Find the silver lining.
Liptember 2024 - Day 28
Social anxiety is also known as social phobia, whereby everyday interactions cause significant anxiety, self-consciousness and embarrassment. It's that feeling of everyone staring - that's what it feels like to me. Like when you walk into a room and everyone turns and looks at you. Nothing can prepare you unless you prepare your mind for it.
22% of women who have PMDD also have social phobia. Their PMS symptoms are more severe which leads to severe irritability, depression & tension. Their hormone levels fall so I guess the trick is to counteract them at this point.
Easy to say right as a non-sufferer. But as someone who has experienced many bouts of anxiety in the past, has avoided situations or simply not left the house to again avoid these situations, this is what I do now.
If I feel the signs of anxiety coming on, I prepare. I get dressed in something that makes me feel good. I listen to music which either helps pick me up and calms me down. Washing my hands can be soothing the same as standing in the sunshine with the rays on my face.
Doing my self-care routine of skincare & makeup makes me feel good. Being positive in my own head also helps to bring about that confidence I need to step into that room. You need to believe that you are good enough and deserve to be in the place you are.
And if all else fails, just turn up, do the thing and escape back to your safe zone. The only way to conquer the fear is to keep trying new ways to tackle it. And always look for a silver lining, the anxiety didn't win today because I managed to do this one small thing.
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