# Has anyone "beat" social anxiety? How?



## Bagelhead (Aug 1, 2015)

Was it baby steps? Was it a leap of faith that changed your world entirely? Medication? Therapy? Are you still dealing with it but have learned to cope and be happy? What exactly cured you?


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## Bagelhead (Aug 1, 2015)

This goes for depression also, as the two usually coincide.


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## WillYouStopDave (Jul 14, 2013)

I beat it many years ago. I just haven't accepted it yet.


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## Bagelhead (Aug 1, 2015)

How'd you do it?


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## thetown (Aug 16, 2014)

I would say find one or two best friends who you are able to talk with all the time. This seems to be the easiest route, but it's hard finding people that you can connect with.


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## macky (Jan 25, 2015)

What would you consider "being cured"? Coping with the anxiety, reducing the anxiety, changes to your external circumstances etc?


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## Todd124 (Aug 31, 2015)

I wouldn't say I've beaten it, however I've learned to manage it on my own. 
Certain things and situations trigger me and there are still things to be fixed but I'm much better now than I was years ago, I haven't had an attack for years now.


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## Kml5111 (Dec 16, 2012)

A GABA supplement cured my SA. All it took was the right supplement to get rid of 3 years of unnecessary struggle with SA.


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## HopefulSeeker (Mar 1, 2012)

Bh, 

I'll try to answer. If you knew me, you would think I had beaten it. Job, career, success, family, but the thing to understand is that, while you can take steps to help reduce the impact of anxiety - and you can have some success at reducing it through things like exercise, its more a matter of taking many many small steps towards developing a balanced life, that ultimately allows you to be comfortable in your own skin. As you lear to respect and love yourself, your attitude and how you are perceived by others changes. It's about growing and understanding who you are. Patiently, and in a nurturing fashion. 

I was very challenged by many aspects of life at mid thirties, but began taking steps to find that balance, and over the twenty years that followed, it had a huge impact on my life. But I do still feel anxiety. 

I'm now looking into personal growth. Subjects such as budism as a way of growing personally, to further help reduce the fear or the anxiety that I feel in the wee hours of the night when I wake up and face that ultimate fear that seems to haunt me. But I'll overcome it. It will just take a little more focused effort. 

Balance comes from hobbies, volunteering in areas of interest, becoming involved in activities that allow you to meet people with like interests, taking courses to support job opportunities, and not giving up on mankind. 

Talk again soon, 

Seeker


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## Owl Eyes (May 23, 2011)

Lovecrushed said:


> I would say find one or two best friends who you are able to talk with all the time. This seems to be the easiest route, but it's hard finding people that you can connect with.


Until they realize all you do is complain about your problems to them and come off as toxic. I mean I guess it all depends on how bad your problems are but usually people don't like hearing about others issues.


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## Itta (Dec 4, 2013)

I've almost beaten it when I've finished high school this year, now I'm studying in University and have found a friend who actually wants to spend time with me,and accepts me for who I am. And actually I feel really good with that person.
So now I understand that the main reason of my SA was high school.

And next goal to beat is to beat public speaking phobia


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## tom99 (Jul 24, 2012)

HopefulSeeker said:


> Bh,
> 
> I'll try to answer. If you knew me, you would think I had beaten it. Job, career, success, family, but the thing to understand is that, while you can take steps to help reduce the impact of anxiety - and you can have some success at reducing it through things like exercise, its more a matter of taking many many small steps towards developing a balanced life, that ultimately allows you to be comfortable in your own skin. As you lear to respect and love yourself, your attitude and how you are perceived by others changes. It's about growing and understanding who you are. Patiently, and in a nurturing fashion.
> 
> ...


i totally agree with you hopefullseeker

start with exercising (going for a jog +meditation + breathing excercise) first thing in the morning will give you confidence

the rest will follow i guess


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## SamiAlkazaz (Aug 24, 2015)

I haven't exactly beaten my anxiety but I have got a lot better and I am still improving.
I did that first by trying to understand the people and the environment around me ... The journey started when I was sitting with me "kind of" friend, he was very social and he wasn't afraid of people like at all but his social skills are really poor he says very weird stuff he asks very weird and sometimes personal questions and so on ... Anyways we were sitting together when a new boy from school came to us in the school cafeteria and he sat down.
My friend started by asking him about his old school, and then he told him that he wants to buy a motorcycle and so on ...
I started thinking... I would never say that stuff to a new guy that I don't know, why is that? Why my friend could do that but I couldn't ? Even though -when I thought about it- I have more interesting things to say or let's say more suitable things to talk about at that situation... And when my friend said he's stuff the other guy answered and the conversation seemed pretty okay, I realized that I can do even better than that.
So what I'm trying to say is that just look around you ... When someone in class says something, just analys what he or she said it may be a really silly thing or a lame joke but even though you are not going to think that it's weird or you aren't going to think that the person how said it is weird or stupid or anything right? although before hearing that thing they said you would be thinking that it's very weird and inappropriate to say something like that yourself , but then you hear someone say that thing or joke or whatever and the other guys around him or her seems to be pretty fine and okay with it, so you say to yourself: oh, okay then it's fine to say something like that.

Then the next step is to get outside of your comfort zone and try to say something yourself, which is the hardest part, but then when you ask the guy sitting next to you something or you tell him something and he replies politely to you, you start thinkingh, it's okay to say stuff and ask questions and start conversations.
And you just keep doing that until you realize that the fear of people and talking that you have is just a stupid idea in your head, and until you realize that no matter what you say people,or at least most of them, are going to reply to you and smile at you.
And then you will realize that all of those silly thoughts that you had about yourself and others just simply doesn't exist.

And finally I just want to note that no matter how bad your anxiety is and even if you are convinced that there is no way to beat it, believe you can beat it and it's easier than you think it is.
Just remember that you have to do the things that you were afraid of and most importantly you have to get out of your comfort zone.

Good luck 😉


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## gopherinferno (Apr 7, 2009)

i'm pretty SA-free when all aspects of my life are so good 

so you know, all you gotta do is reach nirvana and then you're good


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