The one change that worked: Anxiety had me hiding from the world
I used to be terrified of socialising, certain I would embarrass myself the moment I opened my mouth. And as for dates...
TL;DR
- Social confidence was a struggle for the author during her teenage years, manifesting as social anxiety.
- Therapy introduced the questions "What's the worst that could happen?" and "And then what?" as a tool to manage anxiety.
- These questions helped ground the author by making her confront the actual consequences of her fears.
- The technique proved effective for navigating daunting situations like university introductions, dates, job interviews, and moving internationally.
- The author now uses these questions to manage everyday anxiety spikes, such as encountering old school friends.