Learning to live with social anxiety is usually not that difficult, but some sufferers are prone to extreme levels of stress when in a public situation or when they’re amongst large groups of people. This can even result in a patient developing severe agoraphobia. You don’t want to go there. It can lead to depression, and/or an anxiety disorder, and if you are reading this you know how much of a bummer that can be.

I’ve read where people who suffer from social anxiety take singing, dancing, or acting lessons. That’s a sure way to learn how to deal with your fear of being around people! Even for the most confident people, being on stage can stress them out to the point of experiencing nausea, diarrhea, dry mouth, and cold sweats. All basic symptoms of stress. It was enough to make me pack in my guitar and quit the band.

Using Medication (legal or illegal drugs)

As mentioned above, I played in bands when I was a young man (15-27), and had a chance to watch how people deal with social anxiety and/or stage fright. As you can likely guess, there was a whole lot of self-medicating going on. This is the WRONG way to go about combating social anxiety (don’t go there, and if you are there…..try and find a better way to deal with your stress) . I have too many horror stories to list all of them here on this page.

There are professional performers who use drugs such as Ativan to give them courage enough to relax while they perform. Controlled substances like these, along with a good doctor and your common sense, can help. You still have to be very careful you don’t start popping Ativan pills like smarties though. Highly addictive if you abuse this drug.

Some people who are not performers, speakers, or the like, have trouble going anywhere that is a public place, including the mall, the movies, the park, sporting events, concerts, etc.

These folks can often be afraid to go to work. Afraid to go to their kid’s Christmas concert. Afraid to go to the grocery store. This is when it’s getting fairly serious and a trip to the doctor is now required. If you are at that stage, don’t worry about it – it’s all treatable, and of course you are not alone. There is usually something behind all your social anxiety, and there are many good treatments for this problem (with or without medication)

Avoid Avoidance

What you don’t want to do is use the avoidance method for keeping your stress levels down, I had a case of agoraphobia at one of the most anxious periods of my life. For about two months I was petrified to go outside, take a walk, or go to any public place. It was very scary to say the least. Eventually with time, medication, and healthy action on my part, I was able to pull out of it all together.

If you are simply avoiding public places all together, and have trouble leaving your home, it’s time to get yourself to a doctor or therapist. Social anxiety is very treatable and in 99% of cases patients have a full recovery.

Get out in public with a close friend or relative by your side. Someone who you can talk to and confide in. If you don’t have that option, consider taking short walks in the evening when the streets are quiet. Work your way up to a public place during the day time.

Libraries are a PERFECT place to start because they’re quiet and controlled environments where people have their noses in a book. You are still in a public place, but it’s a calm and quiet place to be. I love libraries for this reason.