“Social Phobia” Social Anxiety Disorder, More Than Just Shyness!

Introduction:

• Are you extremely afraid of being judged by others?
• Are you very self-conscious in everyday social situations?
• Do you avoid meeting new people?

 

If you have been feeling this way for at least six months and these feelings make it hard for you to do everyday tasks—such as talking to people at work or school—you may have a social anxiety disorder.

Social anxiety disorder (also called social phobia) is a mental health condition. It is an intense, persistent fear of being watched and judged by others. This fear can affect work, school, and your other day-to-day activities. It can even make it hard to make and keep friends. But social anxiety disorder doesn’t have to stop you from reaching your potential. Treatment can help you overcome your symptoms.

Learning about anxiety This is a very important first step since it helps you to understand what is happening when you are feeling uncomfortable in social situations. All the worries and physical feelings you are experiencing have a name: ANXIETY.

Learn the facts about anxiety:

FACT 1:

• Anxiety is normal and adaptive because it helps us prepare for danger (for instance, our heart beats faster to pump blood to our muscles so we have the energy to run away or fight off danger). Therefore, the goal is to learn to manage anxiety, not eliminate it.

FACT 2:

• Anxiety can become a problem when our body tells us that there is a danger when there is no real danger.

What Is Social anxiety Disorder?

Social anxiety disorder is a common type of anxiety disorder. A person with a social anxiety disorder feels symptoms of anxiety or fear in certain or all social situations, such as meeting new people, dating, being on a job interview, answering a question in class, or having to talk to a cashier in a store.

Doing everyday things in front of people—such as eating or drinking in front of others or using a public restroom—also causes anxiety or fear. The person is afraid that he or she will be humiliated, judged, and rejected.

The fear that people with social anxiety disorder,

Have in social situations is so strong that they feel it is beyond their ability to control. As a result, it gets in the way of going to work, attending school, or doing everyday things. People with a social anxiety disorder may worry about these and other things for weeks before they happen. Sometimes, they end up staying away from places or events where they think they might have to do something that will embarrass them.

Some people with the disorder do not have anxiety in social situations but have performance anxiety instead. They feel physical symptoms of anxiety in situations such as giving a speech, playing a sports game, or dancing or playing a musical instrument on stage.

When Does Social Anxiety Start?

Social anxiety disorder usually starts during youth in people who are extremely shy. Social anxiety disorder is not uncommon; research suggests that about 7 percent of Americans are affected. Without treatment, a social anxiety disorder can last for many years or a lifetime and prevent a person from reaching his or her full potential.

Signs and symptoms of social anxiety disorder:

When having to perform in front of or be around others, people with social anxiety disorder tend to:

• Blush, sweat, tremble, feel a rapid heart rate, or feel their “mind going blank”.
• Feel nauseous or sick to their stomach.
• Show a rigid body posture, make little eye contact, or speak with an overly soft voice.
• Find it scary and difficult to be with other people, especially those they don’t already know, and have a hard time talking to them even though they wish they could.
• Be very self-conscious in front of other people and feel embarrassed and awkward.
• Be very afraid that other people will judge them.
• Stay away from places where there are other people.

 

These are your reaction to situations that you fear. It could be emotional, behavioral, and physical.

I. Emotional Signs:

• Self-consciousness and anxiety in an everyday social situation.
• Disturbed about events coming up.
• Being watched by people.
• Always thinking you will make mistakes.

 

II. Physical Symptoms:

• Palpitating.
• Sweating.
• Body vibration.
• Fast breathing rate.
• Nausea.
• Feeling enervated.
• Avoiding eye contact.
• Blushing.

 

III. Behavioral Signs:

• Staying under alcohol influence.
• Staying quiet in social events to avoid attention.
• Avoid going to events.

 

What causes social anxiety disorder?

The exact cause of the social phobia is unknown. Social anxiety disorder sometimes runs in families, but no one knows for sure why some family members have it while others don’t. Researchers have found that several parts of the brain are involved in fear and anxiety. Some researchers think that misreading others’ behavior may play a role in causing or worsening social anxiety.

For example,

You may think that people are staring or frowning at you when they truly are not. Underdeveloped social skills are another possible contributor to social anxiety.

