Do you avoid social interactions for fear of being judged or embarrassed by others? Do you feel peace and comfort in isolation? Do you think you can do any shameful activity mistakenly in front of others? Do you avoid making new friends? If you are facing these issues for a longer period and it is affecting your daily life functioning, then you might be suffering from a social anxiety disorder. Social anxiety disorder is a type of common anxiety disorder in which individuals feel intense fear and anxiety in social gatherings. Therefore, they can not perform well in their school, college or professional life. Fortunately, social anxiety is treatable. However, if you want to know more about what is a social anxiety disorder and what are the common symptoms and causes of social anxiety disorder then read this article with focus and concentration. After reading this article, you will also get an idea of the best treatment options for social anxiety disorder. So, let’s dive in.
What is Social anxiety disorder?
Social anxiety disorder, a complex anxiety disorder, is also named as social phobia. Individuals with social anxiety usually feel extreme fear, stress, and anxiety in front of others. Before meeting new people, going out to a party, giving an office presentation, or saying something in front of the entire class, normally individuals feel nervousness and a little bit of anxiety. However, the main considerable point comes when this situation persists, and individuals experience more stress than usual and face difficulties in different phases of their lives.
Due to social anxiety disorder, individuals prefer to stay alone as they think that if they go out and talk with others, they will get judged by others on their appearance and other personality traits. Moreover, they think that other people will embarrass them, or they can mistakenly do any activity that will humiliate them. Due to their social phobia, they overthink to the extent that they even consider their eating or drinking patterns. Moreover, if they even start talking, then they can not complete their conversation due to their social fear and step back immediately due to their fear of rejection or judgment within social settings. They remain trapped in their self-consciousness and face hurdles in everyday social interactions. They start taking stress from social events or occasions before weeks they happen. They avoid those situations, places, or events that they think can trigger their social anxiety.
Social anxiety does not typically mean that individuals have only anxiety about their social interactions. Some people only feel fear and stress about their performance and achievements. Before doing anything, they feel normal and relaxed and only experience the symptoms of anxiety during situations such as performing in a school competition, giving a speech or office presentation, singing a song, or playing a musical instrument.
Furthermore, social anxiety disorder negatively affects the academic and professional life of children, adolescents, as well as adults. There are multiple Social Anxiety Symptoms in Children. Affected children do not take an interest in different activities performed at school. In addition, they do not listen and remember things due to their thoughts of fear and anxiety. Likewise, teenagers or adults also suffer a lot due to the symptoms of their social anxiety. They do not have the confidence to present their projects in meetings and, therefore, fail to achieve excellence. Moreover, social anxiety also negatively affects relationships. Although social anxiety disorder is quite damaging to mental health, with the help of recommended medications and psychotherapy, individuals can recover and enjoy a supreme quality of life.
When does Social anxiety disorder begin?
The onset of social anxiety disorder usually occurs in childhood stages. However, without effective treatment on time, the symptoms can persist to adulthood stages. The initial symptoms of social anxiety that are more obvious in children are shyness and avoiding social meetings.
How common is Social anxiety disorder?
Social anxiety disorder is the third most common mental illness. Approximately 5% to 10% of individuals are suffered from social anxiety in the entire world. Likewise, 7.1% of US individuals suffer from social anxiety every year. Moreover, social anxiety is more common in females (8.0%) as compared to males (6.1%).
What are the signs and symptoms of Social anxiety disorder?
Feeling shyness and discomfort in front of others does not typically indicate the presence of social anxiety disorder, as some individuals usually remain more reserved than others. Moreover, the level of discomfort is also based on personality traits and previous experience in facing a social situation.
Moreover, each individual responds differently to social phobia. The symptoms can be mild or moderate and include the following:
- Nervousness
- Anxiousness
- Excessive sweating
- Shaking of hands
- Increased heart rate
- Fear of being judged negatively
- Fear of humiliation
- The extreme stress of humiliating yourself
- Blushing
- Nausea
- Shaking voice during conversations
- A strong feeling of mind getting blank
- High rate of consciousness
- Dizziness
- Difficulty in focus or concentration
- Difficulty in eye contact
- Lightheadedness
- Muscle stiffness
- Avoidance of social interactions
- Avoid making new friends
- Priority to stay alone
- Avoidance those situations that make them the center of attention
- Fear of making flaws evident in front of others
What are the causes of Social anxiety disorder?
