Hi there, thanks for joining me today. This podcast is all about sharing positive advice and wisdom for daily life in recovery, and today we’re going to talk about social anxiety.
If you’re here with me right now, you’re probably in recovery and you have either been diagnosed with social anxiety disorder or you struggle with feelings of anxiousness in social situations.
First of all, I want you to know that you’re not alone. Social anxiety is a very common challenge for people in recovery. Maybe, like a lot of other people, you used alcohol as a tool to deal with things, but when it was removed, you were left with nothing but raw emotions and nerves.
Social anxiety is hard, but it doesn’t have to hinder your sobriety or your social life. You can learn how to develop a healthy and thriving social life in recovery. In this episode, I’m going to share four simple tips that you can start using today to learn how to cope with social anxiety and improve your daily life in recovery.
So, let’s jump right in and get started with tip number one, which is, consider going to therapy. The word “therapy” is attached to a certain stigma, but if you can overcome that, it is a really great way to work through feelings of anxiousness and address the underlying causes. One-on-one behavioral therapy can be intimidating at first, but it will help you learn how to apply healthy coping strategies without relying on drugs or alcohol. Whether you’re currently enrolled in a drug rehab program or you’ve recently completed one, therapy is a great way to enhance personal growth in recovery and tackle ongoing issues of social anxiety.
Our second tip is to practice relaxing with deep breathing exercises and meditation. Relaxing is a learned skill and it will take practice, but deep breathing and mindful meditation can help. Simply try setting aside a small block of time each day that’s reserved for deep breathing exercises and meditation. This is a great way to practice some effective stress-relief techniques that you can rely on when anxiety or panic sets in.
Moving on to tip number three: Avoid social situations that revolve around alcohol. Instead of attending alcohol-centered events or social gatherings, make an intentional choice to participate in alternative social activities like team sports, an art class, or a group bike ride. Doing something enjoyable and familiar can help you feel more at ease, relieve some of that stress, and also reduce the likelihood of relapse. Plus, there are plenty of great social activities that don’t involve drinking or drugging.
Our last tip today (and possibly one of the most important) is to accept your personal imperfections. Okay … let’s face it … No one is perfect and it’s unreasonable to expect perfection in any way, shape, or form. Part of the recovery process is learning to accept life on life’s terms and adjusting accordingly. This requires that you accept yourself for who you are (imperfections in all) and start viewing mistakes as learning opportunities. Instead of letting those mistakes and imperfections define your future, you can take them, learn from them, and practice more self-awareness in the future.
Adjusting to a new life in recovery is no joke, but my hope is that you can start using these four tips to overcome your social anxiety and start living your best sober life.
For more tips on living life in recovery, visit eudaimoniahomes.com/recovery. If you have questions, comments, or want to suggest a topic for our next episode, email me at kelsey.brown@novarecoverycenter.com.