4 Ways to Manage Social Anxiety w/ Dr. Daniel Amen

Last year I had the chance to sit down with?Dr. Daniel Amen, a physician, double board-certified psychiatrist, the founder of Amen Clinics, and 10-time New York Times bestselling author.

We spoke about all things related to mental health and we focused our brief conversation on social anxiety and what people can do to feel better. In a few months Dr. Amen is coming back on my podcast — if you have any questions for him leave them below in the comments!

He brought up 4 very interesting points you may never have heard till now…

1. Poor Focus or ADD Contributes to Social Anxiety

Dr. Amen says many people with social anxiety also have undiagnosed ADD (Attention-deficit disorder) and/or struggle greatly with paying attention and focusing.

It makes 100% sense.

I remember ever since I started to face social anxiety as a kid my focus went down the drain. I went from a kid who got great grades in school to almost flunking my classes due to my inability to concentrate.

When you’re in a conversation with someone, it’s important to focus. Otherwise, you don’t know what they say and then?may feel embarrassed because of that, and some result in?impulsively?blurting something out.?

Which leads to even more social anxiety and thoughts around social embarrassment.?

Address your ADD or learn how to improve what I call your?“focus muscle.”?Do your research and make sure you get enough Omega 3’s and practice mindfulness meditation.

2. Don’t Avoid or Leave the Situation

When you leave a social situation it reinforces social anxiety.

I wish someone told me this earlier because personally for me I left almost every social situation I could when I was a kid and growing teenager.?

On my journey, what I learned is…

A pivotal healing moment of social anxiety is experiencing a beautiful social moment or event where you don’t get embarrassed, where?instead of people making fun?or dismissing you,?people respect, love, and value you.

This slowly teaches your brain that social anxiety is not something you run away from or that controls you, you control it and can stand brave in the face of it.?

Unfortunately, when you?leave or avoid a social situation early the opposite is also true. It sends an implicit message to your brain that social anxiety is a fear you should run away from and escape!

3. Try These 3 Supplements?

Anytime we talk supplements, it’s important to note aiming for a whole foods healthy diet that meets your brain’s nutritional needs is the first and most productive step.?

However, Dr. Amen as well as myself are big fans of nutraceuticals, which means a food or supplement that provides medical or health benefits, including the prevention and treatment of disease

Dr. Amen lists out that could potentially be helpful for social anxiety.?

1. GABA

We’ve talked about GABA before on this newsletter and my podcast.

Gamma-amino butyric acid is an amino acid in the body that acts as a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. GABA limits nerve transmission, which inhibits (prevents) nervous activity.

Without the right levels of GABA in your body, nerve cells are activated too often, making mental illnesses worse such as social anxiety disorder (SAD),?depression, and?post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Low GABA activity has been shown to cause more severe symptoms, while proper levels of GABA may help calm symptoms and make them more manageable for you in your everyday life.

Taking a GABA supplement can be foundational in calming the mind.

GABA is often described as?taking the edge off,?personally, it usually takes a noticeable?10% off my anxiety. I will supplement with GABA on days where I feel anxious, or before a major speaking event in a social gathering or situation.?

2. Magnesium

Magnesium is a supplement that has changed my life. I experience a difference when I take it via a supplement or eat magnesium-rich foods?vs?when I don’t. If I feel anxious in the morning I will take a quality magnesium supplement.?

But, if I don’t I’ll just take one or two at night before I go to bed because it has been shown to impact sleep. A?study?from the University of Innsbruck in Austria found that?deficiency?in?Magnesium has been linked to inducing anxiety.

While there are many different forms of Magnesium, according to some limited data Magnesium L-theronate, Glycinate and Oxide are the best for managing anxiety.?

3. L-Theanine

Also known as the active compound next to caffeine in green tea!?

Personally, I don’t supplement with L-Theanine however I always try my best to drink a cup of green tea regularly. L-theanine is a natural component of tea leaves that relaxes you and improves focus. It works synergistically with caffeine, and together with the two increases your reaction time -?like how quickly you recognize words, memory, and reduces?mental fatigue.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, medical professional, psychologist, etc. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

4. Don’t Start with Xanax First

Normally, I would never talk about this as I’m not a psychiatrist or anyone qualified to make any recommendation on pharmaceutical prescription drugs..

However, Dr. Daniel Amen makes the point to not start off with these drugs if you haven’t taken other measures to address your social anxiety. Why??

Because Dr. Amen says you’ll have a hard time stopping them. As a reminder, always seek medical advice from medical professionals?and always do your research.

Conclusion

If you made it this far in the article, please let me know your thoughts, feedback, etc by commenting directly and I’ll get back to you shortly.

PS. If you want to take the self-paced individual program to manage your anxiety, check out the details here:?www.markmetry.com/program