Last week I wrote 3 articles to answer a question that I received surrounding social anxiety. To share the information in an alternate format, I created video presentations of the articles. I create video presentations of my articles for individuals who learn through listening and watching.
To watch the video presentations of the 1st 2 articles in the series, click on the below links:
Living with a Brain Injury and Overcoming Social Anxiety Video Presentation
Social Anxiety, Understanding and Finding Freedom from Bullying Video Presentation
In today’s article, I will share the 3rd article in the series, Brain Injury, and Learning to Manage Anxiety in Social Settings, in video presentation format. Below is an excerpt from the article. Below the excerpt is a link to the full article and the video presentation.
“In an article that I wrote several days ago, Living with a Brain Injury and Overcoming Social Anxiety I spoke about several realizations. I realized that everyone experiences anxiety when interacting socially. I also realized that I could manage my anxiety. In my article Social Anxiety, Understanding and Finding Freedom from Bullying I spoke to bullying, as bullying relates to social anxiety.
What I realized changed my life, as I began to discover that I could learn how to manage my social anxiety. Having these awareness’ helped me to be more gentle with myself. Through understanding that everyone experiences anxiety in social settings, that there are bullies and that I have deficits and limitations, I am better able to take care of myself. Better able to be aware and better able to take care of me, in social settings. Better able to take care of myself through these realizations by respecting my deficits and limitations. Better able to stop berating and beating up on myself for having anxiety in social settings.
By taking care of myself I discovered that I could stop beating up on myself for matters that are out of my control. By taking care of myself, I began to realize what I could do to manage my anxiety, and in the process, enhance my experiences as I interact socially.
Compassion for my Anxiety in Social Settings
After writing and publishing the article Living with a Brain Injury and Overcoming Social Anxiety, I was asked a good question. “Your article is helping me build some perspectives on things. But just to make sure, have you overcome your social anxiety or is it an ongoing battle. Thanks so much again.” I really appreciated this question as the question helped me to sort through my own experience. In today’s article, Brain Injury, and Learning to Manage Anxiety in Social Settings, I would like to share some of the strategies that I have learned that help me to manage the anxiety I experience in social situations. My learning to manage my anxiety in, social settings took a long time. It took a long time because I bought into the notion that there was something wrong with me and that I deserved to be anxious. What I discovered helped me to begin to accept myself as I have sought to interact in different social settings.
What I discovered helped me to begin to accept myself, socially, as an individual living with the impact of a brain injury and an invisible disability. What I discovered helped me to realize that it was my responsibility, not anyone else’s responsibility, to take care of me.
With owning, my responsibility, I became aware of what I was experiencing. With my awareness, I discovered what I needed to do to take care of myself. What I discovered was that I needed to examine why I was feeling anxiety in social settings. Being anxious, in social settings, was a symptom. By examining the symptom — my anxiety — I discovered that I was afraid of being ridiculed for not being enough or for being different. As I looked further, I began to realize the under my fear, was the belief that I not OK without the approval/validation of other people in social settings. What I also discovered, through owning the responsibility to take care of me in social settings, was that I needed to learn to be OK with me. Be OK with me, despite my deficits and limitations, (visible and invisible) and my idiosyncrasies. I am not suggesting that being arrogant or having the attitude that” this is just the way I am”, but instead seeing myself…”
To listen to and watch the presentation of the article, you may click on this link: Brain Injury, and Learning to Manage Anxiety in Social Settings Video Presentation
To read the article from which this video presentation is made, you may click on this link: Brain Injury, and Learning to Manage Anxiety in Social Settings
As you have questions, please send those questions to me. All questions are good questions and all questions are welcomed. Please leave your questions in a comment below. I will respond to you in a timely way. You have my permission to share the articles that I present here on Second Chance to Live, however, please attribute me as being the author of the article (s) and provide a link back to the article (s) on Second Chance to Live. Thank you. Copyright 2016.
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