‘Tis the Season: Managing Your Social Anxiety During the Holidays
The most wonderful time of the year isn’t always wonderful for everyone. Between holiday parties, traveling, and seeing friends and family, social anxiety can easily creep in. Anxiety around the holidays is more common than you think, as the holidays can be filled with many unknowns and lots of stress.
Those with social anxiety feel an intense amount of fear in social situations. Oftentimes in these situations, they feel like they are being watched or judged. Social anxiety can cause someone to be fearful of everyday things, like eating or drinking, and feel as though they could potentially be judged, embarrassed, or humiliated. Social anxiety can take over your life, making these everyday practices cause you significant anxiety.
If you have social anxiety you may experience difficulty engaging in social situations and develop anxiety well in advance. The feelings of embarrassment, and distress before these events can cause you to avoid them. Social anxiety still happens during the holiday season and the avoidance it provokes can leave you feeling left out, giving you major FOMO. However, even though social anxiety may not make you feel 100% comfortable in social situations, it doesn’t have to stop you from enjoying them, especially this holiday season. Keep reading for some tips on how to manage your social anxiety this holiday season so you can still enjoy all the wonderful festivities this season has to offer!
Take Control of Your Anxiety
One of the first things you can do to manage your social anxiety is to address and take control of it. People with anxiety can feel very anxious when they don’t feel in control, therefore learning to control your anxiety is an important first step. If you are not sure where to start, try speaking with a mental health professional. Not only will you learn coping techniques but speaking with a mental health professional gives you a safe space for you to identify your triggers and get to the root of what causes your anxiety. They may also determine if social anxiety medication can work as a treatment option to help relieve your anxiety.
A great way to figure out what is making you anxious is by logging your anxiety. Making a chart to keep track of when you feel anxious in social situations will help you make connections and understand the cause of your anxiety. Be sure to write down any feelings and sensations you experience when you are anxious. This way you can find the best techniques for coping with your social anxiety.
Asking for help is powerful, not a sign of weakness. Not only is seeking mental health help from a professional beneficial but so is creating a support system of family and friends. Having this support system can give you the extra boost of confidence to conquer and control your social anxiety at your next holiday party. Sometimes you might have the opportunity to bring a guest to a holiday party. Bringing someone from your support system is a great idea, as they know the best ways to support you and can give you a sense of relief.
Plan Ahead
Having a plan is one of the best ways people with social anxiety can cope. Having a plan in place before an event ensures that you are in control of things. For example, plan how you want to get to the event, what time you want to arrive, and even plan down to the outfit you are going to wear. This will help manage your anxiety and give you a sense of control.
Try planning ahead for conversation by having some icebreakers prepared, or a talking point to have on hand. Look up popular conversation starters. Maintain a positive attitude and focus on the things you can control. Unfortunately, you can’t control or plan everything, there are always going to be what-ifs. Remember even when the what-ifs happen you can only control yourself, your actions, your choices, etc. Set boundaries and if something makes you uncomfortable, take action; leave early or exit the conversation and join a different one. You could even step outside to have a moment alone. Planning ahead for as much as you can help ease your anxiety, but understand you can’t be prepared for everything. Lean on your social anxiety coping skills when the unexpected pops up.
Learn to Say “No”
During the holiday season, you can find yourself being so busy with all the events and parties that you just need a break. It’s important to teach yourself and be okay with saying no. Having anxiety can already tire you out, so don’t over-exert yourself by saying yes to everything. You don’t have to feel obligated to attend or participate in everything. It can be very overwhelming when you are constantly on the go. You might even start to enjoy the events less when you are worn out and yearning for a break.
If you are having trouble choosing which events to go to and which to skip, try picking the ones that mean the most to you to attend or the ones you are most excited to experience. Then politely decline the others and give yourself the proper amount of time to rest, relax and recover. Remind yourself to not feel guilty about not going to certain events. It’s important for you to realize that you don’t need to feel obligated to do everything that is asked of you. Overscheduling and running yourself down is a recipe for disaster.
After you’ve had some recovery time and are ready to start attending holiday fun again give yourself some grace and time before the event to relax. Restore your inner calm and care for yourself by doing something that brings you peace, like reading or going for a walk. By doing this you can go into the event feeling relaxed, prepared, and ready to enjoy yourself.
Embrace the holiday season this year by managing your social anxiety. Don’t let your anxiety damper your holiday plans. Remember to follow these tips and tricks so you can get through this season smoothly. You can do it, have confidence, and remember that your anxiety does not control you.