Social anxiety is widespread problem that affects the health of millions of people all around the world. The causes are many, but there are lots of people who have overcome it by themselves.

Don't think you are the only one who worries, feels nervous and concerned, has certain fears, and awkward when meeting people. You may find this hard to believe, but in many ways, anxiety is of benefit as it enables the body to react to particular stimuli and take relevant action on it. So long as the feeling is relative to the situation or problem at hand, it is quite normal. All the same, when anxiousness gets severe, chronic and irrational, you might already have an anxiety disorder and have episodes of anxiety attacks.

For all those who are impacted by social anxiety, the effects can be very unpleasant. You may feel isolated, ill at ease or anxious in group circumstances and may even experience physical symptoms as well. Many people get sweaty palms, trembling hands or feel  butterflies in the stomach. There are various constructive steps you can take on your own that may help in reducing the effects of social anxiety.

Let's take a look at five effective methods.

If you're not very comfortable at the thought of  meeting people then why not try a virtual setting, in other words, go online. Let's suppose you have an interest in a particular subject. There are umpteen message boards and forums devoted to these issues.

It's a simple matter to use a search engine to  find them online. Check them out and get a feel of how they operate.

Look for a friendly group. You will need to join the forum or message board to participate in the discussions going on there. The first step in overcoming social anxiety is to socialize.

Although it's not face-to-face, you're still interacting with other people.

But this is just the beginning!

Once  you have become comfortable in this virtual group, it's time to step out of your comfort zone. Your virtual experience has proved that you are entertaining to other individuals and can have bubbly exchanges and make friends.

To overcome social anxiety you have to recognize that you have a contribution to make and you have a personality of your own.

Join a live support group in your community. When you go to your meeting, never forget that the participants are just like you and the group leader knows just how to draw people out in non-threatening ways.

When you begin to feel more comfortable in your group of friends, invite one or two members with whom you have developed a rapport out for coffee or a walk in the park. You'll soon find it's not nearly as scary as you once supposed. You may even find yourself being totally at ease in the company of other people.

The next step...

Now it's time for you to take the next step in overcoming your social anxiety: host a lunch or dinner in your home. Your party doesn't need to be large, just a few people will do. By this time, your confidence should have grown. No more sweaty palms or nervousness at the mere thought of such an event. By now you will have enough experience in successfully interacting socially to do this.

Finally, make sure you keep a journal of all of these steps on the path to overcoming social anxiety. Jot down your thoughts, list all the positive changes and things that people seem to like about you. Believe me, the list may become long. Your journal could well become a precious reminder of your successful journey at overcoming anxiety.