2020 has been quite a year, and each and every one of us has a lot on our emotional plates. For those who already have social anxiety, these uncertain times can be almost unbearable. Between a global pandemic, the threat of murder hornets, political and racial unrest, and the variety of other crises the first half of the year has offered, it can be incredibly hard to cope for some. At times, the world seems like it has turned upside down. It's easy for apocalyptic fantasies to take hold of the psyche. However, there are still steps you can take to cope with and even overcome your social anxiety.
Don't Disappear
Right now, you don't have any obligation to be in a social situation at all. In fact, you're encouraged to stay home as much as possible to stop the spread of Covid-19. It can be easy to use that as an excuse to crawl into isolation without the feelings of guilt typically associated with avoiding friends and family or professional networking situations. However, it's important that you don't fully disappear right now. Maintaining a social life during this time of crisis is a balancing act between taking that essential time for self care while still forcing yourself to interact with others in a digital or socially-distanced way.
Why is it important? There are many reasons. One is that perhaps you were making good progress with your social anxiety. It would be easy to lose that now and then have to do the work all over again. Another is that, eventually, the world will go back to functioning normally, and it will make it so much easier to cope if you continue to practice coping methods. There are several safe steps you can take right now to make the transition back to in-person interaction easier on yourself, and maybe to overcome social anxiety to a degree.
Use Technology to Your Advantage
Online video call applications like Zoom, Skype, and FaceTime are perfect for using as training wheels to overcome social anxiety. You can still practice your social interactions with friends, family, and co-workers, but you can do so from the safety of your own home. If you become flustered or nervous while talking, remind yourself that you're in a safe space. That simple fact can keep you from being overwhelmed by the anxiety.
Understand What Makes You Tick
As always, the key to overcoming is understanding. When you know why you have social anxiety or just what it is about social situations that makes you uncomfortable, you can more easily find ways to cope with that particular part. Things seem scarier when you look at them all at once - as one, large, overwhelming task. When you break it down into parts and confront each one, you'll be on your way to coping with or overcoming your social anxiety before you know it.
Seek Professional Help
If you've tried everything and you still feel like your social anxiety is out of control, seek professional help. There's no shame in trying to improve and grow, especially during such a nerve wracking time. Sometimes, all it takes is having another person to guide you through and help you build new habits to curb the effects of your social anxiety. There is always hope.