How social anxiety affects college students? Where does social anxiety stem from? Will social anxiety ever go away?
Your social anxiety of “I am the student” is created because:
“Anxiety is a signal that one perceives some threat to one’s continued existence.” – Irvin Yalom, Existential Psychotherapy.
Your authentic and core sense of self is more than “the student.” This social anxiety stems from extending our identity beyond who we are and into roles that we have obtained through our life that has meaning (the student, the partner, the friend, or the sexual attractive person).
Uncontrollable fidgeting and nail biting – this is your body communicating to you to listen and experience your anxiety. Your anxiety is trying to self-sooth by doing this and if it cannot it will increase.
Stuttering in conversations or not being able to get your words out – your brain only has so many resources. If you are experiencing anxiety all your resources are being flooded to the emotional coping and core part of your brain.
Asked to read in class is a nightmare – you are already experiencing anxiety. Therefore, having to read in-front of class confronts and challenges your anxiety to take on a new form and “appear” to be okay.
You would rather be alone because it is easier – YES! Your anxiety wants you to be alone, to ground yourself, and really ask how you want to feel and engage with this situation.
Overwhelmed by small things – your anxiety has put you on such high alert that anything, even small things, will feel overwhelming because this felt threat to your existence is real and heavy to process.
Constantly wishing your life was normal again – there is no “normal” to go back to. There is only the here-and-now, and your core (authentic self) will always be there. It is not how our anxiety engages with us, but instead the hope in how we can engage with it and create meaning.
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For more information visit my website at www.holisticpathcounseling.com or email me at jason@holisticpathcounseling.com
This post does not replace professional therapeutic help or constitute advice, seek your own therapist today!
