Social Anxiety Therapy
Do Social Situations Intimidate—Rather Than Energize—You?
Is it difficult for you to meet new people?
Do you constantly replay conversations in your head or fret about what others think of you?
And are you feeling lonely and frustrated because you can’t seem to maintain strong, healthy connections?
Social anxiety has long been an issue affecting men and women from all backgrounds, but the stress and uncertainty of the pandemic seem to have worsened symptoms for many of my clients. As the world has opened up, you may be finding it difficult to re-establish a consistent, fulfilling social life.
What Are Your Symptoms?
Perhaps you feel triggered by normal, everyday experiences, whether you’re scrolling social media, going on a basic errand, or ordering food at a restaurant. It’s possible your anxiety becomes so intense in these situations that you regularly avoid others and refuse to go out. As your social fears snowball, you’re likely to see an uptick in symptoms related to depression as you feel isolated, hopeless, and drained of your energy.
If you’re not partnered, social anxiety may be complicating your dating prospects. You might dread first dates due to the awkwardness and uncertainty often involved in getting to know someone. And even if you are in a relationship, it may be strained because you feel too exhausted to interact with your significant other or participate in social activities together.
All you want is a sense of security in yourself and your appearance. If you could just stop listening to the inner critic telling you all the ways you’re inadequate, you would feel so much more confident and ready to maintain strong relationships. But I am here to tell you that a new way of relating to the world is possible. Through therapy for social anxiety, you can learn to challenge anxious thinking patterns and quiet your inner critic.
Social Anxiety Often Becomes Ingrained At A Young Age
Social anxiety is an incredibly common issue. According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America (ADAA), social anxiety disorder (SAD) affects 7.1 percent of the population, with most people developing symptoms as teenagers. (1)
Unfortunately, one-third of those struggling with social anxiety will wait for ten—yes, ten!—years before seeking treatment. This is because as symptoms develop in adolescence, children and teens are often told that they are just shy and will grow out of it. The reality is that our inner critic takes hold at an early age, and once we are caught up in a certain thought process and looping inner dialogue, it can be extremely difficult to find our way “off the wheel.”
Furthermore, there are specific factors from childhood that can make us more susceptible to SAD. If we were raised by parents with social anxiety, we run a significantly greater risk of developing social anxiety ourselves. (2) And if we experienced trauma at an early age—including bullying or unhealthy parenting styles that fostered low self-esteem—we’re more likely to suffer from anxiety of all kinds, including SAD.
Those of us struggling might maintain the misconception that social anxiety is something that we can correct or overcome on our own without treatment from a skilled professional. However, a therapist is precisely what we need to escape the cycle of social anxiety. By gaining perspective on how your thoughts, feelings, and emotional response are creating a circular pattern, you can build the skill sets needed to break the cycle.
Inner Voice Counseling Offers Efficient, Effective Therapy For Social Anxiety
As a specialist trained in treatment approaches that are particularly effective in treating social anxiety disorder, I can offer you a meaningful platform for addressing and managing your symptoms. With me, you will learn to observe and reframe thoughts in a nonjudgmental way, setting you up to tackle the harsh critic inside that’s keeping you from living with confidence.
My Approach
Therapy will begin with reflecting on the thoughts and feelings that tend to come up when you interact with others. Using mindfulness exercises, we will work to understand those thoughts without judgment and how they contribute to the cycle of self-criticism. Throughout this process, you will be able to identify and manage triggers using the customized coping skills that we develop together.
I will also incorporate elements of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help you challenge unhealthy thinking patterns. Relying on your newfound skills, you will be able to replace damaging and outdated core beliefs with healthy, affirming ones. Bit by bit, this counseling approach uncovers the harsh and socially awkward parts of yourself that have kept you from engaging with others and living life to the fullest.
I’ve watched as my clients meaningfully tackle their social anxiety in therapy. Not only does treatment help reduce symptoms of social anxiety and depression—it paves the way for more intimate, comfortable, and deeper connections. I am always pleased when therapy allows my clients to succeed in ways they never thought possible.
You are not alone in your struggle of feeling anxious, isolated, and ashamed—and you don’t have to be alone in overcoming those intrusive feelings. It takes dedication and commitment to engage new tools and perspectives, but I am confident that social anxiety treatment can help you escape circular thinking. Working together in therapy, we can get you to a place where your social anxiety no longer dictates every aspect of your life.
Still Unsure If A Therapist Can Help You Overcome Social Anxiety?
I’m anxious about the prospect of beginning counseling for social anxiety. How will I know that I’m ready?
If you’re fed up with fighting social anxiety and feeling lonely, chances are you’re ready for therapy. Instead of finding excuses for not seeing a therapist, you’re here and considering taking the plunge—that’s a big step! Trust that your mind and body will let you know when the time is right, and remember that I will be here to guide you through every step of the process.
I’m currently taking medication for social anxiety—can therapy help me wean off my prescription?
Many people struggling with SAD take antidepressants or other medications to help curb their symptoms. It’s possible that by using mindfulness and ACT, you can build your coping toolkit and reframe your self-perception enough that you no longer require medication for social anxiety. That said, I am not a prescribing professional, and I ultimately leave any decisions you make regarding medication to you and your doctor.
If social anxiety and secondary symptoms of depression seem to be less of a burden than they were before you started on medication, I encourage you to reach out to your doctor to adjust your treatment plan accordingly.
Because marijuana is legal in Colorado, I wonder if it might help with my social anxiety.
Again, this is something you’ll want to discuss with your physician. While there are many studies supporting the use of cannabis in treating social anxiety, that is not necessarily in my wheelhouse as a therapist, and I don’t want to make sweeping generalizations about what might and might not help. My suggestion would be to consider reading up on the use of cannabis in treating social anxiety and discuss with your doctor what the pros and cons might be for introducing cannabis into your treatment plan.
Transform Your Inner Critic Into An Inner Cheerleader
As a therapist specializing in anxiety issues affecting individuals from a range of backgrounds, I am available to work with clients experiencing low self-esteem, SAD, and social phobias. Contact me to find out more about how my approach to therapy for social anxiety disorder can help you.