How to Overcome Social Anxiety – The Most Effective Steps

We all get anxious in certain social situations -- a business luncheon, a job interview, a first date, all of these can put butterflies in your stomach and cause your mind to have the jitters.

But for people with social anxiety disorder those jitters turn into all-out fear, anxiety and extreme self-consciousness. Simply going to the grocery store or out for dinner with friends becomes a scary situation in which you fear others are judging you or watching you, or that you may humiliate yourself.

Those with the disorder may go to great lengths to avoid social situations of all kinds, and in so doing miss out on many opportunities, and may even have a hard time getting through their daily routine.

Signs You May Have Social Anxiety Disorder

If you have social anxiety disorder chances are you suspect it already. But for those wondering if a friend or loved one is affected, here are some symptoms to watch out for, according to the Mayo Clinic:

• Intense fear of being in situations in which you don't know people
• Fear of situations in which you may be judged
• Worrying about embarrassing or humiliating yourself
• Fear that others will notice that you look anxious
• Anxiety that disrupts your daily routine, work, school or other activities
• Avoiding doing things or speaking to people out of fear of embarrassment
• Avoiding situations where you might be the center of attention

How to Overcome Social Anxiety

Any type of anxiety can interfere with your ability to thoroughly enjoy your life.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to overcome anxiety and get back in control of your life.

• Release your anxious feelings. At its heart, anxiety is just a feeling and that feeling can be released.

• Exercise. People who exercise are less likely to develop anxiety disorders, according to a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology. (Read Exercise with Anxiety)

• Focus on the present. Allow yourself to focus on what is actually here and now as opposed to focusing on the label ‘anxiety’ and the story ‘it is chronic.’ Once you are focused on the sensations, pictures and sounds that are actually here now, it is much easier to let go of the anxious feelings. (Get more mindfulness tips)

How to Starve Your Stress, Anxiety and Depression of the Fuel they Needs to Thrive

Many of body-mind gurus are convinced that no matter how much you learn about compassionate self-talk, expectations, or scary, obsessive thoughts, you won't be in control of your stress and anxiety until you change your diet.

You may be attentive in writing down your negative thoughts, in being compassionate with yourself and taking risks, but there's no getting around it:

What you eat affects the way you feel emotionally and physically.

Many high-achieving women leaders are trying to overcome their problems with stress, anxiety, and depression by starting out their day by consuming two cups of coffee, a couple of sugar donuts, and a few cigarettes hoping to raise their levels of arousal and overcome fatigue resulting from a sleepless night and wander why they end up having a panic attack on their way to work.

Needless to say that such a breakfast is completely void of nutrition as well. Plus if you drink many cups of coffee a day, then you may become nervous, hyperactive and irritable.

Caffeine and refined sugar - two of the most diabolical substances the anxiety sufferer can consume.

Caffeine is one of the most common substances that will trigger the stress response in your body.

Just 250 milligrams of caffeine per day is considered excessive and can result in the following effects:

• Stress
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Nervousness

Caffeine elevates the blood cholesterol in your body, reduces iron in your blood, and flushes the water out of your body, causing lethargy and muscle discomfort.

Even though each person is different, the facts are:

Two hundred fifty milligrams is the amount of caffeine considered excessive, and many people are adversely affected by a much smaller amount.

Many medications and foods contain caffeine.

TIP:

Read the labels and be aware of what you're ingesting. It could mean the difference between a joyful experience and fighting off another aniety induced panic attack.

Stressed Out By Food? Read Foods that increase Stress levels

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Natural Treatment for Anxiety and Stress

All of us have had our own share of anxious times. Be it a feeling of having butterflies in stomach before making an important presentation or increase in the heart rate before a difficult examination, there are numerous such instances in our everyday lives.

Some level of anxiety is healthy and it helps to provide a person with required motivation to accomplish a task. But, there are times when it becomes so severe that it begins to interrupt one's daily life. Anxiety disorder may manifest in different forms and is generally characterized by an overwhelming feeling of worry and fear.

Click HERE to read the article.

Can You Worry Yourself to Death?

How the human heart is affected by anxiety

I am sure that you have heard about the important connection between mental and physical health or body/mind connection. But do you fully understand the relationship your organs have with your state of mind? Research is showing how physiological reactions to stress and anxiety can take a huge toll on our hearts.

When we experience symptoms of anxiety, what we feel is the body’s preparation to face danger. Elevated heart rate, high blood pressure and the release of stress hormones into the blood are normal reactions that occur in our bodies when faced with stressful situations and anxiety.

Some of the most common symptoms of anxiety can have a negative impact on the heart, including palpitations, tremors and insomnia. Whatever the cause for anxiety may be, there are steps we can take to improve our quality of life.

Take Action:

Relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga, deep breathing, and muscle relaxation to promote inner calm which will lessen symptoms of anxiety and promote cardiovascular health.

Exercise is another fundamental element in keeping our heart and mind healthy. People who suffer from anxiety often quit exercising because they find it overwhelming or they are simply physically and mentally exhausted. However, exercise  is an excellent way of promoting relaxation, inner calm and decreasing feelings of anxiety.

Getting enough sleep and eating a healthy diet is also important. Regular and sufficient sleep is essential for the proper functioning of all bodily systems. Aim for at least 8 hours every night. A balanced diet that mainly features wholesome fruits, vegetables, and lean meats will encourage restful sleep and systemic balance.

Certain medications and stimulants should also be avoided. Caffeinated beverages and over-the-counter diet pills often feature harsh stimulants that can worsen your symptoms. The same caution should be practiced with cough and cold medicines containing decongestants.

   Try natural remedies for anxiety treatment. 

  Finally, put your mind to it. Your mood can make a huge difference on the frequency and  severity     anxiety symptoms you experience. As the Greek philosopher Epictetus said, “Man is not disturbed by events, but by the view he takes of them."

A holistic approach to healing recognizes that the emotional, mental, spiritual and physical elements of each person comprise a system that is greater than its individual parts. This approach attempts to treat the whole person, concentrating on the cause of the illness as well as symptoms.

Good news: you can help yourself back to heart health and balance.

Finding it difficult to do this on your own? Coaching helps…….

Exercise with Anxiety?

I know it's tough to think about exercising when anxiety drag you down. I used to feel the same way. I didn't feel like I could even stand up sometimes, let alone exercise.

But, was I surprised to discover that exercise made a dramatic difference for me!

Did you know that exercise has these proven anxiety-reducing benefits?

Exercise has been proven to improve your mood; "burn off" stress; change the body's long-term automatic stress response, making you react more calmly with less false alarms of the fight or flight response; relaxes your muscles; and increases your sense of self control.

A small amount of exercise every day brings on “relaxation response”. According to Dr. Benson, “by repeating a muscular activity for 10-20 minutes twice a day, you can reduce symptoms of stress, increase your sense of wellbeing and create a feeling of being in control.”  

When you're getting started with exercise decide on a length of time that feels very do-able to you - whether it's ten seconds, one minute, or ten minutes.

Don't worry if you think it's not long enough to get much benefit. Creating an easily achievable goal is what counts when you're getting started because then you are more likely to stick with it.

Take Action:

- Start gradually if your symptoms are intense - even one or two minutes of walking in your house a few times a day is a great start! You'll be surprised how quickly you can build from there to create a habit of regular aerobic exercise and reap dramatic benefits.

- Find a buddy! I find it much easer rather then do it by myself esecially when anxious.

- In case you cant find one I suggest Get your personal trainer. You'll never workout alone again!

Believe me, You Can Do It!

Find out more about a natural ways to cure your anxiety !