Scared of Going Out and Attending Social Events and Parties? Here’s What You Need To Do!

Most of us look forward to dressing up and attending a party or a work event. However, not all parties are fun and games, especially when you get the heebie-jeebies at the thought of attending one. Doing something like that may equate to the act of jumping out of a plane for some people.

The feeling of social anxiety is real. You may feel your throat going dry, palms getting clammy, and you feel difficulty in breathing. Well, if you have feelings like these, you are not alone. Some many men and women go through similar feelings, and they endure them every time they have to speak or mingle in a crowd. You can come out at the top from a situation like this with these tips.

When Honesty Is Literally Your Best Policy

If possible, you can open up about your anxiety to any of your friends, or the person who gave you the invite in the first place. You need not be dramatic or go over the top. Just leave them a simple text or email explaining your experience of anxiety during these social situations.

This will get them on your side, and you will feel a lot lighter.

Plan Your Outfit

If you are really worried about getting their outfit right, then you need to feel confident and comfortable. Also, don’t experiment with your looks too much. You don’t want to look less than your confident self with a new hairstyle or makeup.

A Quick Meditative Session

You can manage your anxiety with the help of a meditation app, such as the Calm app. Try a guided meditation, a sleep story, or stretches that are guided by experts. These short, meditative sessions can really help you, especially when you are going to a party that you dread. You can start prepping yourself long before getting ready for the upcoming party. It will calm your jangled nerves and help you move towards a more peaceful state of mind.

Distract Yourself

Choose a distraction technique, if you feel a panic attack welling up inside you. You can try several tropes, for example, watching a game or a show. Granted these are just coping mechanisms and they may not help you in the long run. However, they do work for the time being while you look for a better solution.

Talk To People Around You

This may seem particularly alarming to you, especially when talking to people may coerce you to hide in a corner or lock yourself up in a room. It may seem impossible to strike up a conversation with people in the crowd. You may even think that all eyes are on you, but it is not always the case.

You can approach a smaller crowd and start getting used to holding the attention of few people. They may warm up to you too and you’ll feel their empathy helping you get over your initial inhibitions. It will also contribute more to your ability to converse than you thought. You may even admit that you are new to this party and don’t know a soul there. To your surprise, people may actually admit the same and also be clueless about what to talk about at the party.

Positive Affirmations Actually Work

There are a few people you can turn to if you are especially short on confidence. For example, you may send a text to your friend and they may send some encouraging texts to make you feel confident and good about yourself. They may be responding with something uplifting and it can be a great boost to your social skills. You may be surprised to learn how positive affirmations can really help.

You Finally Made it

Once you’ve left and made your way home, ensure to pat yourself on the back. When you can sail through a particularly anxious and difficult time, you’ll feel victorious. You know it is something to be particularly proud of and you deserve an encore.

If you still feel anxious about attending a public event or a party, and your job needs you to be part of it, then talk to a counselor to help you look over these situations. Who knows you’ll be able to get over them more easily than you thought.