Emily Capelli, MS
Emily Capelli, MS
Body Positive Therapist

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@EmilyCapelliMS

Although social anxiety can be debilitating, it is also very treatable in therapy and in more organic ways. . Therapy can be helpful to talk about the various ways social anxiety manifests in a person's life, but it is certainly not the only way to treat social anxiety. . Many people have used things like improv classes, acting classes, and even Dungeons and Dragons to help them overcome their social anxiety. These work because 1. They are fun. 2. There is a sense of communal support. 3. There is repeated exposure to social interaction. . Additionally, group therapy provides both communal support AND support from a therapist. Growth and insight come naturally as the group learns to trust each other, which they can take with them to their outside lives. . What helps your social anxiety? Let me know in the comments!
The symptoms of social anxiety can take many forms, but here are the most common. . In order to qualify for a diagnosis, the intense anxiety must be present in one or more social situations. In my experience, social anxiety is usually present in many areas of a person's life and is not limited to one situation, such as giving a speech. . As for the causes of social anxiety, it is entirely individual. Sometimes there is a social or relational trauma that causes the anxiety, and sometimes the person is biologically predisposed to be anxious. . Whatever the case, social anxiety is highly treatable, so tomorrow look for my post about how we can treat social anxiety. . Are there any symptoms that you recognize in yourself? Let me know in the comments!
I talk for a living. I have social anxiety. . Although my social anxiety is now below the clinical level (that's therapist-speak for, "all good over here") I still have my moments. Both of my jobs, being a therapist and professor, require that I navigate complex social situations that have many opportunities for me to make a mistake. I am here to tell you: I am good at both of my jobs not in spite of my social anxiety, but BECAUSE of my social anxiety. . People with social anxiety are sensitive and often very good at picking up on social cues, which is actually what can make the disorder worse. If a friend becomes bored with a story you are telling, and you have social anxiety, it is easy to make that interaction about your ability to tell stories. . Now, because you think you are bad at telling stories, you'll tell less of them, ensuring that no one is bored. When an opportunity to tell a story arises, you'll pass, even if you have a tremendously exciting story. Recovery from social anxiety can be extremely challenging because years of experience reinforce these fears. . Recovery from social anxiety requires exposure to the thing that is most scary: socializing. Over time people realize that they do not lack social SKILLS, but social CONFIDENCE. . I want to get more into social anxiety in upcoming posts, including where social anxiety comes from, the signs and symptoms of social anxiety, and how to recover from social anxiety. . In the meantime, comment or message me your experiences with social anxiety. Have you been clinically diagnosed? What specifically are you afraid of in social interactions?
This week we're talking about 🌈Social Anxiety🌈 . Everyone gets nervous occasionally when in new social situations, but social anxiety is about a fear of social situations, not just nervousness. . Social anxiety is the fear of acting in a way that will be embarrassing or humiliating. It can result in the person ruminating (thinking a lot) about perceived social short-comings. People with social anxiety often have different fears surrounding being humiliated such as: being rude, being offensive, being rejected, being burdensome, violating social norms, or anxiety about being seen as a "good" person. . Each person with social anxiety is a bit different. Not everyone with social anxiety is shy or an introvert, and in fact, a big portion of people with social anxiety are extroverts. Sometimes extroverts will overcompensate for their social anxiety by talking a lot, which results in them overanalyzing what they said later. . Social anxiety can leave a person feeling isolated and different than others around them. This week, we will be going into the symptoms, causes, and treatments for social anxiety. . What is your experience with social anxiety? How do you support friends and family with this struggle? Let me know in the comments!