The first step in overcoming social anxiety disorder is to learn as much as you can about it. This helps you to recognize the cause of your problems and increases the speed of your recovery, since you are able to recognize and respond to your own symptoms.

The next step is to get professional help by consulting a qualified doctor. This is most important in order to establish if your symptoms are indeed related to anxiety disorder or something else, so that you can get a treatment that works for you.

A close family member or friend can be very helpful in overcoming your condition. This person acts as a buddy and coach with whom you can discuss your efforts on a regular basis. After that you must follow a plan that you or your doctor will make and evaluate your progress regularly.

But YOU are the only person who can lead to quick recovery. Yoga and breathing techniques that help you relax and control reflexes are helpful for some people. Similarly, audiotapes are helpful in passively reinforcing positive messages in your mind. Meeting others like you is also an effective way to finding solutions. When one is able to rationally understand the symptoms of anxiety disorder through another persons experiences, he will gradually start applying the same logic to his own behavior and actions. Though all this easier said than done, since most anxiety disorders bring along with them acute depression that does not allow the individual to take charge of his situation. The important thing to remember is that it is a fight, and that only you can win it, so every small step so that you can take towards meeting your goals is a big achievement. The goal can be as small as waking up early in the morning and getting out of the house to smell the flowers.