If you're a sufferer of social anxiety, perhaps you've experienced a troubling phenomenon known as social isolation. It's much like dropping off the face of the earth. It can seem like you don't even exist among other human beings. It's a state of being that's fraught with anxiety, depression and painful loneliness. It can be a harrowing, even traumatic experience. However, experiencing social isolation is not the end of the world. It's simply a sign of the fact that you need to change things in your life.

Even when you're at your weakest, you must realize that you have options and you can take steps, no matter how small, to regain control of your life. Here are four simple steps you can take to overcome social isolation.

Overcoming social isolation - Step 1. Get out of the house every day

If you're afraid of stepping foot outside of your front door, this can seem to be a monumental, terrifying task. Many people with social anxiety have obligations such as work or school and manage to push themselves through those experiences, even though the stress of being socially anxious in those places can be hard to manage. Others are complete shut-ins, barely able to support themselves. Social isolation can feel traumatic and insurmountable, but it can be overcome.

The fact of the matter is, loners who keep themselves locked in the house are reinforcing the cycle of social inhibition and self-isolation. They stop going out, friendly people stop seeing them and don't get to know them better, no new social opportunities present themselves, and thus the loner loses his or her social skills and seems even more awkward and shy when he or she goes out. It's a vicious circle that can only be broken by pushing yourself to go outside and doing so on a regular basis. At first, don't put pressure on yourself to be around a lot of people; just get out in the open air. Walk around the block, sit in the park, or visit the drug store for a small item. Only do the small things that you feel are within the realm of possibility for you--don't push yourself to go anywhere special.

When you get out every day, your body is moving against your anxiety, and you're reinforcing positive psychological changes. You're becoming a person of action--not only do you long for a new lifestyle, you're making the changes that's going to turn your longings into reality.

Overcoming social isolation - Step 2. Extend conversations

Chances are you come across people you have to deal with one-on-one everyday--whether it's a classmate, a colleague, a cashier, or a family member. When you have social anxiety, the common tendency is to keep your mouth shut, out of the fear you'll saying something that will cause others to judge you. But this tendency can be overcome as well.

Once you're getting out of the house every day, it's time to take the next step by pushing your conversations just a little further. Instead of just walking up to the cashier and handing over your money, say "Hi, how are you today?" before the transaction. If you find yourself sitting or standing next to someone at the bus stop, make a short comment about the weather or something else in your surroundings. When you see colleagues or classmates that you don't usually speak to beyond "hello", you can just randomly ask, "Hi, how was your day?" If you find yourself getting into deeper conversations with people, try to ask them about themselves and show interest in who they are. These are friendly gestures that are almost always appreciated by the recipient.

When you practice these things, you're getting real social experience. You may not get a positive response all the time, but that's okay! Part of overcoming social anxiety and isolation is to gain a more realistic outlook through experience--that is, learning that not everyone will reciprocate your gestures, and that it won't kill you if that happens. The most important thing is that you're taking action. Keep this in mind: the outcome doesn't matter, only the action.

Overcoming social isolation - Step 3. Join common interest groups

It's well-known that people are more comfortable among others with whom they have interests, beliefs and goals in common. If you have social anxiety, it might seem that you can't be comfortable in ANY group. However, if you've been taking the steps suggested above, getting involved in a group or club that interests you can be your next natural step towards social confidence.

You can start by making a list of no less than 10 things you're good at or want to learn more about. If you have one or more hobbies, write them down--if you don't have any hobbies, write down things that you're curious about. You can list anything from creative writing and volunteering to playing piano and computer programming. Chances are, whatever you list, there are many other people who have the same interests and would like to meet new friends who are similar to them.

After making the list, go to Meetup.com, and search for groups built around those interests in your city or town. The odds are that you'll find more than one for each interest you've listed. Join three or four of the groups that appeal to you, and make sure you go to the next scheduled "meetups."

You might be thinking, "this is way too hard." Sure, going to social groups is not something you're accustomed to. You might feel a little (or a lot) nervous the first few times. But if you've been consistently practicing the above steps--that is, you're starting to get comfortable with being outside and engaging people socially--it's time to move on to this next crucial step. Interest groups open up a world of opportunity for social practice, potential friendships and romantic relationships, and the chance to do things you like with other people who want to make friends.

Overcoming social isolation is all about pushing your boundaries and slowly gaining confidence. Social confidence will not come overnight, and it's important to acknowledge that. But by taking slow and steady steps you can manage, you can begin to take control of your social life and reduce the anxiety that hinders you from realizing your full potential. Get out there and start working on your social transformation today!

Learning how to get over social anxiety takes resolve, courage, and the willingness to act.

But are you really ready to take action? If so, click here now for the next step in defeating social anxiety for good.

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