How To Reduce Anxiety in Crowded Places + Build Social Confidence

If you find yourself nervous around crowds or in public places, there can be several reasons why. It depends on each person, but a common explanation is that you have social anxiety and trouble dealing with other people, especially if there are more of them around.

When the anxiety is serious enough that you actively avoid being in populated areas, even if it’s an inconvenience to you or unnecessary, then you might have a phobia. There are a couple of specific conditions that you might fall into. The first is enochlophobia (a fear of crowds), agoraphobia (a fear of places or situations), or ochlophobia (a fear of mobs).

For all three disorders, the person will experience intense fear when in a situation that makes them feel overwhelmed, but all have distinct symptoms. Whether you believe you suffer from severe anxiety or just want to feel more confident socially, it’s never too late to become more comfortable in any situation. Consider the tips below the next time you have concerns about social confidence or being in a stressful and busy environment.

Focus On A Goal

When you have a goal in mind before an outing, you have something to focus on instead of any distractions or stressors you might experience while outside. That will make it less likely for you to get caught up in what’s happening around you. You have a goal in mind and likely a specific destination associated with that goal.

Don’t think about how many people will be around on the way to that goal. Assure yourself that getting what you need done is what matters most. You’re just passing through a place that may be crowded or attending an event that might have a lot of participants.

As soon as you achieve what you need to you can leave the environment that makes you feel anxious. Just that acknowledgement with yourself could give you the strength you need to feel more at ease and capable of facing something like social anxiety.

Practice Ahead of Time

There’s a reason the saying, “practice makes perfect” is so popular. When you work on something you don’t feel good at, whether it be getting better at a sport, a practical skill like cooking or even something like being calm around crowds or in public situations.

If you practice being around smaller crowds it will help you feel more prepared when it comes to unplanned situations with more people. If you have to speak publicly or attend a public function or are worried about being in a crowded area in the near future, you can replicate the scenario beforehand and at least experience your emotional response in a controlled situation.

It might never feel comfortable to be around crowds, even if you consciously put yourself in those situations, but at least it won’t be a surprise when you know what makes you most nervous about social interactions. Think about what you would say in different situations, along with measuring the time it takes for you to feel overwhelmed in certain settings. If you’re at a party and it usually takes you an hour to feel uncomfortable, then make sure to plan to leave before then. If you know what your limits are you’re much less likely to cross them.

Talk to People You Know

New things are more likely to make you feel nervous than familiar things. If you’re feeling anxious around strangers, you should try to spend time with people you feel at ease with. In those one-on-one situations, you can imagine interacting in a similar fashion with people you don’t know or with more people in a short amount of time like at a work conference or a social event.

The more time you spend talking and exploring different ways to navigate social situations, the easier it will be to respond to a new situation in the best way for yourself. The people you know will probably be understanding if you share your anxiety with them and may be willing to provide advice on how they get through their own sticky social moments.

Related: How to Keep a Conversation Going As An Introvert

Set A Time Limit

The longer you’re exposed to a stressful environment, the more you’ll feel the symptoms of social anxiety or other mental health conditions. Before knowingly entering a stressful social situation like a crowded area, you should set a time limit for how long you’ll be in that space.

It can be an agreement that you’ll only spend a certain amount of time at the grocery store or overall the time you’ll be outside doing chores on a certain day. If there’s a clear end in your mind, it will help you get through an uncomfortable situation quicker and encourage you to feel focused and driven. You won’t worry as much about being stuck in a crowd or feeling overwhelmed if you know it won’t last long and you’re in control of how long you’ll be spending there.

Look Up Directions

You can avoid unnecessary time being in a crowded space or around crowds simply by looking up directions for where you’re going ahead of time. If you aren’t completely sure where you’re going, then you might get lost and end up going in circles. While lost, it could be harder to manage your stress levels when you’re also dealing with discomfort and fear from being in a congested area.

Save yourself some time and unnecessary hardship by having a solid idea in mind of where you’re going and how to get there. Tip: If you search a business on Google, you can check the “Popular Times” feature on their page and see when they’re busiest. The times are usually pretty accurate and you’ll get a sense of when you want to visit to avoid their busiest and naturally most crowded hours.




The following two tabs change content below.

Antoinette Maven

"Antony" Maven is a contributing writer for SimpleHermit.com and identifies as an INFP. She loves to hike with her dog, write poetry, find hidden gems in her small town, and read her nights away.