Social Anxiety Coping Skills for the Holidays

Christmas check out lines can be frustrating for anyone. For someone with social anxiety disorder, they can actually be physically painful and cause acute mental distress that can turn the holidays into a nightmare. As someone who has dealt with this issue, I though it only fair to offer tips on dealing with the holidays when you have social anxiety disorder.

Shop online. Obviously, this is the easiest solution to avoiding long lines that might result in panic attacks. However, it should be noted that the only way to get over social anxiety disorder is to gradually ease yourself into social situations. Starting to ease yourself into social situations through holiday shopping may not always be the smartest way to start though!

Use a U-scan register. There's nothing that irritates me more than being in line and feeling the temptation to show the cashier how to push buttons or scan items. The U-scan option means that you may have to wait for someone else to finish, but you don't have to deal with a cashier.

Shop during off peak hours. Super-centers that are open 24 hours are a great option for someone with social anxiety disorder during the holiday season. If you shop late enough at night, there are less shoppers to deal with.

Bring a guest to family get togethers. One of the hardest things to do when you have social anxiety disorder is to decide where to sit or stand when you enter a room. Often, you might wonder if the person you sit next to even wants to talk to you. However, if you bring your own guest, you already have someone to sit with and hopefully someone who understands your anxiety.

Have something to fidget with. When I get nervous I need something in my hands to fidget with. It gives me some level of control in my own little world and it went a long way toward helping me deal with social anxiety disorder

Wait for the food line to come close to the end. Standing in any line is additional stress you don't need in social situations. When it comes to family buffets, you can limit your amount of stress by controlling when you get in line. You don't want to get in the food line with everyone else because that's too much social stimulation and waiting all at once. You don't want to wait until everyone else is done because then you might feel as if everyone is staring at you while you're in line. If you wait until the line is at the end but there are people still in it, you can avoid being up there alone while also avoiding a long line.

Stick with the kids. Children give us many blessings. Their ability to accept other people is just one of them. If you hang out with the children and joke around with them during family festivities, you can avoid the nervousness that adult company sometimes causes and you can get to know the next generation a little bit better at the same time!

Make eye contact and speak clearly. If you have social anxiety disorder, you're probably doing things you don't even realize you're doing that make you blend into the scenery. People respond to that and may not always notice when you speak because of that. Be sure to make eye contact and speak in a voice that can be heard so that people know you are talking to them. This method of talking can go a long way toward getting you over the idea that you are being ignored. Chances are good that you aren't actually being ignored, but you are not making yourself heard.

Social anxiety is all about control and the negative feelings that come from social situations. They simply don't feel safe and often, the person with the disorder is just waiting for the next panic attack. Social stimulation in low doses is a great way to work through this disorder, as long as you do it in levels you are comfortable with, but somewhat challenged. It's not an easy road to travel and the holiday season can really bring it to its peak, so take your time, give yourself some credit and do a few things to help you through the holiday season in a way that you can enjoy!