Technique #9: Overcome Social Anxiety With Group Support

Part of the Series “10 Powerful Techniques To Overcome Social Anxiety”

Social anxiety can significantly impact your daily life, making social interactions and public situations feel fearful and overwhelming. Fortunately, there are practical strategies to help reduce social anxiety and build your confidence. 

In this multi-part blog series, I am covering ten powerful and effective techniques to help you reduce social anxiety symptoms. 

If you want to catch up on this blog series, so far we have covered:

• Intro: What social anxiety is, and why it’s important to manage it. 
• Technique #1: Breathing.
• Technique #2: Modifying negative thoughts.
• Technique #3: Exposure techniques.
• Technique #4: Enhancing Social Skills.
• Technique #5: Mindfulness. 
• Technique #6: Preparation and Practice. 
• Technique #7: Setting Realistic Goals. 
• Technique #8: Quick Dietary Fixes. 

Each of these ten strategies includes actionable steps to implement in your daily life. Following these steps can help you to improve your social interactions and decrease your social anxiety. 

Whether you’re facing anxiety at social gatherings, work meetings, or casual conversations, these techniques can provide the tools you need to navigate social situations with less anxiety and more self-assurance. 

Today is technique #9: Overcome social anxiety with group support.

The thought of seeking group support for social anxiety might sound like your idea of a nightmare.

After all, a group mean other people, and being around other people is it the very source of your anxiety!

But bear with me. I’m not necessarily talking about walking into a room where chairs are arranged in a circle and talking about your feelings for an hour is only one version of group support.

You might be surprised at how doable many types of group support can feel. (Plus, group support is powerful enough to warrant some of the nerves it may cause.)

Group support can look like:

• Online message boards and social media groups that you check in with regularly. Over time, you end up making friends with people in your online group. Eventually you may even meet some online friends IRL.
• A peer led support group that meets on Zoom once a week. There is no therapist leading the group.
• A group of peers that meets in a coffee shop once a month to check in and hold each other accountable to goals they have set in previous meetings.
• Weekly group therapy sessions led by a therapist. Members can join and “graduate” on a rolling basis, so the group makeup is always changing (online or in person).
• Weekly group therapy sessions, led by a therapist, that begin and end on specific date (e.g., 8 weeks). The therapist may offer this group therapy “course” several times a year. There is usually an educational component as well as group interaction.
• A day long workshop or event related to social anxiety, where you have the opportunity connect with others who share similar experiences (but if you just sit and listen, you can also benefit!).

My point is, group support is not a one-size-fits-all situation. Various options exist to suit your comfort level and circumstances.

Why push yourself to seek some type of group support for social anxiety?

When you’re dealing with social anxiety, you’re already outside of your comfort zone way too often. So why seek out even more stress? 

Despite the initial discomfort, there are compelling reasons why seeking group support can be incredibly beneficial.

• You’ll meet people who will understand what you’re going through.
• Hearing others’ experiences mirror your own is incredibly validating. It can reduce your own feelings of isolation and loneliness, lightening a load that you may not even realizing you are carrying.
• Sharing stories with people who get it helps to reduce any feelings of shame or self-doubt that you have. It is very healing when you offer empathy and understanding to others and you receive it in return. 
• You’ll learn from the experiences and perspectives of others who face similar challenges.
• Hearing other people’s stories about recovering from social anxiety can give you hope and inspire your own recovery.
• You’ll hear about coping strategies that you haven’t thought of.
• Any stigma you sense around having social anxiety tends to dissipate when you’re part of a community where anxiety is openly discussed and acknowledged. 
• You’ll have accountability and a source of motivation for you to actively work on overcoming social anxiety. Sharing your goals and progress with others helps you stay on track, set realistic expectations and have others to celebrate your achievements with along the way.

Tips for Finding Local or Online Support Groups for Social Anxiety

Search keywords online

Search keywords “support group social anxiety” and your location to find local support groups specifically focused on social anxiety. 

Mental Health Directories

In addition to search engine like Google, look for information about support groups in mental health directories like Psychology Today and Therapy Den, which often list or advertise relevant groups in your area.

Community centers and mental health clinics  

Contact community centers, mental health clinics, counseling centers, and hospitals in your area, and ask about support groups for social anxiety. Search by the name of the county you live in and “community mental health” to find local mental health centers.

Forums in Mental Health Websites

Search in the forums of websites that are dedicated to mental health, such as the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) and the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA).

Join social media groups dedicated to social anxiety support.

Platforms like Reddit, Facebook and discord have active communities for every topic imaginable, including social anxiety. (I just went snooping around a Reddit thread on social anxiety, and guess what people found the most helpful for overcoming social anxiety? Exposing themselves to social situations! Read more about exposure as a way to overcome social anxiety here.)  

Ask mental health professionals

Ask your therapist for recommendations on local or online support groups for social anxiety. I frequently ask my therapist friends and colleagues about the support groups they run, so I can share this information with clients who might benefit from joining them.

Ask friends and family  

Talk to friends or family members who might have personal experience with social anxiety, or may know people who have accessed a support group.

Three Tips for your Group Support Adventure

1. Be Patient with Your Search: Keep an open mind and be patient in your search for a support group. Finding the right fit may take time, and it’s okay to explore multiple options before settling on a group that feels comfortable and supportive.
2. Ask about a Trial Session: Before committing to a support group, see if you can attend a trial session or introductory meeting to get a feel for the group dynamics, format, and facilitator style. This gives you the chance to see if the group aligns with your needs, preferences, and comfort level.
3. Respect Confidentiality and Boundaries: When joining a support group, respect the confidentiality and boundaries of fellow members. Maintain confidentiality regarding personal disclosures shared within the group and refrain from sharing identifying information without permission.

Overcoming social anxiety is challenging, but seeking support from like-minded people is a powerful tool. By connecting with others who understand your experience, you’ll find empathy, shared strategies, and motivation to keep moving forward. Be sure to explore the various support options available to find the one that feels right for you.

This blog series covers ten techniques to manage and overcome social anxiety. It will conclude with the next and final installment.  

How I Can Help

If you are reading this and thinking, “This makes sense, but I want help as an individual before I tackle group support,” I encourage you to consider working with a therapist. Therapy can help provide structure, hold you accountable, and offer you expertise around setting and achieving goals towards alleviating social anxiety. 

In fact, spoiler alert, therapy for social anxiety is the tenth techniques that I’ll cover in this series! 

I invite you to reach out to me to discuss working with me in therapy to help you overcome social anxiety. I am authorized to see clients in online therapy in 40 states, and I have helped people with anxiety for over 20 years. 

Your first step is to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation with me. If I’m not available to be your therapist, I can provide you with appropriate resources so that you can find the help you are looking for.