New College Students Urged to Confront Their Social Anxiety
Instead of avoiding situations that provoke fear and anxiety, confront them, Antony urges. For example, if you would normally sit in the back row to avoid being called on by the professor, try sitting in the front row. Avoiding situations in order to feel safe may simply reinforce feelings of anxiety. It’s better to expose yourself to situations you fear over and over again until you feel comfortable, even though you will need to be prepared to feel uncomfortable during the first few “exposure” practices, Antony said.
(Business Week)