10 Ways to Communicate Effectively To Cure Anxiety

Effective communication can ease your anxiety. Some with severe anxiety tend to lack communication skills.

Here are 10 ways to empower your communication.

Knowledge - Education is about understanding the basics. We all have our limitations, but that doesn't mean we can't learn to carry on and share what we know.

Listening - It's just as significant as questioning. Oftentimes, listening to the sound of our voice can coach us to be confident with ourselves and to say things with certainty.

Modesty - We all slip-up, and occasionally we slur our words, stutter, and maybe mispronounce words. Don’t be scared to ask if you're using the right word or if they're unclear about it.

Eye Contact – Lead with an eye-catching gaze. Maintain your focus when talking to a large group.

Humor - A bit of wit can do miracles to ease tension or boredom when making a speech. You'll grab the attention of the crowd and you’ll portray friendliness and approachability.

Be Like Minded - Communication is all about mingling with people. You'll get loads of ideas, as well as knowing what makes people tick.

Practice – Practice your speech in front of a mirror while concentrating on the sound of your voice so you can fix the strained areas of your pitch.

Smile - A smile says it all. There's no reason to scowl or frown in a meeting. You can better communicate what you're saying when you smile.

A Model - There must be one person in your life you have listened to; maybe at a public gathering or at church. Remember and use what was effective.

Prepare - Plan and deliver, instead of scribbling notes in a hurried panic. Some like to use index cards, while others resort to silliness using notes written on their palms.

Learn to empower yourself and your conversations, and soon you’ll overcome your anxiety as well.

Anxiety and Anger, Is It All You?

Anxiety attacks and anger go hand in hand. Have you seen someone with high anxiety; often called high-strung?

What happens when you know or live with someone who intentionally pushes your buttons?

After awhile your anxiety, including anger will rise just seeing this person.

You need to stop giving power to people. You can cure anxiety by not allowing anyone to provoke feelings you don’t want.

When you feel your anxiety rise, remove yourself from the situation. If that’s impossible, you need to redirect your thoughts.

If someone is calling you stupid, being snide, or just trying to push your buttons, start to laugh.

Laugh, because laughter will reduce your anxiety. Think of a funny picture, joke, comedy show, or anything that will block them out and redirect your thoughts.

This will be very hard at first, but if you are consistent, this will be a huge help to cure your anxiety.

2 Simple Steps to Anxiety Attacks and Depression Relief!

Anxiety attacks and depression can get severe if left untreated.

When anxiety and depression are at their peak, you can feel hopeless.

If you feel hopeless day after day, it can be dangerous.

Simple Steps for Anxiety Attacks and Depression Relief

1. Talk to people about what may be causing your anxiety attacks and your depression. Don’t complain or whine. Sincerely discuss problems in your life and brainstorm a solution. If you have no one, join an online group, post comments on this blog, or email to reach out for help.


2. Rid all negativity in your life. A huge step for relief from your anxiety attacks and depression is removing everything negative around you. If family, parents, neighbors, or anyone else are continually negative, let them know you won’t tolerate it any longer.

It won’t be easy, but the payoff will be great. There’s a big difference between whining and discussion. Make sure you are only subjecting yourself to discussions.

By implementing those simple steps in your life today, you’ll see relief from your anxiety attacks and depression tomorrow.

Which Anxiety Do You Have?

When you consider anxiety, you may not understand there are various kinds of anxiety. Social anxiety, panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, phobias, and generalized anxiety are the most usual kinds of anxiety.

Social Anxiety is anxiety or feelings of anxiety that happen in a social situation, or in expectancy of a social setting. Social anxiety can become problematic if not properly managed. Not letting someone who endures this anxiety put themselves in feared social settings, is not properly managing social anxiety.

Panic Disorder is the term given a person who experiences panic attacks or from feelings of extreme fear for no apparent cause. The signs of a panic attack can be severe enough that the person may believe they’re having a heart attack. It is good to know that one cannot die from a panic attack, although they may feel like they are really dying. One can cause a panic attack just by fearing one.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder happens when someone has suffered something traumatic. This often doesn’t happen right after the event. It could happen days, weeks, months, or even years after the traumatic event.

