drjannakoretz

Artistic activities might be a good option. That could be anything like painting, model airplanes, needlepoint, graphic design, interior design, to drawing. It will use a different part of your mind, generate a new skill and hobby, help you focus on something else, and can be totally offline if you want it to be. Plus if you end up doing a lot of whatever it is, you can sometimes sell what you're making.

This article is so outrageous. These "categories" show such a limited and misinformed understanding about humans, which definitely does not take into account scientific literature. This makes me angry also, because it is articles like these make people wary of seeking help when they need it (rightfully, there ARE so many bad therapists and bad information out there).

If anyone wants to have an informed conversation with me about these topics, DM me on twitter @AzimuthPsych. Happy to provide useful and evidence based information.

Yes, many apologies, I mistyped. I will correct now.

Body based coping strategies are helpful those moments. Try sticking your hand in a bowl full of ice water and leaving it in there for a few seconds, or taking a very cold shower. Some folks even do something called Ice Diving, where they place their entire face into a bowl of ice cubes and water. This actually triggers the diving reflex and it automatically calms your body. But you have to be in a place (like home) to do that. Other body based techniques can be used too that utilize other senses such as smell and taste. Fire ball candies are a portable option, and I've seen some people carry around tiny packets of pepper. You have to experiment a bunch to see what works for you. All of these ideas are derived from DBT. Behavioral Tech is the official company of all things DBT if you want to know more about all of it.

I totally agree! I think it was actually really helpful for the entrepreneur community that he was so candid.

https://medium.com/@dr.janna.koretz/elon-musk-didnt-have-a-b...

I agree with what other folks have said. Participating in a hobby with others (e.g., workout class, painting, tennis) will give you a shared interest to begin conversation, which can make connecting less anxiety provoking. Finding a group that helps others (such as mentorship within the tech space, or helping at risk youth with college prep, or working with animals at the shelter) is also a nice way to connect with others on a mission that has greater meaning, which can be motivating from an attendance perspective, but also help with making conversation since you can also talk big ideas with those around you.

I also think that taking time to notice people in your environment can be helpful. We are all so glued to our phones that there are a lot of missed opportunities to talk to others and connect in our day to day. Maybe someone is struggling with their coffee at starbucks, and the simple act of helping them starts up a conversation. That interaction can either be a practice interaction (a smaller short term interaction to prove to yourself it isn't as scary as perhaps the anticipation made you think it was) but also has the potential for a real connection with someone.

Looking for facts can also be helpful in managing social anxiety. For example, if you're worried that people won't like you if you speak with them, think to yourself "how would I know if people didn't like me? Would people tell me Im affable? What does it look like when people don't like other people, and is that happening to me?" Often how we feel isn't really based in facts, and by realizing this, it is easier to overcome the feelings that interfere with our ability to do what we want to do.

As a psychologist, I would say if you are experiencing recurring depression, meeting with a professional is the best next step. Here's a short guide on how to find a therapist if you're not sure how to begin.

https://azimuthpsych.com/articles-and-ebooks/how-to-find-a-t...

NAMI https://www.nami.org/ also has a lot of great resources both online and local to you.

As a therapist, I have to say we have a lot to offer you if you ever decide to try it out! In the meantime, Anxiety and Depression Association of American has some legit links to things, and you could look up Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which is often used to help folks with anxiety. Social anxiety might also require some "exposure" where you exposure yourself to uncomfortable situations gradually. This may require some expert help though, as it is really easy to do too much and make things worse.

Hi Guys,

Im a psychologist with a specialty in entrepreneurship mental health and co-founder conflict. I help people (sometimes individually sometimes as a co-founder pair) address difficulties such as impostor syndrome, communication skills, burnout, making decisions under stress, and effective leadership.

The co-founder relationship is extremely intimate and specific, and it is near impossible for two people to work so hard on a rigorous and trying endeavor and not run into issues. Part of what makes it hard is also the fact that outwardly, everything always has to look awesome. So there aren't any realistic comparison points.

A co-founder relationship is not unlike dating in that you have to figure out where your deal breakers are, what issues you can work through, and what issues you can let go. You also have to be open to accepting your own role in problems that arise, and commit to trying to work on those too. All of which is hard to do while also managing the stress of starting and running a company.

If anyone has questions I'm happy to answer them. You can look me up at azimuthpsych.com.

Also, if you're looking for a therapist for either yourself or you and your co-founder, heres an outline to help you out.

https://azimuthpsych.com/articles-and-ebooks/how-to-find-a-t...

Janna Koretz, Psy.D