social anxiety is not necessarily that they are untrue (although sometimes they are), but 
rather that they are held in an exaggerated and inﬂexible way. For example, if the belief 
“I should make a good impression on others” motivates you to do a good job at work, 
that’s great. If, on the other hand, the same belief makes you feel paralyzed and unable 
to get any work done, that’s a problem.
In addition to establishing the accuracy of your anxious beliefs and predictions, it 
may also be helpful to consider whether your thoughts and behaviors are helping you. 
Following is a form that you can use for this exercise. If you are unsure about whether 
a particular anxiety-provoking thought is true or false, try examining the costs and ben -
eﬁts of constantly dwelling on the thought. How would the quality of your life improve 
if you didn’t have the thought?
Describe Your Anxious Thought or Prediction
List the Beneﬁts of Having That Anxious Thought or Prediction