subject: How to Cure Social Anxiety – Saying Yes to Your Anxiety [print this page] How to Cure Social Anxiety Saying Yes to Your Anxiety
If you tried simply ignoring your anxiety with no avail, I recommend you try out the following technique. It's a difficult technique, but if you want to cure social anxiety you definitely should do it.
This is a technique derived from Dr. Victor Frankl's "paradoxical intention". Dr. Victor Frankl stated that when we are afraid of something we actually have a part in creating it and making sure it happens. The paradox being that if we try to make it happen, look forward to it happening or try to make the response greater, it can be eliminated. Basically, all you need to do is tell your anxiety to do its worst; as if you really wanted it to do it.
Give your anxiety a time limit! I've read articles stating that 21 seconds worked like a charm, yet others stated 5 minutes wasn't enough. I believe you will find the appropriate time you should give your anxiety with practice, so don't worry too much. Tell your anxiety that once that time limit is over you don't want to be bothered by it anymore. With time, you actually won't be bothered by it too much.
This technique is said to work because anxiety is in part a fear of being scared. Simply put, you fear you are going to fear a social situation; that is what can trigger your anxiety. Once you stop being afraid of being afraid (it's a difficult concept to grasp, but don't give up!), you will be far less anxious. Over time, you may even cure your social anxiety.
