The holidays have become the back-to-school season for adults. After witnessing the social anxiety of our children returning to the classroom, we are now faced with total holiday immersion. Many travel restrictions have loosened and those yearning for social connection are packing their bags. But not everyone is excited. This social regrouping with friends and family after a grueling two years is forcing many to explore and face their social anxiety.
COVID shut down many friend and family gatherings and allowed us to choose who we would let into our life. Maybe it was even an opportunity to have a reasonable excuse to avoid an unpleasant social situation. If a pattern of avoidance has been created and it is interfering with moving toward positive family and friend interactions, there is help.
If your social anxiety is old or a result of the times the same treatment steps are effective. In my practice, we first begin with learning about the nature of emotions and how emotional problems arise. We see, hear, and we also feel. It’s natural to have emotions, but they should guide us, not make decisions for us. Daniel Wysocki an Ed.S, with a private practice in Jonesboro, AR recommends identifying the cost of avoidance and then taking the opposite approach, which is exposure.
This begins with brief exposure or thinking about the upsetting social scene with natural non-judgmental thought and feelings observations. This leads to prolonged exposure. We gently increase the duration of exposures and repeat until the visualization no longer leads to social anxiety distress.
