Be Honest With Yourself

Did you know it is possible that social anxiety has skewed the way you feel about yourself?  Social anxiety "warps" our mind in a negative, judgmental way and the focus of this negative criticism is usually ourselves.  It is likely you have a negative, damaged view of yourself -- as a result of having social anxiety disorder.

For example, do you realize your own value and worth as a person?

Think about it.  Be rational.

Anxiety causes people to de-value themselves and put themselves down.  

Do you do that?  Do you give yourself rational credit for the positive steps you are making in moving forward?  It’s important you do that. 

Do see yourself as inferior to other people?  You are not.  Do you compare yourself to other people and think that all of them are somehow “better” than you?  That is not true.  Nothing you do when making “comparisons” like this is valid or rational. 

How much automatic negative thinking are you still doing? 

Why are you still doing it?  Are you catching it -- labeling it -- and turning the tables on the ANTs?

Many people with anxiety problems have positive and caring personalities.  This may be because of all the suffering they have endured and their ability to empathize with others.  It is anxiety that hides, block outs, restricts, and keeps our “true” personalities from emerging.

Your own value and worth as a human being are eminently more important than you think.  Maybe you are not opening your mind up to your own value and worth in this world.  Maybe you do not realize that you have a very positive contribution to make to the people you will know during your lifetime.

Maybe you haven’t even thought about any of this before.  You should think about your value and worth as a human being. 

You have a lot to give out, as you continue to overcome social anxiety and allow your true self to emerge.

As you make progress, it becomes easier to see, feel, and act like who you truly are.

Think about this, be rational, and change the things that need to be changed.  You can always do that, little by little and step by step.

No one has to live with social anxiety forever.   

-- Thomas A. Richards, Ph.D.
Psychologist