Social Anxiety

Almost everyone gets a little anxious or embarrassed in front of other people now and then, though some of us are more shy than others. Sometimes, though, the anxiety can be so intense that it stops us from doing the things we enjoy, or starts interfering in our daily lives. Social anxiety is used to describe feelings of anxiety and fear that occur in response to social situations. Even the most confident of people can get a little anxious before a presentation, or when they’re meeting new people, but in social anxiety this distress can be so overwhelming that it feels as though it‘s difficult to cope. Often, that overwhelming anxiety is experienced when just thinking about the situation or remembering a previous event. 

Stepping out of Social Anxiety: This information package is designed to provide you with some information about social anxiety and suggested strategies for how you can manage your anxiety in social situations.  It is organised into modules that are designed to be worked through in sequence.  Although it is not necessary that you complete one module before going on to the next, this is recommended. Each module includes information, worksheets, and suggested exercises or activities.

Module 1: Understanding Social Anxiety

This module looks at the symptoms of social anxiety, and explains what causes and maintains social anxiety.

Module 2: Overcoming Negative Thinking

This module looks at the relationship between negative thinking and social anxiety, and introduces a strategy to challenge unhelpful thinking.

Module 3: Overcoming Avoidance

In this module you will learn how to avoidance keeps social anxiety going, and how to start approaching situations to challenge your fears.

Module 4: Behavioural Experiment Stepladders

This module looks at how you can begin going into social situations that you may have been avoiding using a structured, step-by-step approach. 

Module 5: Safety Behaviours

This module explains what safety behaviours are, how they keep social anxiety going, and how to reduce your use of safety behaviours.

Module 6: The Role of Attention

This module describes how your attention can automatically focus in unhelpful ways that keep social anxiety going, and introduces a strategy to retrain your attention.  

Module 7: How I Think I Appear to Others

In this module you will learn how to challenge unhelpful beliefs about how you appear to others by conducting behavioural experiments. 

Module 8: Challenging Core Beliefs

Core beliefs are often at the root of unhelpful thoughts that are particularly difficult to change. This module looks at core beliefs and how to change them.

Module 9: Strengthening New Core Beliefs

In this module you will learn how to build conviction in new, more helpful core beliefs. 

Module 10: Maintaining Your Gains and Dealing with Setbacks

This final module describes how to maintain gains and continue the progress that has been made throughout the previous modules.

Download the entire workbook

Click the link above to download all modules in this workbook at once, as a zip file.

Anxiety Symptoms Record

Breathing Rate Record

Monitoring Your Relaxation Level

Weekly Activity Schedule

Weekly Goals Record

Making the Connection

Thought Diary 1 (ABC worksheet, excludes unhelpful thinking styles)

Thought Diary 2 (ABCD worksheet, includes unhelpful thinking styles)

Thought Diary 3 (Complete ABCDE: balanced thought)

Thought Diaries (Tri-fold) This information sheet provides a brief overview of unhelpful thinking styles. For information sheets providing details on individual unhelpful thinking styles, refer to the Unhelpful Thinking Styles section in resources for clinicians.

Core Beliefs Worksheet

Situational Exposure: Building Steps

Behavioural Experiments

Healthy Me

Goal Setting: End of Therapy

Download all worksheets (zip file)

People with social anxiety often find it difficult to communicate their own needs. If this is the case for you, our resources on assertiveness may be helpful.

Last Updated: 03/02/2021

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Overview Looking After Yourself Looking After Others For Clinicians