How to Stick to Treatment

One of the biggest problems with anxiety treatment is that many patients stop treatment prematurely or don't do it properly. This includes patients who stop taking their medication, don't take their medication properly, stop going to therapy or stop doing things that make them feel good. Whats important is that you stay committed to treatment and one way of doing this is by looking at the advantages and disadvantages of treatment.

Go here to learn how to look at the advantages and disadvantages of treatment:

www.depressiondodging.com/depressioncuressttp.html

Hope you're feeling well

Use Your Social Skills And They'll Get Better

When we have social anxiety our first reaction is often to avoid social situations because they can be stressful, but this just puts us into a vicious cycle: We avoid social situations, our social skills deminish from lack of use, we avoid social situations even more because we feel inadequate in them, our social skills get worse, and so on.

I think we all know deep down inside that socializing can be enjoyable and we all want to be able to do it. The best way to deal with social anxiety is to change your negative automatic thoughts and anti-social behaviors. One of the best behaviors to practice is to get out there and talk to people. You'll find that most people are friendly when you start a conversation. A great way to start a conversation is to say hello or to give someone a compliment, like "nice hair", "or i really like your dress", or nice shoes, where'd you get them?", etc.

Good places to meet people casually is at the gym (and getting some exercise in is never bad either), at the supermarket (and buying some healthy food is never a bad idea), at the park (and getting some fresh air and sunshine is never a bad idea) or on public transit. Most people just sit on the bus or the subway and awkwardly try to avoid eye contact with eachother. Why not pay the person across from you a compliment instead?

Your social skills will get better the more you use them and you'll become more confident as you realize that most people are friendly. Don't let one negative response deter you. Some people are just in a bad mood sometimes and some people are just mean. Just don't take it personal and move on to the next person.

If you want to meet like-minded people on the internet you can put out an add on Craig's list. If you like art look for someone to go look at some art with. If you like soccer, try to start a soccer game. If you like heavy metal, look for someone to go to a concert with, etc. Remember, there are tons of people out there just like you who are socially anxious and want to have more friends to hang out with.

Hope you're feeling present and calm

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Presence Kills Anxiety

Being present is basically being aware of what is going on around you and the feelings in your body. It is the opposite of being "in your head". For example, if you're speaking with someone your attention is on the person you're talking to, how this person makes you feel, how they're feeling, what they're saying, how they look, the envirmonemnt around you 2, etc. Your attention is not on worrying about they think of you, or worrying about what to say next, or worrying about screwing up, etc.

When you're present you're in the moment. You're not thinking about your past or worrying about your future. You're bringing yourself fully to every interaction, every decision, and every situation. Just just making an effort to be more present will kill most of your anxiety.

If you're a man you can learn more about presence and how to cultivate it at The Authentic Man Program. If you're a woman you can learn more at the Authentic Woman Experience. These programs are designed for improving dating and relationships, but they will also improve other aspects of your life like mood and anxiety.

You can find links to these programs here:

www.depressiondodging.com/curesfordepressionloveandsex.html

Hope you're feeling calm and relaxed

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