You now have a good understanding of how social anxiety works, and the particulars of your social anxiety (self-assessment). You know what your goals are, you have an idea of the available treatments out there, and now it is time to create your comprehensive treatment plan. My recommendation is below:
1 – Focus on cognitive therapy for 2 weeks. Keep a diary of your anxious thoughts and learn how to change your anxious thinking patterns.
2 – Begin exposure practices after you have completed your cognitive therapy practices. You really need to get a handle on your anxious thinking patterns before moving onto exposure, otherwise you may spiral out of control during an exposure practice. You will plan exposures that address your avoidance and fear behaviors. Do this for 2 months.
You will be performing the exposure practices while also challenging your anxious thoughts. These two practices together will be a powerful combo in overcoming your social anxiety.
3 – Expose yourself to feared physical sensations. This is only necessary for those people who experience and fear those physical anxiety symptoms like shakiness, blushing, sweating, etc. If you don’t fear these symptoms, then you can skip this.
4 – Improve your social skills – eye contact, small talk, meeting new people, etc.
While it is important to learn about social anxiety and make a good treatment plan, you must actually go out and take action. You must practice the techniques recommended to get over your social anxiety. Use your everyday experiences to practice your cognitive therapy practices as well as exposure practices.
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