Phobias involve several various things. One might fear spiders, snakes, small spaces, heights, or a number of things. The fear that one experiences, though, is not common because it is often exaggerated. This doesn’t mean that the person is exaggerating the fear that they feel. Actually, the fear that they feel is very real... to them. Phobias usually make people avoid things in life that they may otherwise like.

Lastly, we have Generalized Anxiety Disorder, or GAD. People think this is the diagnosis given when there is no other cause for their anxiety; but, that is not the case. GAD arises when someone is continuously worried about every part of their life. People who experience GAD worry about themselves, their family, friends, and the whole world.

It is essential to get treatment if you've been having feelings of anxiety or anxiety attacks. Determining what kind of anxiety you have is important to finding the cause and treatment.

Social Anxiety | How To Help Your Child With School

Does your child have social anxiety? Does your child have school anxiety?

School is right around the corner, how do you help your child handle their social anxiety when school starts?

Butterflies are common on the first day of school, panic attacks are not.

Children with social anxiety have it twice as hard on the first day of school as children without social anxiety.

If your child suffers from social anxiety or severe anxiety, don’t brush it off, by telling them, “It’ll be ok” because they won’t believe you.

Your child “knows” it won’t be ok because their negative thoughts are telling them it won’t be.

They “know” they’ll get on the wrong bus, they’ll go to the wrong classroom, and a million other things that will embarrass them.

How To Help Your Social Anxiety Child With School

Children with social anxiety need to turn off the negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones just as adults with social anxiety need to do.

Do they have certain “school friends” they’ve missed? Have them concentrate on finding this friend and inviting him over after school.

Whether it’s big or small, if your child has one thing they like about school or something they miss about school, or something they are looking forward to, have them focus on that.

If there’s absolutely nothing, invent something. For younger children, you could make a bet that their teacher will be wearing blue, or their desk will have a stapler, or something that will occupy their thoughts.

I’m not a professional, but I have suffered from social anxiety since I was very young. I do know the worst thing you can say is, “It’ll be ok” because I “knew” for a fact it wouldn’t.

Boost Your Energy!

Anxiety, stress, and depression can really drain you. We all have stress so if you add anxiety or depression it can really wipe you out! What we need is an energy boost!

How can we boost our energy without using caffeine and others that can cause us to crash once we don’t get our daily fix?

There are many natural energy boosters available that are not addicting or “bad” for you.

Boost Your Energy!

Yerba Mate, a drink made from a tree in the rainforest, is drunk daily in South America for top health, lasting energy, and mental clarity.

Taurine can raise your energy level, increase your mental alertness, it can be beneficial if you suffer from depression, and it can help treat ischemic heart disease.

B Vitamins that can boost your energy are B1, B3, B6, and B12.

Bananas are great way to boost your energy. Figs, dates and raisins are also energy boosters, along with apples, grapes, and pineapples.

Drink lots of water and if needed splash some on your face!

There are plenty of ways to boost your energy you just have to make sure you have the right stuff on hand.

Social Anxiety | Stop Your Paranoia!

Paranoia or being paranoid is a magnified mistrust of others not based on fact, and characterized by excessive anxiety or fear.

Paranoia is often experienced by those suffering from social anxiety or social phobia. Paranoia can often be misdiagnosed as social anxiety, schizophrenia, and other conditions. Social anxiety can also often be misdiagnosed as paranoia.

Stop Your Paranoia!

Whether you have been diagnosed with paranoia or with social anxiety, depression, or any other condition, living with paranoia is extremely difficult.

You’re in constant turmoil believing everyone is “out to get you” so to speak. You feel everyone is talking about you and judging your every move.

Most people will experience paranoia at some point in their lifetime. Anxiety and stress factors can play a huge role in paranoid feelings.

To stop your paranoia is to stop and redirect your thoughts. Negative thoughts play a huge role in how we feel about ourselves and they play right into feelings of paranoia.

An easy way to stop these negative thoughts is to visualize a huge, red stop sign in your mind and say the word STOP! Say it out loud and loud if you must to redirect your thoughts.

