by Dan Stelter

Created on: April 05, 2009

So, you have suspected for some time now that you might have some difficulties with anxiety. Now that you have some idea that you have these difficulties, what should you do? The first step to take is to complete some sort of self-assessment that will help aid your decision. Many quality, and free, self-assessments can be found online, and one decent can be found at http://www.psychtests.com/tests/minitests/anxiety_ab ridged_access.html. Keep in mind that these tests are just another tool in your overall decision-making process. If you feel that you can handle the anxiety that comes your way, there is no need to seek any further help. However, if like many people, you find that anxiety significantly hampers your day-to-day functioning, and you feel you are unable to cope with the challenges anxiety presents, then seeking further help would be a very good option to explore. Remember, there is no shame in seeking further help; everyone needs the help of other people at one time or another, if not for the entire duration of their lives. Everyone includes even the greatest leaders one can imagine-presidents, sports heroes, or other media icons.

The key thing that you must develop is a support network of many different friends. This can be a very daunting challenge for those with social anxiety issues, but it is a challenge that nonetheless must be undertaken. Where do you start? Bars and clubs are not good places; these are social outlets, but they are outlets where people go to "cut loose" and relax. Emotional support will not be found here. If you live in a large enough community, there may very well be free anxiety support groups to attend. It may be a struggle, but try calling your local library (libraries often serve as meeting places for some support groups), National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) branch, or hospital. If one of these options does not work, call a local counselor; counselors, if they do not know where the resource can be found themselves, can point you to someone who can find the resource you are looking for. It is important that you understand that some people at these groups have had the exact same struggles that you have had, and therefore they will not be there to "get you," but rather will have a unique understanding of how to help you. In addition to all of these resources, I have developed the Anxiety Support Network, which is a forum where you can ask questions and be guided along the path to recovery by people who have already

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