Any topic (writer’s choice)

There are many ways, someone deals with anxiety. If alcohol use is one of the ways a friend of mine uses to cope with anxiety, I will try my best to help them overcome this challenge. Being that alcohol use is only used when we go out, I have already determined that it is only used for psychological relief. To overcome this, I will try to first find out what is it that makes them anxious. For example, if its being around a group of people, I will attempt to go to a place less crowded and with no alcohol. After they have succeeded in that environment, I will introduce them to a place with more people and with little alcohol. Hopefully, the alcohol intake will be less at this point.  As they begin to get comfortable in a larger group, they will start to turn to other ways to cope with anxiety than alcohol, assuming a good conversation or dancing. We will advance to, an even more, larger group with a great amount of alcohol accessible. Here, my friend would already exercise coping mechanisms to deal with social anxiety and avoid the excessive use of alcohol.

Since my friend recognized that alcohol was not the way to solve her problem, I would first help her identify what is causing her anxiety. I would teach my friend some relaxing techniques to use before we start using  the systematic desensitization method. The first step I would have her imagine herself at a party. Once she can tolerate that image without the anxiety I would move to the second step. I would show her videos of different parties after repeated exposure and using relaxing techniques she becomes desensitized to the videos.  In the third step, I would have music and a small gathering of people in a room next door. I have snacks and drinks available for her, and dance around the room to simulate a party. With repeated exposure and using relaxing techniques, we would be able to move on to the fourth step. This would involve having her stand in the doorway and look at people enjoying themselves at a  party. She would use her relaxing technique to overcome any anxiety. Once she is ready and successfully passes the fourth step we would move to the final step. The fifth and final step is to have a party honoring her, celebrating her victory in overcoming her anxiety. She is now desensitized to parties and social gatherings. My friend is now ready to party and mingle.