From one SA sufferer to another xxx

[Nadine333]

I dont know if this will help anyone but..... sometimes you cant see the woods for the trees, & I found that just thinking about this & trying to put it in to practice has some what helped me..... I recommend that you try to use it first of all, on the things/people that you have less anxiety with.... So your more in practice to apply to things you have most anxiety with, I actually got this from a self help book........

When your in a situation that is causing you anxiety, the thing that is making it worse is the fact that your concentrating on the anxiety inside your self & are making up your own idea's of what people are thinking about you, thus leaving it almost imposible to read what the conversation is / how to respond - and in effect you have nothing or little to offer, & of course the person talking to you is bound to pick up on this, so what im trying to say is that no matter how hard it is......... Try to egnor your inner feelings / the fact that your blushing or your soooo nervous, Just put your heart in to listening to what they are saying & if you have listened well, you will have something to say or a question to ask or a joke to make & so on, Thus the art of conversation.

This to me is so obvouse yet was hidden away.

I hope it helps just some one xxxxxxx

 

[crazyfairyx]

Great post. I agree, anxiety is made a million times worse when you're concentrating on it, analysing your anxiety and imagining what people must be thinking of you. Sometimes the best thing to do is to try and take a logical look at the situation, see that you're not in danger, people are paying attention to their own situation and just remember that your panic will pass.

 

[Warlock]

The best thing you can do by yourself for yourself if you have Avoidant Personality Disorder is to challange those thoughts.

 

[IceLad]

Yep I agree. It's something that Dr Richards highlights on his cognitive therapy course, and it works for me.