Free
E-newsletter
Subscribe to Housecall
Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date
on a wide variety of health topics.
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Lifestyle and home remedies
Although social anxiety disorder generally requires help from a medical expert or qualified psychotherapist, you can try some self-help techniques to handle situations likely to trigger your symptoms.
First, consider your fears to identify what situations cause the most anxiety. Then gradually practice these activities until they cause you less anxiety. Begin with small steps in situations that aren't overwhelming.
Situations to practice may include:
- Eating with a close relative, friend or acquaintance in a public setting.
- Making eye contact and returning greetings from others, or being the first to say hello
- Giving someone a compliment
- Asking a retail clerk to help you find an item
- Getting directions from a stranger
- Showing an interest in others — ask about their homes, children, grandchildren, hobbies or travels, for instance
- Calling a friend to make plans
At first, being social when you're feeling anxious is challenging. As difficult or painful as it may seem initially, don't avoid situations that trigger your symptoms. By regularly facing these kinds of situations, you'll continue to build and reinforce your coping skills.
The following techniques can help you begin to face situations that make you nervous:
- Prepare for conversation. For instance, read the newspaper to identify an interesting story you can talk about.
- Focus on personal qualities you like about yourself.
- Practice relaxation exercises.
- Adopt stress management techniques.
- Set realistic goals.
- Pay attention to how often the embarrassing situations you're afraid of actually take place. You may notice that the scenarios you fear usually don't come to pass.
- When embarrassing situations do happen, remind yourself that your feelings will pass, and you can handle them until they do.
Avoid using alcohol to calm your nerves. It may seem like it helps, but in the long run it can make you feel more anxious.
- Social phobia (social anxiety disorder). In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed June 11, 2011.
- Schneier FR. Social anxiety disorder: Epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 17, 2011.
- Hollander E, et al. Social phobia (social anxiety disorder). In: Hales RE, et al. The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Psychiatry. 5th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2008. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed June 11, 2011.
- Phobic disorders. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec15/ch196/ch196e.html. Accessed June 17, 2011.
- Hofmann SG. Psychotherapy for social anxiety disorder. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 17, 2011.
- Bruce TJ, et al. Pharmacotherapy for social anxiety disorder. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 17, 2011.
- Lee RA. Anxiety disorders. In: Rakel D. Integrative Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/154207005-3/0/1494/57.html?tocnode=54111716&fromURL=57.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2954-0..50014-4_229. Accessed June 10, 2011.
- Lakhan SE, et al. Nutritional and herbal supplements for anxiety and anxiety-related disorders: Systematic review. Nutrition Journal. 2010;9:42. http://www.nutritionj.com/content/9/1/42. Accessed June 17, 2011.
Find Mayo Clinic on