Archive for the 'Techniques' Category
Typology and Social Anxiety: Part 1
September 18th, 2006 by Ryan Oelke
This is part one of a series of posts on typology and social anxiety. Part 1 explores the relationship between social anxiety and typology. Part 2 explores the particular connection between introversion and social anxiety. Part 3 provides methods for exploring typology and applying it to the path of overcoming social anxiety.
Exploring typology has tremendous pontential to help a person with social anxiety for at least two reasons:
- Typology is an inward journey, which is in contrast to the continual external focus that characterizes SAD.
- Typology is meant to validate one’s own natural personality. Often those with SAD will resist, even fight or grow to dislike their own personality traits (not always, but it seems prevalent). This is especially true with introverts as the difference between SAD and introversion is at first difficult to notice, particularly for those who are both introverts and struggle with SAD. Read the rest of this entry »
Focus of Attention and Social Anxiety
August 28th, 2006 by Ryan Oelke
In situations, individuals with social anxiety tend to focus more people then anything else. I observed this in myself today during one of my first class sessions for the semester. Of course, this is not a real surprise to those with SA but I find it helpful to notice how partial my attention is and how many other aspects of any given situation I could focus on. Read the rest of this entry »
Online Transparency
August 16th, 2006 by Aaron
Since writing my last post, I’ve been thinking even more about the role of transparency in my struggles with social anxiety. One of the first places that I have been able to bring a little more transparency to my life is online. I was grateful for Ryan’s post on using the online world to help cope with social anxiety when I first read it and lately I have been thinking about it even more.
Using Notecards as Cognitive Reminders
August 7th, 2006 by Ryan Oelke
One technique that has helped me tremendously is creating notecards that I carry around, particularly before and during more difficult situations. I don’t remember if I picked this up from the Social Anxiety Workbook, but what I do with them stems from a technique found in that book. One of the first things you do in the workbook is to identify your common thought patterns going through your mind when you experience social anxiety. That helps to show that you are not just “magically” have feelings, that they have roots, and that you can change them. Next you test them out for validity. Finally you create more accurate thoughts and conclusions.
So, I’ll tell you how this works for me. A common SAD thought I have is that I should be perfect in social situations. On my notecard I have, “It’s ok not to be perfect.” It seems so simple, but it actually helps me. Another example is that I really dislike feeling overwhelmed by anxiety, especially wondering if others will notice, which causes more anxiety. On my notecard I have, “Feeling anxious does not make me weird.” “Weird” is my projection when I am SAD-ing. I also have, “It won’t be the end of the world if I become anxious”, which is what it usually feels like. I have a lot of these little one-liners and I put them to test during my transition to Boulder and a new job, which was extremely hard on me in terms of SAD.
Have you tried anything like this? If so, what has been your experience? What other ways have you worked with your SAD thought patterns and conclusions?
Going Online with Social Anxiety
July 24th, 2006 by Ryan Oelke
One of the environments that has facilitated the most change for me is online communities, in my case, the blogosphere and now Zaadz. I have a feeling that others have found being online to be a safe place to experiment and challenge oneself. For most with social anxiety being face-to-face with people creates much more anxiety than does interacting online1. There are a few different mediums of social interaction online, the most common being2:
Read the rest of this entry »
- Not necessarily all folks with SAD. Each of us has our own unique situations that raise our anxiety. Also, for some, any social interacting causes incapacitating social anxiety. [back]
- Of course, there are other mediums facilitated by the web, such as phone calls, but I consider this the same thing as using a land line or cell phone. Online communication is different, as you’ll see in this post. [back]
Accountabilty and Social Anxiety
July 3rd, 2006 by Ryan Oelke
One of the most important parts of working with my social anxiety is accountability. The most change I experience is when I have someone to be accountable to in making that change. When I was working in therapy, I made a lot of progress. After that, I moved and didn’t really do anything consciously about SAD until talking with Aaron, and now this blog.
Read the rest of this entry »
Slow Talk
June 29th, 2006 by dashh
From time to time I would like to share with you all some techniques that have helped me deal with my social anxiety. One of those techniques is called Slow Talk. I was introduced to this technique through the handouts of Dr. Richards’ Overcoming Social Anxiety: Step by Step tape/handout series that was the core of the SA support group I attended. The technique is actually very easy to practice although you may feel a little awkward getting use to it. It involves just reading something out loud to yourself but slowing down your speech just enough so that you notice a difference. I would practice reading aloud in slow talk for about 20 minutes a day – usually reading over the handouts from the series in the evenings in my room. I usually really exaggerate and slow my rhythm way down when I practice, which in time has helped me to naturally speak just enough slower in social situations to remain more calm.
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