We also treat relationship problems, anger, post-traumatic stress disorder, loss and grief, and many other problems.

Overcoming Shyness and Social Anxiety

Signs of Shyness and Social Anxiety

• Are you comfortable talking to your friends, but become nervous when talking to people you don't know?
  
• Do you worry about being embarrassed, humiliated, or rejected in social situations?
  
• Do you worry that others will notice your social anxiety?
  
• Do you fear public speaking or being called on in class or at a meeting?
  
• Are you often quiet because you fear saying something that people will think is stupid or boring?
  
• Do you believe you have poor social skills?
  
• Do you worry about times you've said the wrong thing or made social mistakes?

Treating Shyness and Social Anxiety

The most effective treatment for shyness and social anxiety is Cognitive Therapy. Exposure, a behavioral therapy, is an effective treatment for most anxiety disorders, but it is less effective for shyness and social anxiety. Medication, relaxation, and Psychoanalytic Therapy are also less effective than Cognitive Therapy for shyness and social anxiety.

Social anxiety usually does not improve without treatment, and it tends to become worse over time if it you do not receive proper treatment.

Some medications can temporarily reduce the symptoms of shyness and social anxiety, but the symptoms return as soon as the medication is stopped.

People with social anxiety make certain thinking mistakes:

1. They believe their social skills are much worse than they actually are.
   
2. They believe others are rejecting them when others are not rejecting them.
   
3. They believe their anxiety is much more obvious to others than it really is.

At Cognitive Behavior Psychologists of New Jersey we will help you overcome these thinking mistakes, and we will help you overcome your shyness and social anxiety.

Call us at 908-276-3888

Cognitive Behavioral Psychologists of New Jersey
Video sessions In-person sessions in Westfield

Home | About Us | Scheduling a First Appointment | Articles on CBT for Mental Health Professionals | Learn More About CBT | Depression
Low Self-Esteem | Stress Reduction & Mindfulness | Obsessive Compulsive Disorder