A lot of people in the world struggle with fear of being in public, or social anxiety disorder. Diagnosed or not, it can turn every student’s life into a living hell. With having to share your dorm room with other people, crowded diner halls and campus territory, classes where you have to present different reports, it’s very hard for introvert children to not feel overwhelmed and anxious. But college life is simply impossible without all these things. Here are some steps you can take to help you to ease your anxiety feelings:
What Is It?
Social Anxiety disorder means a fear of being judged by other individuals in common situations where you have to affiliate with a group of other people. Those who possibly have this disorder usually feel intimidated and discomfort during the events where they have to perform in front of a public. If you have never experienced this feeling prior to college, you might be confused and worried now. Statistic research shows that for many students the transition from a high school to college can cause feelings of loneliness, shyness, and awkwardness in situations they earlier felt normal. If not treated accordingly from the very beginning, it can turn into the anxiety disorder later.
Change Your Living Conditions
For students who cope with the social anxiety disorder, it’s very important to establish a home-based living conditions. So first of all, you have to figure out what will be the right option for you. Should you share a room in dorm or is it better for you to live off campus? Even if you are sure that living alone is the perfect solution, there are some things you have to consider before doing any changes. Firstly, you have to find out where you are on the introversion and shyness spectrum. Keep in mind that not all the people who are introverts are shy, and not all the ones who struggle from shyness are introverts. Students who are both shy and introverted may experience some tension in social situation, but they also don’t have a necessity to be among other people. For those students living in a single room or sharing a room with a close friend will be the best option. Those individuals who despite being shy are extroverts usually have a need to be surrounded by people and affiliate even though they avoid it because of the fear of being intimidated. Being a roommate will be the perfect solution for those children, as it will keep them from feeling isolated.
Establish Your Relaxation Time
Surely, relaxation will not solve this problem entirely, but some sport activities, breathing techniques, calming music, and meditation can greatly help you to ease the symptoms. Even a couple of minutes per day can give you a much needed release from the stressful feelings and improve your mood. Also, doctors suggest to avoid caffeine for those who have a social anxiety disorder. Yes, college life seems impossible without coffee, but it only exacerbates the overwhelming feelings you experience and makes your condition even worse.
