If you’ve dealt with anxiety in social situations — or avoided situations altogether because you felt anxious or worried about being judged — you may be dealing with social anxiety, and you’re not alone. Creators Thomas Wu ‪@Infamous_wu13‬ and Elsa Arca ‪@elsarca‬ share their firsthand experiences with social anxiety and the tips they use to feel calmer and more confident when social anxiety hits.

Thomas and Elsa are joined by Dr. Amira Collison, a consulting expert for The Jed Foundation (JED) and a child psychiatry fellow at UCLA, as they explore how to help social anxiety. Watch to get answers to some of the most common questions about social anxiety, such as:

• What is the cause of social anxiety?
• What does social anxiety feel like?
• Is social anxiety a mental illness?
• How can I relieve social anxiety?
• How can I support a friend with social anxiety?

You’ll also get Thomas’s and Elsa’s personal tips for navigating social anxiety (hint: funny videos and stress balls are a core part of their anxiety toolkits!).

You might not expect two of your favorite creators to struggle in social situations, but the truth is: Thomas missed out on prom because of his social anxiety, and Elsa almost didn’t pursue her dream of becoming an influencer because she feared judgment from others. They both realized they didn’t want to miss out on life experiences or aspirations, and are continually seeking out strategies to face social anxiety and build the fulfilling lives they want.

Learn more about dealing with social anxiety with these resources from JED:

• https://jedfoundation.org/resource/understanding-anxiety-disorders/
• https://jedfoundation.org/resource/can-i-be-anxious-without-having-an-anxiety-disorder/
• https://jedfoundation.org/resource/how-can-i-talk-to-someone-about-my-anxiety/
• https://jedfoundation.org/resource/how-to-build-an-anxiety-toolkit/

This video is part 3 of a 6 part playlist: "Creators open up about recovery and common experiences". Watch the full playlist here.