How to Overcome Your Fear of Strangers
Consider the impact of your fear., Go to see a therapist., Describe your fear and how it affects you., Work with your therapist to reduce your fear.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Consider the impact of your fear.
Considering the impact of your fear of strangers may help you to determine if you should seek help for your fear.
Some fears are mild and do not interfere with daily life, while other fears can be debilitating and stop you from doing things that you want or need to do.
For example, if you are so afraid of encountering strangers that you rarely leave your house, then your fear may be affecting your day-to-day activities.
Or, your fear of strangers might make being in public uncomfortable for you.
For example, you might find yourself becoming too nervous and decide to cut an outing short as a result. -
Step 2: Go to see a therapist.
You should not try to treat a phobia on your own.
It is best to seek the help of a mental health professional for dealing with strong fears and phobias.
Even if your fear causes you mild anxiety, this can be disruptive.
If you are bothered by your fear of strangers or if you think it is having a negative effect on your life, then find a therapist to begin treatment., When you see a therapist for the first time, make sure that you describe the fears that you have about strangers and explain how this fear is affecting your life.
Be honest about how you feel when you are around strangers.
Mention any thoughts that arise when you are around strangers.
Negative, or even catastrophic, thinking is common among people with phobias.Do you worry that someone will attack you? Do you worry about being ridiculed? Do you worry about being rejected? Try to pinpoint some of the negative thoughts that you have.
Describe the physical sensations that you experience.
Some people experience symptoms of panic as a result of fear.Does your heart start pounding? Do you feel short of breath? Do you begin to sweat more than is normal for you? Talk about how you usually respond when you are around strangers.
Some people use avoidance strategies to help them cope with the anxiety that being around strangers might cause.Think about what you have done to make your interactions with strangers more bearable.
Do you avoid eye contact? Do you tend to look for an escape if you see someone coming your way? Do you drink alcohol to feel more comfortable? , Through counseling sessions, you and your therapist can begin to identify the reasons for your fear and develop healthy ways to deal with these fears when they arise.
Your therapist may also assign you some homework from time-to-time.
Make sure that you complete these assignments and discuss your results with your therapist.
Your therapist can also teach you to identify and challenge any negative thoughts that you have about encountering strangers.For example, perhaps a common thought that you have when you go to the mall is something like, “Everyone is going to be staring at me!” This thought is not realistic, so you might reframe it to something like, “Most people are too concerned about themselves to pay attention to strangers.
A few people might look at me, but that won’t hurt me.” -
Step 3: Describe your fear and how it affects you.
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Step 4: Work with your therapist to reduce your fear.
Detailed Guide
Considering the impact of your fear of strangers may help you to determine if you should seek help for your fear.
Some fears are mild and do not interfere with daily life, while other fears can be debilitating and stop you from doing things that you want or need to do.
For example, if you are so afraid of encountering strangers that you rarely leave your house, then your fear may be affecting your day-to-day activities.
Or, your fear of strangers might make being in public uncomfortable for you.
For example, you might find yourself becoming too nervous and decide to cut an outing short as a result.
You should not try to treat a phobia on your own.
It is best to seek the help of a mental health professional for dealing with strong fears and phobias.
Even if your fear causes you mild anxiety, this can be disruptive.
If you are bothered by your fear of strangers or if you think it is having a negative effect on your life, then find a therapist to begin treatment., When you see a therapist for the first time, make sure that you describe the fears that you have about strangers and explain how this fear is affecting your life.
Be honest about how you feel when you are around strangers.
Mention any thoughts that arise when you are around strangers.
Negative, or even catastrophic, thinking is common among people with phobias.Do you worry that someone will attack you? Do you worry about being ridiculed? Do you worry about being rejected? Try to pinpoint some of the negative thoughts that you have.
Describe the physical sensations that you experience.
Some people experience symptoms of panic as a result of fear.Does your heart start pounding? Do you feel short of breath? Do you begin to sweat more than is normal for you? Talk about how you usually respond when you are around strangers.
Some people use avoidance strategies to help them cope with the anxiety that being around strangers might cause.Think about what you have done to make your interactions with strangers more bearable.
Do you avoid eye contact? Do you tend to look for an escape if you see someone coming your way? Do you drink alcohol to feel more comfortable? , Through counseling sessions, you and your therapist can begin to identify the reasons for your fear and develop healthy ways to deal with these fears when they arise.
Your therapist may also assign you some homework from time-to-time.
Make sure that you complete these assignments and discuss your results with your therapist.
Your therapist can also teach you to identify and challenge any negative thoughts that you have about encountering strangers.For example, perhaps a common thought that you have when you go to the mall is something like, “Everyone is going to be staring at me!” This thought is not realistic, so you might reframe it to something like, “Most people are too concerned about themselves to pay attention to strangers.
A few people might look at me, but that won’t hurt me.”
About the Author
Denise Gray
Brings years of experience writing about lifestyle and related subjects.
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