What is social anxiety?

Social anxiety (or social phobia) refers to the fear of coming into contact with people, to put it simply. It is part of the phobic disorders and is the third most frequent mental illness. The people concerned fear the critical eye of others. Therefore, they are afraid of making possible mistakes, shaming themselves, drawing negative attention to themselves, and being humiliated. Most of those affected are well aware that their fear is irrational, but they do not control their feelings of anxiety and have great difficulty getting out of it independently.

Social anxiety usually begins in childhood or adolescence. The harassment of school, too authoritarian education, and oppression can trigger this anxiety disorder. But how does social anxiety manifest itself in everyday work? Let’s find out.

Social anxiety in the workplace

In the workplace, social anxiety states manifest themselves in different situations: during meetings, presentations, or individual interviews, for example. At work, one has to constantly explain oneself with one’s colleagues and superiors and express one’s ideas, which is quite difficult for those concerned because they often doubt their abilities. As a result, they submit to managers and feel insecure.

Also, people affected by social anxiety make a career less often because they tend to refuse promotions in order to avoid situations that are sources of stress and social demands. These people typically do not negotiate their salary and rarely consider changing jobs for fear of the job interview.

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Social anxiety is most evident in stressful situations because when those affected fail to cope with them, they feel ashamed and humiliated. Stress and pressure are increased by the feeling of competition and direct comparison with colleagues in the workplace.

Do you recognize yourself in several of these situations? This is no reason to worry. It happens to a lot of people. However, an untreated social phobia greatly complicates your career path. So what are the treatment options?

How to deal with social anxiety? 

Face your fears

Confronting your fears is absolutely necessary because fighting them only reinforces the symptoms and worsens the situation. Take the first step by facing your fears. You will then notice that you will feel better.

Start therapy

It still sounds negative, but it absolutely isn’t. Seeking professional help is a possible step towards alleviating symptoms. Indeed, therapy helps regulate emotions and strengthen one’s self-control to control one’s fears consciously.

Use relaxation methods (yoga & Cie)

Another way to deal with anxiety states is to resolve emotional blockages, strengthen concentration and mindfulness, and get out of fear. Yoga and meditation help achieve this. Just sit for half an hour in your room, relax, put on some relaxing music, and focus on your breathing. By doing this regularly, you will notice that you will start your day in a much more relaxed way.

Dealing with situations

The best that can be done is to cope with the situations, although this is, of course, not easy and takes time. In your new job, you will face many different problems where you will have to face your fear to learn how to deal with them. If you need help with your application, you can take inspiration from the tips mentioned here.

The most important thing is not to put pressure on yourself and to give yourself time. Unfortunately, it may take some time before social anxiety is completely cured. But with willpower, you can get there and approach the subject with more confidence.

Read more to know How to deal with Social Anxiety.