The Secret to Making Friends as an Adult
The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos
Reducing Anxiety in Connecting with New People
To reduce anxiety when connecting with new people, we must overcome the liking gap and change our mindset. It's essential to accept the small bouts of anxiety that come with engaging with others. Covert avoidance, like avoiding conversation at parties or not engaging at events, hinders us from making friends. Overcoming both covert and overt avoidance is crucial, especially for people with social anxiety. By stopping safety behaviors and being more open and engaged, individuals with social anxiety were more liked by their interaction partners.
00:00
Transcript
Play full episode
Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts
Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
