financial institution Battling social anxiety can seem like a never-ending toil, with many setbacks along the way. But occasionally there are victories no matter how small to celebrate. And when you achieve these victories, they need to be celebrated in some way. No matter what steps you ve taken and what you ve accomplished no matter whether others close to you understand how big a deal it is or not you should celebrate them as one more step towards conquering your anxiety. Celebrating Helps Motivation Celebrating your victories helps keep your motivation going. Psychologically speaking, it s operant conditioning. Operant conditioning is when a voluntary action is met with a reward or punishment. Actions that are met with rewards for example, treating yourself to your favorite sweet for making a phone call to arrange a medical appointment tend to continue. Following the thinking of operant conditioning, celebrations can be positive or negative enforcers of the action. Now, before you panic, the term negative reinforcer isn t a bad thing. It s the removal of an unpleasant outcome after the behavior. Positive and Negative Enforcers of Action A positive enforcement celebration would be treating yourself to a sweet or an episode of your favorite television show as a reward, or a high five or a job well done from an understanding friend, family member or member of your support network. It s you giving yourself something or earning something a reward or praise for doing something you really, REALLY don t want to do. A negative enforcer celebration would be the removal of an unpleasant result. So, for example, you ve committed to attending a work function with hundreds of other people. You might make a deal with yourself that if you stay for an hour, you have explicit permission from yourself to go home, jump in your jammies, turn off your phone and not interact with people for the rest of the day. You ve removed the unpleasant stimulus (people and social interaction) as a reward for taking a huge step in dealing with your anxiety. Another example would be the lessening of panic you may experience through repeated interactions with a certain individual or group a natural negative enforcer that your brain decides to do all on its own. Is It Worth Celebrating? Every victory, no matter how small, is worth marking in some way. Whether it s a phone call made, a social event attended, a therapy session completed or a trip out and about, making it through a dreaded task is no small accomplishment when you live with paralyzing fear. Some people might not understand just how big a deal it can be, for example, to open the door at an unexpected knock, but their lack of understanding should not, in any way, shape or form, undermine your sense of accomplishment at your victory. A celebration of a victory over social anxiety doesn t have to be a huge affair, either. It might feel a little silly to go all out for making a phone call. If huge celebrations aren t your style, focus on smaller rewards such as a half hour of playing your favorite video game or reading a book for completing a task that sends you panicking. Not only will you be able to calm down and get on with your day, but you ll feel like you ve marked your victory. Celebrating Victories Over Social Anxiety Celebrating your victories over social anxiety the steps you take to get through the day, no matter how big or small, to quell panic is necessary to maintain momentum and motivation and to continue doing the things you need and want to do. Choose small rewards, treats or time for yourself as rewards for a job well done, and remember that sharing your victories with those who understand can also help inspire others. Getting Your Education While Battling Anxiety 4 Awesome Self-Help Books and cannot
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