Practice makes perfect, so it will take time to stop the negative thoughts and to stop your paranoia, so don’t give up!

Social Anxiety | Public Speaking Fear Has No Cure!

Social anxiety is the fear of being judged by others in social situations. With that thought in mind, public speaking is the ultimate fear for those suffering from social anxiety.

Unfortunately, you don’t have to have social anxiety for public speaking to be a huge problem. Public speaking, or making any kind of presentation in public, is the number one fear reported by people of the United States.

Public Speaking Fear Has No Cure!

A new study has shown people with low anxiety had nervousness at the beginning of their public speaking, but lower anxiety at the end.

Those with higher anxiety by nature started with high anxiety and by the end of their public speaking had even higher anxiety.

You can read the full article on the study here.

Learning Public Speaking Skills

Although there’s no cure to magically stop the anxiety and fear when speaking in public, it can be managed with a few tricks.

• Try to focus on your speech and not your anxiety.
• Treat symptoms as soon as they arise, like sipping water for a dry mouth for instance.
• For shaking hands, put them behind your back or clasp them together.

So, although the fear of public speaking has no cure, even those suffering from social anxiety can get through a speech with practice and a few tricks.

Social Anxiety Sufferers | Stop Being Doormats!

Stop being a doormat! You know you are, because you are stressed and full of anxiety. Those suffering from social anxiety are higher on the list of doormat placement. Why, because those with social anxiety want to please everyone.

Social anxiety sufferers would rather be a doormat to those around them then to be judged by everyone around them. The problem is being a doormat can increase anxiety and depression.

Social Anxiety Sufferers Stop Being a Doormat!

Social anxiety sufferers listen up because you need this probably more than anyone. You will start following the items below and stop being a doormat today.

• Rehearse saying the word “no” as often as you possibly can. If someone asks you to do something and you planned on doing something else, then politely say no. You don’t have to go into a long drawn out explanation as that will only make you look weak.
• Take care of yourself. This is a big one for anyone, social anxiety sufferers too, as it makes people feel selfish. No one else is going to take care of you so you must take care of yourself; that is not being selfish. Do what you want to do whether it’s gardening, jogging, reading, or napping, take time every day and take care of yourself.
• Give yourself some time before committing to anything. If someone asks you to do something and you might have the time so you don’t want to say no, but you’re not sure, tell them you will think about it. If you are not ready to make a decision do not let anyone rush you.

One more important thing to look out for is to not let anyone manipulate you or make you feel bad for any of the above. You deserve respect, so start giving yourself respect and you will receive it as well.

Social Anxiety | Bullying Can Hurt You!

I’ve been reading that a new study has found that bullying can hurt you and cause anxiety and social anxiety in adulthood. Remember what you were told to say to bullies? “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Well, I guess that was all a lie!

Bullying in childhood can actually cause anxiety and social anxiety in adulthood according to this study. 210 college students were studied and the University of Florida researchers have found a link between social bullying in childhood to depression and anxiety in adulthood.

Bullying Can Cause Social Anxiety

I can see how the bullying and gossiping and shunning of children by other children can really affect the psyche of another child. Social anxiety is a fear of being judged by another, and that’s all bullying is to a certain degree.

When you’ve grown up being bullied and shunned by your peers, it sounds very normal that one would carry those feelings into adulthood, but now what do we do with this information?

Do we try to convince other parents and schools that bullying isn’t just child’s play or just a part of growing up? I can tell you from experience that probably won’t work.

My child was bullied many years ago, and it got to the point that she was even cornered in the bathroom. My husband and I had a talk with the principal at the time and she said my daughter needs to stop wearing her feelings on her sleeve.

Thank goodness my child doesn’t have social anxiety to the point I did when I was her age. Some children will develop severe anxiety, social anxiety, or depression, however, and I hope everyone reads this study so they can be aware.

After all, bullying can hurt you, and living with anxiety and social anxiety is nothing to laugh at.

Social Anxiety | Recipe For Success

I found the recipe for success for anyone, and especially those with anxiety, social anxiety, depression, procrastination, and just plain feelings of worthlessness.

