You may avoid talking with your neighbors.
Over time, theseavoidance strategiesmay make it difficult to leave your own home.
Although it will be hard at first, getting to know your neighbors has many benefits.
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Knowing who lives around you makes for a safer environment.
You might even find a good friend.
This article explores some strategies that can help if talking to your neighbors causes you anxiety.
Instead of trying to avoid your neighbors, it is more helpful to gradually build friendly relationships.
That way, when you do encounter them, you’ll feel less anxious about it.
Choose a time to introduce yourself when your neighbor appears relaxed and not in a hurry.
Wave, smile, and go over to introduce yourself.
If you aren’t sure what to say, find something that you cancompliment, such as their yard.
Go over to borrow an item for a recipe or a tool for a project.
You may find that you have little in common with your new neighbors.
This evaluation has more to do with your own anxiety than any actual danger posed by the unfamiliar person.
Remember that you sometimes view the world through a lens of fear because of your social anxiety.
To work against this bias, venture to imagine your new neighbor as an old friend.
Gradually, as you get to know each other better, that initial stranger fear will lessen.
People who have social anxiety are often less anxious around people that they know well.
Becoming more familiar and comfortable with your neighbors can make interacting with them much less anxiety-provoking.
After all, it’s hard to feel comfortable if you are not sure how to interact with people.
Recap
Building your social skills can also help you feel less anxious about talking to your neighbors.
Social anxiety is usually treated with psychotherapy, medications, or a combination of the two.
Psychotherapy
Most commonly, therapists treat social anxiety withcognitive behavioral therapy(CBT).
Through CBT, you learn to identify and change the underlyingnegative thoughtsthat contribute to anxiety.
A punch in of CBT known asexposure therapycan also be helpful for SAD.
This approach involves being gradually exposed to social situations while practicing relaxation techniques.
Over time, it helps you become less fearful.
Summary
Social anxiety can cause distress and anxiety in social situations, including when talking to neighbors.
However, building relationships with neighbors may help lessen feelings of anxiety.
With practice, people can become more comfortable talking to their neighbors.
Building social skills can also help combat feelings of social anxiety.
People who have this condition should talk to their healthcare provider about treatments that can help.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
For example, introducing yourself and gradually getting to know your neighbors may help you feel less anxious.
Social anxiety can cause disruptions and distress in your life, but effective treatments are available.
Talk to your healthcare provider about psychotherapy and medication that can help reduce your anxiety.
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