Social anxiety disorder is a mental disorder characterized as the intense fear caused by being in social situations, having to socialize with others, or speak publicly. Symptoms of social anxiety include absolutley dreading socializing, a deep fear of being criticized and judged by others, experiencing physical anxiety symptoms (i.e., sweating, heart palpitations, erractic breathing, etc.), and more.
Do you relate to the symptoms above? Or do you maybe have a fear of speaking to others or performing in front of them? If so, it’s possible that you might have socially induced anxiety. The good news is that treating social anxiety disorder is possible.
The first step is to see your preferred mental health professional for some guidance. Currently, treatments include personal self-care, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), or pharma medicines like SSRIs which are used for general anxiety.
While CBT is effective and quite necessary, it can be very expensive if your health insurance does not cover mental healthcare. Similarly, medications can be too much out-of-pocket and there may be potential negative side effects like addiction or worsening of the condition.
People with social anxiety disorder are often triggered by external environmental factors which means that if you take the time to plan ahead of time, anxiety can be prevented or avoided as much as possible.
Anxiety is often a root issue of lacking control, so one easy way to ease tension around social interaction is to plan hang outs, dates, and events ahead of time.
If you feely uncomfy with being around too many people at once, consider paying attention to your body’s signals when you are socializing. Do you feel like having too many people speak around you is stressful? Would you prefer being around 1 person? The more you get out, the more you’ll know what you can and cannot handle.
Boundaries are so important for mental wellbeing, so if others are pushing you to go out or giving you trouble, find solace in knowing that it is 100% up to you to do what you are comfortable with. Your priority is to make yourself happy!
If you’re looking for a short term or maybe even long term fix (that is non-addictive and all natural) for social anxiety, consider an alternative, like cannabidiol (CBD). Did you know that recent studies are suggesting that CBD may be an effective tool for managing social anxiety?
One study conducted an experiment using CBD before people had to speak in front of a large crowd. Two groups were made to conduct the experiment. One group was given CBD prior to the public speaking whereas the other group was not.
Results demonstrated that the individuals that were given CBD were a lot less anxious and performed better than the group who was not administered CBD.
CBD products are made for those struggling with pain, inflammation, and mental health conditions. Here at ReThink we recommend taking our CBD oils/tinctures which are the most effective method for consuming CBD.
Because the oil is dropped under the tongue, it is absorbed into the bloodstream quickly reaching the brain faster than other CBD products like gummies or gel caps.
CBD works similarly to SSRI meds which manage serotonin production and interaction within the brain. Medically reviewed studies are showing that CBD may have calming effects which is amazing news!
If you’re new to CBD, have tried too many things to get your social anxiety under control, but still have no luck, or you simply just want to chill out, maybe CBD could be just what you’re looking for.