• For example, if you have underdeveloped social skills, you may feel discouraged after talking with people and may worry about doing it in the future.
• By learning more about fear and anxiety in the brain, scientists may be able to create better treatments.
• Researchers are also looking for ways in which stress and environmental factors may play a role.

Common social anxiety triggers include:

There are various situations that can send coldness down your spine if you allow them. People have different situations that make them feel nervous. What makes you nervous may be different from what I fear to face. Here are few situations that trigger the social phobia.

Social anxiety disorder treatment:

First, talk to your doctor or health care professional about your symptoms. Your doctor should do an exam and ask you about your health history to make sure that an unrelated physical problem is not causing your symptoms. Your doctor may refer you to a mental health specialist, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, clinical social worker, or counselor. The first step to effective treatment is to have a diagnosis made, usually by a mental health specialist.

Social anxiety disorder is generally treated with psychotherapy (sometimes called “talk” therapy), medication, or both. Speak with your doctor or health care provider about the best treatment for you. If your health care provider cannot provide a referral, visit the NIMH Help for Mental Illnesses web page at www.nimh.nih.gov/findhelp for resources you may find helpful.

A. Psychotherapy:

A type of psychotherapy called cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is especially useful for treating social anxiety disorder. CBT teaches you different ways of thinking, behaving, and reacting to situations that help you feel less anxious and fearful. It can also help you learn and practice social skills. CBT delivered in a group format can be especially helpful.

B. Support Groups:

Many people with social anxiety also find support groups helpful. In a group of people who all have a social anxiety disorder, you can receive unbiased, honest feedback about how others in the group see you. This way, you can learn that your thoughts about judgment and rejection are not true or are distorted. You can also learn how others with social anxiety disorder approach and overcome the fear of social situations.

C. Medication:

There are three types of medications used to help treat social anxiety disorder:

• Anti-anxiety medications.
• Antidepressants.
• Beta-blockers.

I. Anti-anxiety medications are:

Powerful and begin working right away to reduce anxious feelings; however, these medications are usually not taken for long periods of time. People can build up a tolerance if they are taken over a long period of time and may need higher and higher doses to get the same effect. Some people may even become dependent on them. To avoid these problems, doctors usually prescribe anti-anxiety medications for short periods, a practice that is especially helpful for older adults.

II. Antidepressants are:

Mainly used to treat depression, but are also helpful for the symptoms of social anxiety disorder. In contrast to anti-anxiety medications, they may take several weeks to start working. Antidepressants may also cause side effects, such as headaches, nausea, or difficulty sleeping. These side effects are usually not severe for most people, especially if the dose starts off low and is increased slowly over time. Talk to your doctor about any side effects that you have.

III. Beta-blockers are:

Medicines that can help block some of the physical symptoms of anxiety on the body, such as an increased heart rate, sweating, or tremors. Beta-blockers are commonly the medications of choice for the “performance anxiety” type of social anxiety.

Your doctor will work with you to find the best medication, dose, and duration of treatment. Many people with social anxiety disorder obtain the best results with a combination of medication and CBT or other psychotherapies.

Don’t give up on treatment too quickly.

Both psychotherapy and medication can take some time to work. A healthy lifestyle can also help combat anxiety. Make sure to get enough sleep and exercise, eat a healthy diet, and turn to family and friends who you trust for support.

How Does the Use of Alcohol and Other Drugs Affect Social Anxiety Disorder?

Many people use drugs or alcohol to reduce the symptoms of anxiety in social situations. Although these substances often provide short-term relief from anxiety, they often worsen it in the long run. In addition, using substances to deal with anxiety can impede people from developing better-coping skills and may lead to addiction.

The benzodiazepine medications sometimes prescribed for this disorder are themselves addictive. This can compound the challenges of recovering from co-occurring social anxiety and substance use disorders. For a person with a vulnerability to an alcohol or drug addiction, the best choice may be CBT, an antidepressant medication, or both.

How Does Social Anxiety Disorder Affect Addiction Treatment and Recovery?

For people with both social anxiety disorder and addiction, one major problem is that their fear of social situations may prevent them from seeking professional help. People may feel anxious about entering into a professional relationship and exposing themselves to the scrutiny of other people. They may also have mistaken ideas about addiction treatment programs, such as negative stereotypes from popular media and film.

