Overcoming Social Anxiety Workshop
The Social Anxiety Workshop is a series of practical, peer-led sessions for those with social anxiety or extreme shyness who are seeking to gain confidence in social interaction. The workshop introduces proven techniques and tools that help guide a person toward better management of the illness and a healthier lifestyle. Participants work at their own pace with gradual exposure in manageable steps. NAMI Mercer offers this program in partnership with Find Your Voice, a local non-profit organization dedicated to helping persons with Social Anxiety Disorder. Those interested in attending the workshop must submit an application form and be approved through an intake process.
During the pandemic, these workshops are on hiatus.
What is Social Anxiety Disorder?
Social Anxiety Disorder is the third largest mental health care problem in the world today. The latest government epidemiological data show that social anxiety affects about 7% of the population at any given time.
Social anxiety is the fear of social situations that involve interactions with other people. Although people with social anxiety want to be friendly, open, and sociable, fear often holds them back. This fear can be expressed as nervousness, racing heart, blushing, excessive sweating, dry throat and mouth, trembling, muscle twitches, and panic attacks.