Social anxiety disorder (or also known as social phobia) is an intense, long-lasting fear of being judged and watched by other people. It's basically a fear of being in the spotlight, of having to perform, and of looking foolish or even being embarrassed. This can be a debilitating condition that can be debilitating. If you have social phobia, you may feel nervous, embarrassed, depressed, and physically sick when going to parties, going on dates, or when interacting with new people. It can be very difficult to live a normal life if you suffer from this disorder.
Why does your anxiety build up? What causes it? What are the core values and beliefs that cause your fear of being judged? You need to determine what causes your anxiety before you can cure it. If it's based on core beliefs and values then you need to replace them with realistic, healthy and positive beliefs and values.
Why do you think this happens? First, you may have been raised in a household where you were always being judged and talked to harshly. Or, you may have been brought up in a country where being judged could land you in prison or harm other members of your family. In either case, your core values and beliefs about yourself and others are being challenged on a regular basis. Whether it's being criticized for saying the wrong thing, speaking up for yourself, making an unwise comment during a social interaction, or even acting in a way that others find offensive... your internal dialogue always includes judgment and criticism. Over time, you have the fear of being judged that continues to dictate how you behave and respond to situations.
So how do you stop that fear from ruining your life? The first step you must take is to identify the core beliefs and values that are causing your fear of being judged. For me, it was fear of appearing foolish, or my ability to appear confident and proud of my accomplishments. Once I understood what was happening to me, and this process began to develop, I found that I didn't have to fear looking foolish anymore. I realized that what was really causing my anxiety and fear were the core beliefs about myself that were making me fear those judgments.
Once I started focusing more on my authentic self, and less on my image in the mirror, my fear decreased. It's important that you also identify what is impeding you from your true potential. Once you start believing that you are worthy of success, value and happiness, you will become a much happier person. The key to overcoming fear of judgment is to start seeing yourself as successful. And once you have this understanding, it will become easier to look at those things that other people think negatively about you, such as your appearance, your performance at work, your lack of social interaction, or your inability to manage your finances properly.
When I began focusing on my accomplishments, I began to feel much more comfortable in social situations. And when I avoided those social situations, I felt a lot more comfortable. I believe that the root cause of my fear of being judged, was my over-fear about judgment from other people. So, when I started to focus on myself, instead of my image in the mirror, my fear went away. I no longer fear what others think of me.
To overcome your fear of judgment, you must first accept that you have done something wrong, or be very embarrassed by your mistakes. Then begin to take responsibility for those mistakes. Don't blame anyone else, or say anything to anybody about it. Instead, just let go of the judgment you are holding towards yourself, and begin to focus on your achievements.
This change will not happen overnight, but it will happen. You have to start by letting go of the judgment you feel about yourself. Once you do that, you can start to see yourself as an overall, successful person. As people begin to notice your accomplishments, they will come back to you, and you will no longer be the imposter syndrome victim that you are.
