Many people with social anxiety suffer from overthinking. They worry about what people are saying, how they are acting, and how they look. What if you don’t do anything right? What if they think you’re weird? What if it doesn’t go well? These thoughts can lead to self-judgment and further feelings of inadequacy. When you have social anxiety, it’s important to learn ways to cope with the overthinking that comes with the disorder so that your mind will stop worrying on its own.
Take a Deep Breath
When you are experiencing negative thoughts about yourself and your performance, it’s almost impossible to stop overthinking. It takes a conscious effort. Take a deep breath and enjoy the air that is filling your lungs. Whenever you take this simple step, your breathing slows down and your mind becomes more relaxed. When your mind is more relaxed, the worries begin to disappear.
Remind Yourself That You Are Enough
Often people with social anxiety think they aren’t good enough or they don’t measure up. They forget their strengths and their talents because of what happened in the past or what could happen in the future. The truth is that everyone has strengths and everyone can do something well if they try hard enough. Remind yourself that you have talents and strengths, even though you might forget them at times.
Don’t Think About Yourself In Terms Of Labels
When you have social anxiety, you tend to think in terms of labels. You worry about whether or not people are going to see the real you and reject you for it. What if they find out that I’m a fraud? What if they know I’m really stupid? These kinds of labels will only cause more anxiety and create more negative thoughts. Instead of thinking about yourself in terms of labels, think about yourself in terms of your character traits. For example, instead of thinking about being a shy person or an awkward person, think about being an honest person or a creative person.
Decide What You Want To Do
You might have some ideas about what you want to do. But without researching it first, it’s easy to get confused. Do you want to talk or listen? Do you want to be active or quiet? Just because someone says they want to do something doesn’t mean you should let them take control of the situation and ruin your chances of having a good time. If they don’t know what they are doing, they won’t be able to give you the guidance that will lead to a successful outcome. If there is a way for you to take control when doing something new, do so instead of letting them make all the decisions for you.
When you have social anxiety, taking control of a situation can help you stop overthinking about how it might turn out. You will be able to control your mind and not let it lead you down the same old path of negative thinking and self-judgment. Take this opportunity to try new things, take charge of situations, and stop overthinking once and for all.
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