Recipe for Success!

What are the ingredients for this recipe for success? Well, it is called The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey. There are only 7 ingredients in this successful recipe, but very, very highly effective ingredients.

This 384 page book is a manual for performing better in both your personal and business life. Covey takes you through a life change which affects how you see and act in several areas including time management and positive thinking.

Learning and applying the 7 habits in this book is a learning process as this book isn’t a quick-fix kind of book. Once you have mastered the lesson you will be successful in all that you do.

Over 500 people have given this book a 5-star review and it has sold more than 10 million copies. It has been called a powerful seminar in book form. Read more on this recipe for success HERE.

Social Anxiety | DASH Diet Laugh!

Contrary to what I originally thought, the DASH Diet has nothing to do with Mrs. Dash. You know the Mrs. Dash seasoning line? Go ahead and laugh. We all know it feels good to laugh. It helps release tension and it lifts our mood. So what better way to get out of our depressed state and social anxiety tendencies? Here is your laughter for the day.

Let me back up for a second. I am searching for healthier eating habits as I could stand to lose some weight. I gained a few pounds when I quit smoking (again) and I don’t want my weight to get out of control. I’m not looking for a diet because I hate that word, but some healthier food choices won’t hurt.

I was on the WebMD.com site looking for anything of interest as far as eating, or healthy foods, or what have you, when I came across the DASH Diet. I thought, the DASH Diet? I use Mrs. Dash all the time and it tastes good, but I haven’t noticed any weight loss. LOL

Well, the DASH Diet doesn’t have anything to do with Mrs. Dash. It actually stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It is a “diet” that helps with hypertension. And although I don’t have high blood pressure, it runs rampant in my family so I think I’ll give it a try.

I am not advocating the DASH Diet, but if you want more information on it, just click HERE. I just thought I would give you your laugh for the day.

Social Anxiety | The Bachelorette?

So what does social anxiety and The Bachelorette have in common? We all know social anxiety and dating go together like oil and water.

The Bachelorette fans out there probably remember Trista Rehn when she chose Ryan Sutter in the finale episode. Well, social anxiety has nothing to do with either one of them, but it does have something to do with Jamie Blyth.

Jamie Blyth was the first contestant to step out of the limousine to meet Trista, and he suffered from social anxiety. He even appeared on the Oprah show to talk about his problem, except he doesn’t have social anxiety anymore.

Jamie Blyth, like many others, has managed to overcome social anxiety and panic attacks. He is living proof that it can be done. Imagine going from locking yourself in your dorm room for a month like Jamie did to being a contestant on The Bachelorette!

He also wrote a book called Fear Is No Longer My Reality where he explains what worked and didn’t work on his journey to overcome social anxiety. It is also chock full of comments and advice from experts in social and other anxiety disorders.

Read more about Jamie Blyth’s book on how he was able to overcome social anxiety and panic episodes HERE.

Social Anxiety | Stress Zappers!

Social anxiety and stress seem to go hand in hand. Stress can come from several different areas in our life, and when it gets out of control, we need to zap that stress!

Do you work under pressure of deadlines at school or at your work? Is there an illness in your family or has there been a recent death? Do you have money problems? Or do you just suffer from social anxiety and everything seems to cause stress?

Stress can cause all kinds of problems from an increase in anxiety to a decrease in sleep. Obviously the benefits of reducing stress then are a reduction in anxiety, and better sleeping, which will increase your energy and focus.

If you can identify where your stress is coming from, the easiest way to decrease the stress is to be rid of the stress causing problem. If FiFi is causing you stress, maybe FiFi would be better off living elsewhere. I don’t think getting rid of FiFi would be very easy, though.

So we are going to learn how to relax instead. One way is to lie down in a quiet room and focus on one part of the body at a time. For instance, concentrate on your foot and only your foot, all the while telling your foot to relax. Allow your foot to fall slightly towards the floor as it relaxes. Once your foot feels warm and relaxed, continue this method to the rest of your body parts.

