Social anxiety can often be an overwhelming experience that seems impossible to overcome, yet there are many resources that exist to help you manage and overcome these barriers. For additional insights and support, be sure to check out our blog post on identifying and managing generalised anxiety. In this article, we’ll share a curated list of 15 books that will help guide your journey to recovering from social anxiety:

1. "The Shyness and Social Anxiety Workbook: Proven Step-by-Step Techniques For Overcoming Your Fear" by Martin M. Antony PhD and Richard P. Swinson MD

This comprehensive, in depth workbook offers various evidence-based techniques that aim to offer a practical approach to tackling social anxiety. The authors, both experts in the field, provide structured exercises and advice targeted to help you confront and overcome your social anxiety fears into manageable, tactful approaches.

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2. "How to Be Yourself: Quiet Your Inner Critic and Rise Above Social Anxiety" by Ellen Hendriksen, MD

Ellen Hendriksen’s approach on overcoming social anxiety will help you overcome these difficulties by focusing on self-acceptance. Tailored to the introverted, Hendriksen’s approach emphasises quieting your inner critic and building self-confidence through practical strategies and real-life examples offering a fresh perspective on handling social anxiety.

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3. "Overcoming Social Anxiety and Shyness: A Self-Help Guide Using Scientifically Supported Cognitive Behavioral Techniques" by Gillian Butler

Dr. Gillian Butler offers a self-help guide and hands-on workbook grounded in cognitive-behavioural therapy. This book provides scientifically-supported techniques and exercises curated to help you understand and manage social anxiety, giving you practical tools to reduce shyness and improve social skills.

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4. "The Solution To Social Anxiety: Break Free From The Shyness That Holds You Back" by Aziz Gazipura

Aziz Gazipura’s guide delivers actionable solutions to break free from social anxiety. Coming from personal experiences, he highlights the roots of social anxieties and how to target and overcome them. His book focuses on practical exercises and mindset shifts that empower you to challenge and overcome the barriers holding you back from social interactions and relationships. 

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5. "We're All Mad Here: The No-Nonsense Guide to Living with Social Anxiety" by Claire Eastham

Claire Eastham’s approach offers a candid, relatable and arguably humorous perspective on living with and managing social anxiety. The book combines personal anecdotes and experiences with practical, manageable advice, creating a valuable, and enjoyable read for understanding and managing your anxiety.

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6. "Overcoming Social Anxiety: Step by Step" by Thomas A. Richards

Thomas A. Richards presents a step-by-step guide to overcoming social anxiety through a cognitive approach. Accompanied with an audio/visual series, Richard’s guide creates a manageable guide to help you gradually build social confidence through structured exercises and practical strategies by overcoming negative thoughts and mental barriers,  making it a useful tool for progressive improvement.

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7. "Good-Bye to Shy" by Leil Lowndes

Leil Lowndes’ book provides a range of techniques to help you move from shyness to social ease. The book is filled with actionable advice through comprehensive lists and strategies to help you feel more comfortable in social situations and build lasting confidence.

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8. "Painfully Shy: How to Overcome Social Anxiety and Reclaim Your Life" by Barbara Markway

Barbara Markway’s detailed guide addresses how the hurdles of social anxiety can create mental barriers, and offers a comprehensive plan to reclaim your life. It includes practical exercises, inspirations, and strategies to help you confront your fears and gradually build social confidence to thrive in any social interaction

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9. "Thriving with Social Anxiety" by Hattie C. Cooper

Hattie C. Cooper provides insights into thriving despite social anxiety. Her book focuses on developing resilience and creating a fulfilling life, by being present in the moment and quieting intrusive and destructive thoughts that damper self confidence in social situations. Cooper’s guide creates a hopeful perspective for those struggling with social anxiety, complete with strategies, mental exercises, and comprehensive guides to help you through your journey to rebuild self confidence.

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10. “Fearless Social Confidence: Strategies to Live Without Insecurity, Speak Without Fear, Beat Social Anxiety, and Stop Caring What Others Think” By Patrick King

Patrick King’s book provides practical strategies for building social confidence and overcoming insecurity by changing your inner voice that dictates your self worth. It focuses on actionable techniques to help you speak without fear, beat social anxiety, and stop worrying about others' opinions, offering a comprehensive approach to gaining confidence and improving your overall self image.

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11. "Stop Anxiety from Stopping You: The Breakthrough Program For Conquering Panic and Social Anxiety” by Helen Odessky

Helen Odessky’s book provides a straightforward approach to overcoming social anxiety. It offers practical, and evidence-based strategies and advice to help you stop anxiety from interfering with your daily life and personal growth. Her guide also highlights ways to overcome specific fears and anxieties, for example flying, or public speaking 

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12. "Living Fully with Shyness and Social Anxiety: A Comprehensive Guide to Gaining Social Confidence" by Erika Hilliard

Erika Hilliard’s comprehensive guide covers various aspects of social anxiety and offers practical steps to gain confidence in any social interaction. The book includes exercises and strategies written in an organised format; curated to help you live to your best potential despite the fears that hold you back. It also includes techniques to ease and calm the mind, as well as meditation and body language exercises

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13. "You Care Too Much: Free Yourself From Social Anxiety” By Carl Vernon

Carl Vernon’s book takes a more direct and straightforward approach to overcoming social anxiety by examining the root cause of social anxieties, why you may care too much about the perception of others, and how that can severely damage self confidence. The title itself encapsulates the book’s primary message: often, social anxiety stems from caring too much about others’ opinions.

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14. "Essential Strategies for Social Anxiety: Practical Techniques to Face Your Fears, Overcome Self-Doubt, and Thrive" by Alison McKleroy MA

Alison McKleroy’s book presents essential strategies for facing social anxiety. It offers easy to read and digestible advice, creating practical techniques to help you overcome self-doubt and thrive in social situations, making it an optimal resource for personal growth and presents valuable methods to build self confidence. 

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15. "The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook" by Edmund J. Bourne

Edmund J. Bourne’s workbook is a comprehensive resource for managing various forms of anxiety. Although not focusing solely on social anxiety, it provides a range of techniques and exercises to help you understand and address your anxiety, which can be applied to social anxiety as well. 

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