This article is not intended as health advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional consultation with a health care professional health care provider.
It’s an unfortunate reality that there’s a large percentage of the geek community that suffers from some level of social anxiety. It’s unfortunately common that geeks have become the living embodiment of the disorder in the eyes of the public. That fact shows up in some pop culture depictions of geeks – a person who is game-obsessed, lacking in meaningful offline personal relationships, and who has hopelessly shut themselves off from the outside world.
For those diagnosed with the disorder, though, the reality is a whole lot more painful than the stereotype would suggest. They live in a state of perpetual fear, and it’s by no means a choice. It’s a real and serious condition that has a deep and lasting impact on the quality of their lives. Many of anxiety sufferers struggle silently against their own feelings and lack the ability to even reach out to anyone for help. Some of them might be reading this article right now – and wishing that somehow, someway, that they could rid themselves of the affliction.
The good news is, there are quite a few things that someone suffering from social anxiety can do to try and overcome the disorder. While none offer the guarantee of success, they all should provide some measure of relief from the debilitating condition. Here’s what to do.
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Perform Small Acts of Kindness
One way to start breaking the chains of social anxiety is to look for ways to perform small acts of kindness for those around you. Studies have shown that social anxiety sufferers who make a point of doing so often report an improvement in their condition in very little time. To get started, the socially anxious can focus on acts of kindness that don’t require any face-to-face interactions. Things like making charitable donations, or leaving an extra tip and a thank-you note for a delivery person make a good place to start.
From there, you can work your way up to more interactive acts, like picking up the tab for the person behind you in line at the coffee shop or mowing a neighbor’s lawn. Over time, it may be possible to build up to more meaningful interactions with others, but as they say, the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step – so every little act of kindness should help in some small way.
Try Gamification
If there’s one thing that most genre fans have in common, it’s that we have an affinity for games. As it turns out, that can be a helpful way for social anxiety sufferers to deal with their problem. The simplest way to use games as a way of overcoming social anxiety is to turn the everyday situations you’d ordinarily have difficulty navigating into the kinds of mini-game quests you might find in your favorite RPG.
For example, consider turning a conversation you might have with a roommate or neighbor into a quest to find out their favorite colors. Or, try to wear the oddest accessory you can think of without anyone else noticing (and no, undergarments don’t count). Really, anything that turns the interactions of daily life into a game-like role for you to play should work. It’s a tactic that one fellow geek used to great effect to make a success out of a business conference he attended. If nothing else, it’s a fun and engaging way to deal with your feelings, so why not give it a shot?
Consider Anti-Anxiety Supplements
Sometimes, the key to overcoming social anxiety lies in having the strength to take your first steps toward embracing the world. Sometimes, just getting that far is too difficult a leap to make. To help, it’s a good idea to consider turning to natural anti-anxiety supplements to help you to relax just enough to take control of the situation. Repeated studies have shown that natural substances like passionflower and kava have anxiolytic effects, and adding them to your diet might be enough to help ease your symptoms.
Another option is cannabidiol, or CBD, as it’s more commonly known. There’s a growing body of evidence that CBD can be effective at dealing with anxiety, and it’s also known to be generally safe and well-tolerated by the majority of people who try it. Plus, it’s available in more forms than you can count, from tinctures to gummies to organic CBD nugs for those who prefer them. So, social anxiety sufferers can choose the product that suits them best, and see if it provides the solution they’ve been looking for.
Putting Anxiety to Rest
There’s no way to know which of these tactics might work best for each individual with social anxiety. Sometimes, a blend of all three approaches is the best way to go. In any case, the very act of taking steps to conquer one’s own anxiety has a great therapeutic effect in and of itself. So, to all those in the geek communith who suffer from social anxiety, take heart. There are solutions to what you’re feeling, and all you have to do is decide to make them a part of your life. If you can do that, you’ll already be on your way toward putting your anxiety to rest once and for all.
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