The prospect of group therapy or an AA meeting in a crowded,

A poorly lit church basement can be terrifying to a person who is anxious about groups of strangers. But these safe places, once entered, can be highly therapeutic, and the “strangers” quickly become allies. And, as with other anxiety disorders, once the person stops using drugs or alcohol, the anxiety symptoms may reappear and even worsen, possibly increasing the risk of relapse.

Addiction treatment will help with the management of these symptoms, but the person may become impatient with his or her progress or feel anxious, tempting him or her to return to substance use.

Moreover,

benzodiazepine medications have addictive potential. Although these medications are frequently prescribed for social anxiety disorder, they are less effective than antidepressants. If a benzodiazepine has already been prescribed, a switch to an antidepressant may be in order.

CBT, a non-medication-based solution, is one of the best treatments for social anxiety disorder for a person with the addiction. Furthermore, in studies of people with this disorder, the benefits of CBT are shown to be more lasting, surpassing those of medications beyond the end of treatment.

How to conquer social anxiety disorder?

A. Self-help is an option:

Because social anxiety is something that is all in the mind but for severe cases, it may not be enough. It is always best to seek the help of mental health professionals rather than trying to solve the disorder on your own. In conquering your social anxiety, you may need a series of treatments and your doctor can help you administer the treatments applicable for your condition.

CBT or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is one treatment to help people with anxiety problems. The therapy can help sufferers to change their negative thinking patterns which is the main cause of their anxiety.

B. Avoid alcohol:

Some people with social anxiety problems turn to alcohol to help them cope with social situations. If this becomes a habit, you are producing another problem which is alcohol abuse. Although alcohol has a temporary calming effect, it will eventually increase the level of your anxiety.

Talk to your doctor about this. If you are taking anti-anxiety medications, drinking alcohol can be dangerous. So one important step in conquering your social anxiety is to quit drinking alcohol. Treat your body well because abusing your body can increase the level of your anxiety. Aside from alcohol, caffeine must be avoided because it can also worsen your symptoms.

C. Keep a positive attitude:

Although social anxiety is not an easy situation, there is always hope to defeat this mental illness because it is a treatable condition and there are many effective treatments available now. It is important to maintain a positive attitude and avoid entertaining negative thoughts.

D. Join a support group:

Knowing that you are not alone is a big relief. Hearing the stories of other people with the same problem can be very helpful in conquering your social anxiety because you can learn some tips from them on how to cope with anxiety disorder. Sharing is always a good thing.

A support group will also improve your interaction with other people. Try not to isolate yourself just because you are afraid to be scrutinized or criticized by other people. In most cases, people are kind and understanding, there are only a few who are mean and they do not deserve your concern.

Methods and Techniques For Coping With Social Anxiety:

1) Admitting you have a problem and getting some kind of therapy:

In the long term, the best method for coping with social anxiety is known as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, in other words, re-training your brain. When your brain is in panic mode, trying to just be rational about things is no longer enough.

2) Learning to control your breathing in challenging situations:

This is one practical thing you can do to limit some of the worse symptoms of fast heart rate and so on when facing the demands of the social arena. Taking steady, deep breaths down from the diaphragm can help here.

3) Visualization:

Some sufferers have said that running through positive outcomes at social events, having mental images of success, happiness, and easy interaction can help. Visualizing a lively evening at a party, or making a phone call to a stranger which goes well, where you plot things, has helped a number of people who are coping with social anxiety.

4) Preparation for Occasions:

Having topics to talk about or a plan if you are left in a situation where small talk is required. Check the news, look at Google Trends, or the hot TV shows to help you if you are feeling stuck for topics.

Summing Up:

To succeed in conquering your social anxiety you need to have the will and determination to beat it. Anxiety disorder is a treatable condition and there are people who were able to free themselves from this mental illness. It is important to find the best treatment that will work for you.

If you find this article useful, don’t forget to share it with your friends and family, as you might help someone in need. Thanks.

Disclaimer: “Nothing in this article makes any claim to offer cures or treatment of any disease or illness. If you are sick please consult with your doctor.”

Sources

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