Want a Cure for Social Anxiety?

Are you looking for a cure for social anxiety? I know what you mean. I was at a loss to know what to do about mine. Mostly, I just avoided people and social settings.

In fact, I still do today, but at least I’m not as bad as I used to be.

All my life I’ve had it. When I was young, I was described as shy. Shy yes, but also quite fearful of people. It took many years and a job to begin my transition to a life without social anxiety.

But it wouldn’t happen for a good 40 years.

Back in the 70s and 80s, I was so nervous in social settings that I dreaded attending any of the meetings required for my job. I always segregated myself from the crowd, sat at the back of the room, or found another timid soul to accompany.

As soon as 3 or more people got together around me, I panicked.

The big shift came when I began journalism college. If I wanted a new, more lucrative career than that of a typist, I needed to go back to school.

I won’t lie. It was unnerving, but it was something I truly wanted. Before long, I was actually enjoying the classroom discussions and even contributed to them.

I was getting quite comfortable, until I got my first assignment. To interview people for news stories. It wasn’t as bad as I expected as long as those interviews were with people around the college. But then, the biggest challenge of my life was gtiven to me. Get out and interview a dignitary, someone of community importance.

It took a load of courage for me to interview my town Mayor. He was as nervous as I was, which resulted in a rather pleasant interview.

It was my turning point. I’d broken through that fear threshhold and conducted my first big interview. The more I did, the more confident I felt and the less my social anxiety affected me.

Today I still have small bouts of social anxiety, but at least they do not terrify me as they once did.

Are you ready to take the plunge? It’s not as bad as you’re probably thinking right now. Build your courage. Do things that make you feel confident. For me, it was writing and photography, two things that came to me naturally since I was a child.

Find your own inner strength and you, too, can find a cure for social anxiety.