Another stress zapper is to picture in your mind a nice and relaxing place. Maybe you think the beach is relaxing or the woods or some special place you feel is relaxing. Immerse your mind into that scene. If it is at the beach, feel the sun on your face and the spray of water on your body. If it is the woods, smell the fresh air and the pine trees.

Some people over-look their diet when they are complaining about stress. How many cups of coffee or soda do you drink per day? Pay close attention to the caffeine you consume every day.
Still others need a little extra help to zap that stress, and that is okay too. Whatever it takes to reduce stress and live a healthier life is all that counts.

PureCalm is a natural way to promote inner calmness. Use this to help balance unsettled emotions from everyday pressure and stress.

Stress Management Training is a great tool to prepare you to handle stress, and to help bring stress down immediately. Instant Stress Relief is another great tool that will trigger the release of hormones and neurotransmitters that flood your body and mind with pure, cleansing relaxation.

It doesn’t matter which stress zapper you choose, as long as you choose to zap stress out of your life.

Social Anxiety | Compliment Time!

Oh, the dreaded compliments! If you have any kind of anxiety, especially social anxiety, you understand just what that statement means. Giving and receiving compliments is a great social skill to have, but it is the worst feeling when someone with social anxiety feels the compliment time approaching.

So, what is one to do when it comes compliment time? Well, if you are receiving a compliment, that’s great! First and foremost, accept the compliment, as compliments are gifts. Don’t try to minimize the compliment, don’t slam the compliment, and don’t disagree with the compliment. Accept the compliment graciously at least by saying Thank You.

It would be nice if you could add something to that like Thank you I picked it up (your outfit) at such and such store. Or, thank you I love working with little kids (great with kids). If not, the least you say is a thank you if you are complimented for something you have or for something you did.

If you are giving the compliment, please be genuine. If you tell someone you like their dress and you don’t, well, that’s not genuine and if might come across that way. Try to be specific with your compliment, also.

If you like someone’s jacket or shoes, what is it you like about the jacket or shoes? Do you like the color? Do you like the design? If you can be more specific with your compliment, it will sound more sincere and genuine.

Compliments are great when they are sincere, so if you suffer from some forms of anxiety, like social anxiety, keep these tips in mind the next time it is compliment time.

Social Anxiety | Perfectionism Is A Huge Flaw

Those suffering from social anxiety, or those with anxiety provoking traits, more often than not are perfectionists. Perfectionism is a huge flaw for those suffering from anxiety. It sounds a bit too simple, and maybe it is, but it's not as easy to cure.

Think about it. If you are a perfectionism, you have huge expectations about yourself, sometimes so high, you will never meet those expectations. The more you try, the more anxiety you cause yourself.

Perfectionism Is A Huge Flaw

You end up driving yourself so hard you end up with stress, exhaustion, and burnout. Every time you tell yourself you "should" or you "must" or you "have to" you push yourself beyond natural limits. You stop enjoying, and you do out of pure anxiety.

So what do you do? You just stop. Yeah, wouldn't that be nice.

• You have to realize you are worthy by just being you, not what you accomplish or achieve in life.
• Stop the negative thoughts of you should, or you must, or you have to; do because you sincerely want to do something.
• Don't fret over small mistakes. Seriously, who really cares?
• Concentrate on all the positives instead of the negatives.
• Be honest and don't set your goals too high.

If you see that perfectionism is a huge flaw when you have social anxiety, you can actively begin to change how you think and feel about yourself in a more positive way.

So, give me a huge smile and say I don't have to be perfect! Or, if you need a little more help, check out this book called Too Perfect, when being in control gets out of control. Good Luck!

Are You Really Paranoid?

Are you really paranoid? Or are you closer to recovering from social anxiety than you realize? I ask and bring this up because I will be 40, older than dirt, something in a couple of months, and everyone in my life has just been used to me having social anxiety.

They were used to me not calling a "stranger" to check up on them. They got comfortable with the fact that they could invite me to events they really didn't want me to go to for whatever reason, knowing I would decline the offer... and on and on.

There are also others in my life that can be manipulators, and they have used my social anxiety "against" me. Sounds a bit paranoid doesn't it? Well, as paranoid as it sounds, it really does happen. Some people can and will be that mean if it can benefit them somehow.

