Therapy Reminders

Overcoming social anxiety involves putting the cognitive strategies into place (behaviorally) in your life at work, school, home, social situations, etc.  One tip to help you remember to USE the strategies instead of letting anxiety take control, is (for example) writing "ST" -- for slow talk -- on anything you will see many times throughout the day. You can write it on notebooks, your desk drawer, the mirror in the bathroom, an index card for your pocket, your purse, or in the car.  Get creative with this.  Each time you look at the "ST" you know it stands for slow talk -- calm talk -- and if your brain is reminded, over and over again, and in situations you face every day, it will be easier to remember to USE it when anxiety begins.

Bring the cognitive strategy out to the "real world" slowly but progressively.  ALWAYS start with the easiest people or situations because everything I just wrote will not work in a high anxiety situation yet.  Talk with the person you feel the most comfortable with, someone who is approachable.  Start with the EASIEST situation, use slow talk, get used to it again until it's a habit.  It's just slowing down a small amount.