps getting re enforced by your behavior. Read the rest of this entry »

Shyness can often stop us from communicating the way we would like to.   If you suffer from social phobia this can be a problem in your life.  There are a few things you can do though to improve your conversational skills.

Here are five tips to help you start:

1.  Listen
Listening to what the other person is saying is important and often difficult when nervous as we are concentrating on what we are going to say next, but by listening, this will help you, as you can ask questions and this will add to the conversation without you having to worry.

Read the rest of this entry »

When I am talking about  SHYNESS here in this post I am referring to someone with social phobia.  Saying you are shy seems to be more generally accepted than saying you feel anxious in social situations or to admit you may suffer from social anxiety disorder.

Do you remember a time when you were not shy?  I do!  I remember myself as an outgoing child and my mother backs that up.  What happened then to me?  I think that my thinking changed in very small ways over a long time.  I started off on the positive road and slowly my course changed, and one day I came to a fork where I took a more negative one.  I didn’t realize until I took the turn.

Small positive changes over a long time can also make a difference in your shyness.  Make these changes, now positive ones, and see the big difference it can make in your life. Read the rest of this entry »