There are many potential obstacles to obtaining treatment for those with SAD, including fear of being judged negatively, fear of calling to make appointments, anxiety about talking to a therapist, and not knowing where to go for help. If you have been suffering from social anxiety but not sought treatment, you may be struggling with motivation to change. The obstacles to getting better probably seem too daunting and the safety and avoidance behaviors that you have developed might be too easy to fall back on. These stages are generally applied to addictions, and health and fitness problems such as losing weight or quitting smoking, but can be applied to any behavior you are trying to change, and are also relevant to social anxiety.
Developing Motivation for Change
Below is a list of the five steps of change. See if any of these stages describe you. Research has also shown that brief therapy specifically designed to increase motivation may help people seek treatment for social anxiety. Motivation enhancement therapy (MET) combines education about social anxiety with interview techniques designed to increase motivation to change. Motivational interviewing is another effective technique that can help increase motivation for behavior change. Some of the exercises involved in MET are listed below. If you are having trouble with the motivation to overcome your social anxiety, try these out on your own and see how they influence your desire to change. (Write out your answers to the following questions) It can be helpful to write out these questions and answers like you would on a decisional balance sheet. This can help you visually see the pros and cons of making the change versus not making the change. After considering your answers to these questions, create a plan for change. If you are having trouble creating a plan or making a decision, it is important to seek support. Talking to a friend or family member and enlisting their assistance can be helpful. Your plan can be as simple as the basic steps needed to seek help, such as exploring options for medication or therapy, calling to make an appointment, and planning how to overcome barriers such as determining how to pay for treatment.
