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Do you have social anxiety? This surprising solution can help
Good news for all social anxiety sufferers! Thanks to a new study, scientists have found a possible treatment for those for whom social situation cause panic and discomfort. Even better? The solution just might make the world a better place.
The secret, it seems, is kindness: According to Shape, in the four-week study, participants who suffer from social anxiety were asked to complete a number of tasks that put them out of their comfort zones. The participants were divided into two groups—one group participated in social situations that usually they would avoid, like chatting with a neighbor or inviting a friend to lunch, and the other was asked to do kind acts for others, like mowing their neighbor’s lawn or doing charity work.
The results? The group that performed kind acts experienced a significant decrease in anxiety. As study author Jennifer Trew, Ph.D., explained, "[the kind acts] reduce their levels of social anxiety and, in turn, makes them less likely to want to avoid social situations.” The thoughts of potential rejection were eased by the act of lending a helping hand, making the participants less distressed.
If you suffer from social anxiety, then, try volunteering at a nursing home, helping a friend with homework or offering to do the dishes for your mom. These might seem like small changes, but they might just make a difference—both to your community and to you.
Do you suffer from social anxiety? How do you cope with it? Let us know below.
The secret, it seems, is kindness: According to Shape, in the four-week study, participants who suffer from social anxiety were asked to complete a number of tasks that put them out of their comfort zones. The participants were divided into two groups—one group participated in social situations that usually they would avoid, like chatting with a neighbor or inviting a friend to lunch, and the other was asked to do kind acts for others, like mowing their neighbor’s lawn or doing charity work.
The results? The group that performed kind acts experienced a significant decrease in anxiety. As study author Jennifer Trew, Ph.D., explained, "[the kind acts] reduce their levels of social anxiety and, in turn, makes them less likely to want to avoid social situations.” The thoughts of potential rejection were eased by the act of lending a helping hand, making the participants less distressed.
If you suffer from social anxiety, then, try volunteering at a nursing home, helping a friend with homework or offering to do the dishes for your mom. These might seem like small changes, but they might just make a difference—both to your community and to you.
Do you suffer from social anxiety? How do you cope with it? Let us know below.
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