Social Anxiety is a serious thing that many teens normally start to experience in their early High School years. Yet, with the way Gen Z is, you start to notice how tweens and teens become more socially awkward or anxious towards Middle School instead. We start to stutter, become extremely nervous when we talk, and don’t want any social interaction and find it really hard to make friends because of that. So, here are my two steps on how to deal with Social Anxiety.

Social Anxiety

Step 1: Try to socialize little by little with people outside of your circle of friends. (Get over your shyness if you are shy)

Many people start to form their own actual friend group by the time they reach the beginning of high school, if not by middle school. So, if you happen to be starting high school next year or in a couple of years, you still have plenty of time to decide who your true friends are and what kind of group of friends you want. If you happen to already have a friend group and just want to make new friends outside of it, I suggest to slowly start talking to new people. For example, the guy or girl sitting next to you in one of your classes, or you could become friends with the girl or boy sitting with you at lunch that you haven’t gotten the chance to talk to yet. Overall, just start socializing with people outside of your friend group. You have no reason to be nervous, if they don’t like then it’s their loss.

If you happen to have trouble finding friends, don’t worry I was like that too. Like I said before, just slowly start to get out of your shell. One tip that I have stuck with when making new friends is to be yourself. The only way you will get people to actually like you is if you act like you normally do and not put on a facade. Be yourself so they will actually get to know the real you! Try to get out of your “comfort zone” when it comes to socializing and slowly start to talk to people in school or at work. There is nothing to be afraid of, if they judge you so what! If they don’t like you, so what! You will be making progress by at least talking to people that you haven’t even thought about talking to. In the beginning of everyday, give yourself a goal. Tell yourself that you will talk tor compliment the first person you see as soon as you enter your school or work place. By doing this, your brain will automatically think that the person you spoke to is a new friend or acquaintance.

By doing these things, you will slowly start to make new friends out of your friend group, or end up adding a new member to your group! Also try sitting with someone who is all alone, maybe even invite them to sit with you and your friends. By doing this, you are not only spreading kindness and positivity, but you are also making someone’s day by letting them know that they are not alone.

Step 2: Be kind

You should know by now that not everyone is going to like you, and that you aren’t going to like everyone who crosses your path. Everyone has heard of the phrase “treat other the way you want to be treated” and it’s true. You may not be able to have everyone like you and have everyone consider you a friend, but that doesn’t mean you can’t think that. One quote that my mom told me when I started the school year that has stuck with me ever since then is that “In every walk of life, you are going to meet different people, and you are going to be different to them too. You might not agree with their lifestyle and vice versa. With all that saying, you are not going to be liked or be friends with everybody but all you can do is be kind and treat people as you would like to be treated. It’s okay if you don’t make friends, at least you won’t make enemies as you go because in the end it’s not how many friends you have, but who is there when you need them the most and that’s what counts as a real friend.”

Overall, by following these steps, you might start to get rid of your anxiety and start to communicate more with others. Hope these steps helped!