The day I started living my life without social anxiety, was really the day my life got very stressful, until I realized I was allowing others' actions to cause me stress. It was actually the most freeing and fantastic experience when I finally didn't care what anyone thought of me.

So, are you really paranoid? Probably not. No one likes change, but if your friends and family cannot accept the new you it is time to distance yourself from them. I am NOT saying alienate them or forget about them. Just distance yourself from the negativity you are receiving.

Live your life to the fullest. Do not allow anyone to be negative around you. Enjoy your new found freedom. More importantly, do not let anyone put back any negative thoughts so you question, am I really paranoid?

Anxiety Triggers Often Overlooked

Day to day events and schedules can cause anxiety as we know, but some anxiety triggers are often overlooked. Nutrition plays a bigger role for anxiety sufferers than most people realize.

The obvious anxiety trigger is caffeine. We all know we shouldn't take in too much caffeine. The problem comes in when we overlook caffeine products. Coffee is obvious, yes, and so is tea, chocolate, pop, and energy drinks.

But, did you know that some over the counter medicines also have caffeine? 1 NoDoz Maximum Strength tablet has 200mg of caffeine! Vivarin, Extra Strength Excedrin, and Maximum Strength Anacin also has caffeine.

If you need to cut back on your caffeine intake, do it slowly! There's nothing worse than a caffeine withdrawal headache!

Other anxiety triggers often overlooked besides what you eat is how you eat. Do you skip meals? Are you on a small caloric diet? Erratic eating causes chaos with your blood sugar levels. This can affect your moods and cause anxiety symptoms.

How much sleep do you get every night? If you don't get enough sleep, this too can cause anxiety symptoms like feeling jittery. How about exercise? It has been proven that exercise can fight stress. You don't have to go to the gym, but what about going for a walk or a jog? Check with your doctor before starting any exercise program, though.

So, pay closer attention to your daily schedule. Do you have anxiety triggers you are overlooking? Even if you can make just one change toward a healthier lifestyle, you can lower your anxiety level.

The Food-Mood Solution

The Thrive Diet: The Whole Food Way To Reduce Stress

Good Night: The Sleep Doctor's 4 week program to better sleep

Conquering Depression and Anxiety Through Exercise

Social Anxiety and Imagery

So, how can Imagery help with Social Anxiety? Using imagery is a great way to immerse yourself in feelings of peace and relaxation. Imagery is a form of distraction, allowing you to turn off any negative thoughts or feelings you may be having, as a result of your social anxiety. Imagery is also a way for the mind to tell the body what to do... relax.

A peaceful scene can be anything you like. A beach at sunrise, a quiet lake, a stream in the mountains, or anything that makes you smile and relaxed.

Images can also help with areas you feel you need to improve. Social anxiety can be related to low self-esteem, poor communication skills, and other skills that may need improving.

Surround yourself with pictures. Whether at home, at work, or in the car. Place pictures that represent confidence, social skills, or anything that makes you feel more powerful. Set up a vision board somewhere you can look at it often. Imagine yourself in those pictures, and you will be on your way to recovery.

Social Anxiety and Self Esteem

I believe Social Anxiety and low Self Esteem are very related. If you have low self esteem, chances are good you also have social anxiety. Although this isn't true for everyone, a healthy or higher self esteem can bring more confidence.

So, how to we raise our self esteem? There are several ways, but starting small is key.

Graph Your Days
Graphing your days is a great way to get an idea about your self esteem. Every day before bed, get a piece of paper and graph your day from the time you get up until the time you go to bed. If part of your day was good, make your graph higher accordingly. If part of your day was bad, make your graph lower. This will give you a pretty good idea of how you view your world.

List Good Qualities
Getting a piece of paper and listing all of your good qualities is a great way to raise your self esteem. It may be tough at first, but as you start acknowledging that you have some good qualities, you will be on your way to feeling better about yourself.

Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
One of the most self-destructive things you can do is to compare yourself to others. The only person you should compare yourself to, is you. This is important, because you need to have a clear view of your own talents and abilities.

We will work on other ways to improve your self esteem in later posts. The key is to start small.