By Hari Loukyaa Kuppam
Many individuals experience a feeling within themselves which sends them down mountains of worry, leading to a hurtful and miserable feeling of self-criticism. This feeling is portrayed as anxiety. Many individuals go through various stages of anxiety disorders.
Such anxiety disorders include social anxiety. The pressure of being in the spotlight leads to rapid heartbeat, sweating, anxiousness, and fidgeting as well as nervousness. Individuals who constantly worry about public attention could do so due to several reasons including fear of situations of being judged or fear of humiliation/embarrassment. “Social anxiety is more than just shyness,” says the National Institute of Mental Health. This thought adds on to what goes through one’s mind, which affects the inner self.
Social anxiety impacts day to day life as well as school, work, social, and other daily activities. “Social anxiety is more than just shyness,” says NIMH. This thought also adds on to how it affects their outer circle of personal connection. The public circle begins to get compact.
Having a trembling voice when speaking, an unsteady voice, and most importantly, being scared eventually leads to overthinking every word or decision said and made. Motivation and helping bring yourself up when you feel tight must be done. Getting therapy or asking your support system can help. Slowly developing and practicing communicating skills in front of small audiences gradually to a higher audience can resolve the issue.
Calm mind or social anxiety? Having a calm mind is important. Feeling heavy and at the same time light is a situation which shall and should be turned into feeling confident and strong. Having a calm mind frees the inner and outer self.
Sources:
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/social-anxiety-disorder-more-than-just-shyness
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/social-anxiety-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353561
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-overcome-social-anxiety/
https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety/social-phobia#:~:text=Social%20anxiety%20disorder%2C%20sometimes%20referred,judged%20or%20scrutinized%20by%20others
