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Social anxiety is difficult to deal with, and if anything, it’s tiring. Sometimes you really do want to get out and hang out, but that anxiety is the only thing holding you back.
If you can manage it, here are some strategies that can help you open the door and get out of the house.
- Help someone out. If you do manage to get to a party, make sure you bring something with you, like a dish or a bottle of wine. If you know the host, ask if there’s anything you can help out with, like setting out more chairs or taking out the trash. One recent study showed that helping out others is a great way to make social settings feel more comfortable for those with social anxiety, since it makes social situations associated with positive experiences.
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- Get that heart rate going. After exercise, your body releases endorphins and makes you feel happier and more confident. One study tracked people with social anxiety over a few weeks, and found that those who exercised regularly were less bothered by social situations than those who didn’t. This is because the feeling of exercise is very similar to the feeling of anxiety, meaning that you’ll be less bothered by those anxious feelings if you feel them outside a setting of anxiety. It sounds complicated, but it totally works,
- Rebalance your gut bacteria. This one probably sounds the weirdest, right? Well, the connection between gut bacteria and mental health is very real, and new studies have shown that fermented foods help your gut bacteria produce feel-good bacteria that can lower your symptoms of social anxiety. Start out with foods like kimchi and kefir, and see if any of those worries subside.
If you feel like you need more help, talk to a professional about handling your social anxiety. But in the meantime, these tips may be what helps you get to that friend’s party.
