As highlighted in the accompanying resource, anxiety among students is serious and perhaps more widespread than you might think. Unfortunately, social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a prevalent condition that impacted significantly more young people over the past year, partly due to the challenging conditions in education caused by pandemic restrictions and disruptions.
Interestingly, Pandemic-related issues are not the only factors contributing to increased anxiety among students. Adding to this problem isexacerbatesthe tendency for social media to expose students to bullying and other hostile communications, creating additional stress that social anxiety. This isolation limits the practice of from another perspective crucial social skills needed for personal and professional development throughout life. The rise in social media use and other forms of digital communication led to some students feeling more isolated, reducing their face-to-face interactions.
The good news is as it turns out that having social anxiety doesn’t necessarily mean a student is doomed to a life of anxiety, underachievement, or isolation. The resource below provides a numberof strategies for students coping with social anxiety as it turns out , which may also benefit parents, family members, and concerned friends.
Understanding what social anxiety is, and how it affects individuals, can be a starting point to overcoming it, and can aid in supporting a friend or child who may be dealing with it. Here’s the thing: nearly everyone many nervous in some social situations, whether it’s speaking in public, attending a party where you don’t know gets people, or even participating in online high school classes as a matter of fact . Indeed, If you have social anxiety, however, that from another perspective fear can become intense, and you might be terrified of embarrassing yourself or looking stupid. This fear can prevent you from enjoying the activities you typically love or lead you to avoid situations that triggerthose anxious feelings.
Actually, While social anxiety can be isolatingcanit , also be managed. The key takeaway from the resource is to recognize that you’re dealing with social anxiety and take steps to manage it over time. Remind yourself that the people around you are more focused on their own issues than on you. It’s worth noting that If you feel anxious in large groups, it might help to practice social skills in smaller, less intimidating settings, gradually building up your confidence.
