I became who I really was by letting go of control. It was through surrendering rather than holding tightly with my will power that I finally was able to experience recovery from my social anxiety problems. I had always thought that I needed to do it my way, and never realized that always doing it my way cut me off from discovery.

I had to to realize too that if I always knew what was best for me, that I would have solved my social anxiety problems years ago, here are some articles on the subject of healing social anxiety via the use of the 12 gentle steps that I have found to be very helpful.

I struggled with social anxiety for years. I can really understand your pain. My social anxiety was pure misery.

Social Anxiety is tough, but it also really can get better–

My social anxiety is so much better now, I would never have imagined that it could get so much better. Thanks to Social Anxiety Anonymous, my life has improved dramatically.

Through the use the 12 Steps of Social Anxiety Anonymous, I was able to find a completely new way of dealing with my social anxiety problems.

Francis M

Job interviews can be terrifying when you have social anxiety. Here is one of the tools of the Social Anxiety Anonymous program of recovery that can really help–

One thing that is a huge help with this is to focus on service to others.

Social Phobia makes the Social Anxiety sufferer ‘overly aware’ of themselves (in a very anxious way).

The trick to getting out of that is to focus on ‘being of service’ (helping) whoever you are interacting with.

It helps to remind oneself, when going into such a situation–

**”Even in a job interview, I can be of service– for example, here is one trick– Most job interviewers actually want to talk (especially about the problems that they want to interviewee to solve for them if they get the job).”

So you can ‘help’ the interviewer by ‘Listening’ and also asking supportive questions that help the interviewer.

Anyway, this will totally take the focus off of your social anxiety (when we help others we forget about ourselves, and so forget to be anxious).

Helping others is the opposite of self-obsession (which is social phobia, social anxiety).

Here is a really good article on the subject– The Secret of Overcoming Social Anxiety through Service to Others (Ending Self-Obsession)– How Helping Others Can Help to Reduce Social Anxiety

Exposure to ones fears alone (facing onces fears alone) is not enough to overcome social anxiety. People often don’t realize this and have a sincere belief in exposure as an approach to healing fears. But exposure alone is usually not sufficient to relieve social anxiety disorder on a long term basis; it must be fortified with other tools of recovery in order to become effective. In any case those of us who rely solely on waiting for our fears to wear off will wait in vain.

That’s why the 12 Steps of Social Anxiety Anonymous can really help. They address the underlying issues that fuel social anxiety, gently healing them so that social anxiety diminishes and our real selves emerge.

Social Phobics Anonymous / Social Anxiety Anonymous Free (Telephone and Local) 12-Step Support Groups that Gently Help People to Overcome Social Anxiety Disorder, Social Phobia, Shyness Problems, Avoidant Personality Disorder, Social Agoraphobia and Paruresis.

These Groups really work! And are a wonderful resource for anyone suffering from the above problems.

This is the Blog, the Home Page is here.

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Social Anxiety Anonymous is an International Nonprofit Organization that provides 12 Step support groups (both local and also by free telephone conference call) and literature that help it’s members in overcoming social anxiety problems, including social anxiety disorder, social phobia, shyness problems, avoidant personality disorder, social agoraphobia and paruresis.

And our free online book, “TWELVE GENTLE STEPS TO OVERCOMING SOCIAL ANXIETY” can be found here.