Anxious people of Reddit. What are some techniques/strategies you use to battle anxiety in social situations?

1. I realize this is going to sound counter-intuitive...But I never really got a handle on my anxiety until I accepted it. Sometimes, I am just going to feel like shit. I can't stop it, it sucks, and I have to accept that. I don't know why it works, but being ok with being anxious when it happens, makes me less anxious, less often.
   — shaiyl


2. I just try and remind myself that, aside from being basically polite and pleasant, I am not responsible for making sure the other person is comfortable at all times. I'm allowed to let awkward silences happen, I don't have to answer any questions I don't want to answer, and I don't have to entertain the other person.
   — kupo_moogle


3. I meditate before going to social situations. It actually helps me.
   — Kenkyuusha






4. Acting. I "play a character" in some situations (such as having to make a phone call or similar). Kinda like some people have a "phone voice".
   — DaughterOfNone


5. Expose yourself to social situations that make you uncomfortable. I still get anxious but you learn to deal with it.
   — GSG96


6. When you feel yourself getting anxious do slow deep breathing. It tells your body that you have no reason to feel anxious.
   — cisco54






7. Beta blockers.
   — huuaaang


8. Meditation.. for me it works all the time :) most people try to avoid real problem which is our MIND. most people either decide to 'sleep' or 'semi sleep' by getting drunk... or they listen to music but it only helps for 2 or 3 hours.. if you watch movies you actually intensify your thoughts so it's more dangerous.. so.. after following all these paths i have realized for me.. mediation is the only solution out there.
   — ZeroThoughts1


9. I battle severe Anxiety and depression and see a psychologist every two weeks and a psychiatrist every 12. I'm on 60mg of prozac daily which is enough to keep me from being an absolute shithead. My panic attacks are usually verbal attacks. I wouldn't get out if it wasn't for my best friend. He's a huge exovert and drags me along.
   — Asshole_from_Texas






10. I've struggled with anxiety since I was a kid, and it used to be nearly debilitating when an episode would hit. Here are a few ways I've learned to manage it. 1. Identifying what triggers it. For me it was often panic about something I haven't done. This would become cyclical because the panic would keep me from doing anything to remedy it, which would result in more panic. Eventually I was able to realize the cycle, and work to set aside my worry in order to complete what needed to be done. 2. Recognizing that my physical state is result of my mental state. The tension in my stomach, the increased heart rate, etc. were all something I had to control by addressing my emotions. It's not easy, but it helps. My boyfriend recently started getting panic attacks and he honestly thought he had a heart problem. It took a bit, but once I was able to convince him he wasn't dying, he was able to work on the other issues that were causing his anxiety. 3. Finding someone who understands what your going though. I can't tell you how many times I would tell someone I was feeling anxious and their response was either that of complete confusion, or they would tell me to relax/calm down - not helpful. Having someone know that the best thing for you is to treat the situation with compassion, not necessarily letting you spiral, but letting you talk things through, is very helpful. 4. Breathing exercises. They don't always work for me, but I hear they help some people. 5. Avoiding heart rate increasing substances - sugar, caffeine, etc. 6. Lastly, and this isn't for everyone, but it's been the biggest help for me - I tried microdosing mushrooms. Not a lot, just enough that you feel it. Honestly, I have not struggled with anxiety like I used to since I figured this one out, not to say I don't at all anymore. Basically, it helps you understand that sometimes you don't have control, that your emotions can fluctuate on a whim, and that agonizing over how you're feeling has the potential to only make things worse. [Read this] (https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/04/chemo-for-the-spirit-lsd-helps-cancer-patients-cope-with-death/360625/) if you want more information on mushrooms and anxiety. > "The data from the study is still being analyzed, but anecdotally Dr. Ross and his team report that the vast majority of their patients have exhibited an immediate and sustained reduction in anxiety. Consistent with similar studies involving psilocybin, approximately three-fourths of the participants rate their experience with the drug as being one of the top five most significant events of their lives." Anyway, each person deals with anxiety differently, so it's best to develop methods for yourself, but I hope this helps.
    — POTUSKNOPE


11. I used to have a lot of social anxiety. Here is how my mind worked: I would be in an interaction. I would say or do something. I would worry that watever I had done was awkward. I would then be more awkward because I was worrying and so on and so on. You can see the cycle. Here's how I learned to break it. 1. I decided that the purpose of social interactions was not to be liked but was instead to be myself. 2. When I felt nervous, I learned to express, rather than hide, my nervousness. In my opinion, trying to not be anxious just makes you anxious about being anxious. If you just let yourself be ok with being anxious, your anxiety level goes down.
    — Iamnotarobotchicken