Here’s how you can learn to overcome social anxiety

"You can't tell someone to stop thinking about something because they get caught in the loop. What you do with socially anxious people is you say look at other people because if you look at them, you can tell what they're thinking," says Jordan Peterson, a psychologist

By: Lifestyle Desk

New Delhi | December 13, 2022 08:20 AM IST

Jordan Peterson, a psychologist, shared some advice for people with social anxiety. (Photo: Freepik)

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There are people who are socially anxious and may avoid gatherings due to being judged. Jordan Peterson, a psychologist, shared some advice for people with social anxiety that may help them to overcome it.

For socially anxious people going to a party is not easy. “The party is a monster because it’s judging you and putting you low down the dominance hierarchy. So, you are confronting the dragon of chaos when you go into the social situation. And, you hunch over indicating that ‘I’m no threat’,” he begins.

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As per him, such people always think about what others are thinking about them and what they look like in a gathering. They think they are being judged constantly. “You can’t tell someone to stop thinking about something because they get caught in the loop. What you do with socially anxious people is you say look at other people because if you look at them, you can tell what they’re thinking. Also, if you’re ever speaking to a group of people, never speak to a group of people that doesn’t exist. You talk to individuals and then they reflect for you the entire group because they’re all entrained. If you look at one person, they broadcast to you what everyone’s thinking, and you know how to talk to one person, so it’s easy. So as soon as you focus on the person, not you, you push your attention outward, use your eye, push your attention outward, and you start watching,” he explained.

Throwing light on the importance of paying attention to others, he said, “The eye is the thing at the top of the pyramid. It’s like the thing that enables you to win the set of all possible dominance hierarchies is the eye. Pay attention. It is a critical issue. What do you pay attention to most, it attracts your attention,” he concluded.

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