The psychological states of individuals in Nigeria is widely ignored and treated with indifference when related matters are raised. Most times, one is forced to feign mental stability to avoid scorn from loved ones and acquaintances alike.
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A culture where feelings are bottled up and not addressed on time may be detrimental to affected individuals and society at large. One of these hidden psychological problems is the issue of social anxiety.
People tend to mistake social anxiety with shyness but that’s just a small part of what it entails.
Social Anxiety refers to a
mental health state where social situations trigger irrational anxiety in an individual. While normal shyness may be passing, in the case of social anxiety, affected individuals feel anxious before and after a social situation. It may simply mean fear of people that affect relationships, work, and other aspects of their lives.
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Learn To Penetrate Your Subconscious
Your subconscious is a docile servant that works continuously to make your behaviour fit a pattern consistent with your emotions, aspirations, and hopes. The subconscious triggers a committed pattern of thinking that could make habits seem almost unbreakable. Learn to tap into that part of your mind that conditions your habits either by meditating or reading. You can take short strolls or a “me-time” break that allows you to have a conversation with the personality in your mind.
Think of the good things that can emerge from a social situation. Do not bother on the worst. When you make too much fuss about making a mistake or getting embarrassed, you subconsciously allow anxiety to creep into your mind. You can start by admiring the striking physical features of individuals within a setting. Try looking at “Peggy’s” lovely shoes than the scowl on her face. It wouldn’t matter when Peggy realises what a wonderful person you are.
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Learn To Care For Yourself
Learn to accept your flaws and praise your little wins in every social setting you find yourself in. It takes gradual efforts to deal with anxiety. Don’t be hard on yourself in the face of communication awkwardness but accept it as a path to becoming a much confident person. Apologise when you make a social wrong. You can even start an engagement by acknowledging your nervousness around people, this could make them compassionate and cause them to go easy on you – provided they are not bullies. In Nigeria, only the educated elites may provide an understanding or knowledge on the issue of social anxiety.
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Learn To Start Conversations
Think of a subject you think might interest the people you meet, then start the conversation. Starting a conversation allows you the freedom to control the direction of the issue being discussed. When it gets awkward, make a joke out of it. Great conversationist see jokes as a jail free card from tough chatting atmospheres. Be polite and smile a lot. People feel comfortable around a friendly face. Over time, you’d feel more relaxed and fulfilled with having to associate with people easily.
Most times, because of the withdrawn effects of social anxiety, individuals are wrongly assumed as rude. Especially, in a core Yoruba household where communication with a large crowd is perceived as courteous. Individuals, knowing the judgements that may follow, they find it difficult to thrive well in such circumstance. Nevertheless, take time to practice the tips highlighted above. They might just be your saving grace.
Featured Image Source: Open Doors Therapy
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This article was first published on 17th July 2021
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Grace Christos Is a content creator with a proven track record of success in content marketing, online reputation management, sales strategy, and so much more.
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