Challenging Social Anxiety & Negative Self Imagery Exercise

Almost everyone gets a little anxious or embarrassed in front of other people now and then, though some of us are more shy than others. Sometimes, though, the anxiety can be so intense that it stops us from doing the things we enjoy, or starts interfering in our daily lives. Social anxiety is used to describe feelings of anxiety and fear that occur in response to social situations. Even the most confident of people can get a little anxious before a presentation, or when they’re meeting new people, but in social anxiety this distress can be so overwhelming that it feels as though it‘s difficult to cope. Often, that overwhelming anxiety is experienced when just thinking about the situation or remembering a previous event. 

The attachments below are taken from the Centre for Clinical Interventions Social Anxiety module, https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/Looking-After-Yourself/Social-Anxiety. They have a variety of self lead exercises and information on how to manage and challenge the thought patterns that exacerbate social anxiety. This one helps challenge yourself by doing activities that cause you anxiety in social situations and reflecting on your preconceptions and worries VS how you actually appear to others. First read the Stepping out of Social Anxiety Exercise document then download and print the Stepping out of Social Anxiety Table. You can work through this booklet with a parent, trusted friend or make an appointment at the SSO office for us to work on it together.