Social Anxiety Resources

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy for Anxiety

Psychodynamic psychotherapy offers a deep and nuanced approach to treating anxiety, focusing on the psychological roots of emotional distress. By exploring the unconscious influences and early life experiences that contribute to current behaviours and feelings, this therapy can provide lasting relief and understanding for individuals struggling with anxiety. Here’s a revised look at how psychodynamic […]

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CBT for Anxiety

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a well-established psychological treatment that has been proven effective in managing anxiety. It works by helping individuals identify and challenge unhelpful thoughts and beliefs, and by teaching them coping skills to deal with anxiety-provoking situations. Here’s a detailed look at how CBT can be used to treat anxiety, with references

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Overcoming Dating Anxiety: Strategies and Tips

Dating anxiety is a common challenge that many individuals face. It can manifest as nervousness, self-doubt, and even physical symptoms like sweating or a racing heart. This anxiety often stems from fears of rejection, social pressures, and personal insecurities. However, there are effective strategies to manage and overcome these feelings. Understanding the Root of Anxiety

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Unleashing Your Inner Strength: A Guide to Building Confidence

Confidence, that intangible quality that radiates from within, is the cornerstone of self-assurance and personal empowerment. At its core, it is a feeling when we say that we feel confident. It’s the belief in oneself, the ability to tackle challenges, and the courage to embrace opportunities. While some individuals seem naturally self-assured, confidence is also

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Understanding and Overcoming Dating Anxiety

Dating anxiety, a formidable force that can affect anyone stepping into the world of relationships, is a complex emotional state that can cause significant distress. It manifests in various forms, from nervousness and self-doubt to physical symptoms like sweating or a racing heart. This apprehension often stems from the fear of rejection, the pressure to

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Overcoming the Fear of Others: Understanding and Coping with Social Anxiety

The fear of other people, often termed social anxiety or social phobia, is a common and challenging experience for many individuals. It manifests as an overwhelming fear of judgment, embarrassment, or rejection in social situations, leading to significant distress and avoidance behaviors. Understanding this fear and learning coping strategies can greatly alleviate its impact on

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Can You Fake It Til You Make It?

For those who live with social anxiety, the prospect of attending social events or interacting with others can be incredibly daunting. Even the simplest interactions can be a struggle, and many find themselves paralyzed by fear. If this is something you can relate to, you may have heard the suggestion to “fake it til you … Read More about Can You Fake It Til You Make It?
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Anxiety and the Brain: The Forebrain’s Role in Social Decisions Unveiled

Researchers discovered that anxious individuals utilize a less optimal region of the forebrain when navigating socially challenging situations compared to their non-anxious counterparts. This was determined through brain scans that mapped regions active during simulated social scenarios.

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Effective Group CBT for Social Anxiety in First-Episode Psychosis: Results of Randomized Controlled Trial

Background
Social anxiety (SA), a prevalent comorbid condition in psychotic disorders with a negative impact on functioning, requires adequate intervention relatively early. Using a randomized controlled trial, we tested the efficacy of a group cognitive-behavioral therapy intervention for SA (CBT-SA) that we developed for youth who experienced the first episode of psychosis (FEP). For our primary outcome, we hypothesized that compared to the active control of group cognitive remediation (CR), the CBT-SA group would show a reduction in SA that would be maintained at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. For secondary outcomes, it was hypothesized that the CBT-SA group would show a reduction of positive and negative symptoms and improvements in recovery and functioning.

Method
Ninety-six patients with an FEP and SA, recruited from five different FEP programs in the Montreal area, were randomized to 13 weekly group sessions of either CBT-SA or CR intervention.

Results
Linear mixed models revealed that multiple measures of SA significantly reduced over time, but with no significant group differences. Positive and negative symptoms, as well as functioning improved over time, with negative symptoms and functioning exhibiting a greater reduction in the CBT-SA group.

Conclusions
While SA decreased over time with both interventions, a positive effect of the CBT-SA intervention on measures of negative symptoms, functioning, and self-reported recovery at follow-up suggests that our intervention had a positive effect that extended beyond symptoms specific to SA.
ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02294409.

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Cutting back on social media reduces anxiety, depression, loneliness

Researchers found college students who tried to cut their social media use to 30 minutes per day scored significantly lower for anxiety, depression, loneliness and fear of missing out at the end of the two-week experiment and when compared to the control group.

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