Many people who have trauma in their backgrounds or PTSD can struggle with social anxiety. Social anxiety can be defined as a fear of being watched or judged by others. People with social anxiety may feel like a spotlight is unwillingly turned onto them when they are out in public. People with trauma or PTSD may have a difficult time trusting new people or feeling safe in the world. They may feel exposed while out in social situations and can experience anxiety that they do not experience while alone or in smaller groups.
Due to some of the issues with low self-esteem that victims of trauma may develop, they may feel out of their comfort zones when in groups with new or unfamiliar people. They may only trust a few individuals in their lives and suffer great anxiety with social situations. Social anxiety can limit a person’s overall well-being and quality of life.
Social anxiety can inhibit a person from making friends or engaging in new activities. Sometimes, the anxiety comes out during interactions, leading to difficulty in communicating with others. Other times, the anxiety manifests itself in preparation for going out and fearing social interactions. In this case, the person may not leave the home at all due to fear!
Social anxiety, like other anxieties, can be treated. Often exposure to uncomfortable situations will help to lessen a person’s anxiety over time as they learn that they are safe. For those with trauma in their backgrounds, they may need more time to develop the knowledge that the world around them is safe and that people can be trusted.
Establishing trust can take time; however, trust is essential to intimate relationships and our overall quality of life. Gradually getting to know new people in safe environments is one of the keys to lessening the burden of social anxiety. Recovery is possible for those suffering from social anxiety due to past traumas!
One of the best approaches to recovering from social anxiety is to take incremental steps to expose yourself to new situations. For those of us beginning our recovery from trauma and PTSD, we might benefit from a stay in a safe and comfortable environment surrounded by others that we can trust. The Guest House has a safe, comfortable, and therapeutic environment for you to begin your journey to healing! Call us at (855) 483-7800 to speak to our staff about our programs today!