Just like other mental issues, social anxiety disorder or social phobia is caused by the interaction of multiple factors, which include:
1. Genetic factors
Most of the studies have reported that social anxiety is a genetic disorder and tends to run in families. Certain genes are responsible for the onset of social anxiety in individuals. However, there are also different beliefs regarding the occurrence of social anxiety disorder by genetic factors or by learned behavior.
2. Brain changes
There are certain regions of the brain that are involved in the development of social phobia, such as the amygdala. The amygdala is the main brain organ that controls the fear. In the case of social anxiety disorder, the amygdala becomes hyperactive and generates more fear and stressful responses in social situations.
3. Environmental stress factors
Social anxiety can also occur as a learned behavior. Some individuals feel more anxiety after facing any previous situation where they are humiliated by others. Likewise, those children who are more controlled by their factors or are pampered feel more anxiety and consciousness in social situations as compared to those who live freely.
What are the main types of Social anxiety?
As there is a diversity in symptoms of social anxiety, the levels of social anxiety disorder are also different, which include:
1. Mild social anxiety
As the term indicates, the symptoms of social anxiety are not severe and tolerable. Moreover, individuals experience the physical and psychological symptoms of anxiety but still show their contribution to social activities.
2. Moderate social anxiety
Individuals with moderate social anxiety also easily participate in social settings, but they are usually selective as they avoid some social situations due to their fear and anxiety.
3. Severe social anxiety
In this form, the symptoms of social anxiety are more severe. Individuals avoid each type of social gathering and prefer to spend time alone without meeting or talking to any other person.
What are the main risk factors of Social anxiety disorder?
Some factors can trigger more social anxiety in individuals, such as:
1. Temperament
Individuals who have more traits of shyness and reservedness or remain withdrawn from society are at more risk of developing social anxiety disorder.
2. Family history
The presence of genes responsible for social anxiety in parents or siblings also increases the probability of suffering from social phobia.
3. Harsh & negative experiences
Some previous terrible and distressing life situations also contribute more to the risk of developing social anxiety disorder, such as:
- Childhood abuse
- Bullying or teasing
- Ridicule
- Rejection from friends and family
4. Self-consciousness
Personality flaws or any physical abnormality can make the person more conscious, which in turn can make the person more prone to social anxiety disorder.
What are the complications of Social anxiety disorder?
Social anxiety should never be ignored as if it is left untreated, then it can result in certain complications such as:
- Lack of confidence
- Reduced self-esteem
- Lack of social skills
- Hypersensitivity to social situations
- More often, negative self-talk
- Intrusive thoughts
- Alcohol intake or substance abuse
- Poor academic and professional achievements
How Social anxiety disorder can be diagnosed?
If you suspect that you are the victim of social anxiety disorder, then seek professional help. Mental health professionals can better diagnose a social anxiety disorder. They first perform the physical evaluation to determine if there is any physical issue that is causing these symptoms. After that, they perform a complete psychological evaluation. They determine the previous medical and family history and ask different questions to diagnose the social anxiety disorder.
How Social anxiety disorder can be treated?
Social anxiety disorder can be treated with the help of medications and psychotherapy, and individuals can get permanent relief from this anxiety disorder.
1. Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a type of talk therapy that is used to deal with social anxiety disorder. There are different types of psychotherapies that are used by experts, such as:
2. Cognitive behavioral therapy for social anxiety
Cognitive behavioral therapy is used to treat the cognitive abnormalities caused by a social anxiety disorder. Individuals grappling with social anxiety disorder face difficulty in each social situation due to their distorted thought patterns. The cognitive behavioral therapist guides individuals to first identify the triggers and then smartly overcome them, Moreover, they gain confidence to restructure their thoughts and also modify their behavior in social gatherings. They learn different adaptive or coping strategies to overcome their social anxiety and fear and live a peaceful life.
3. Exposure therapy
This therapy is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy. In exposure therapy, individuals are exposed to their fears and situations that influence their anxiety. Experts ask them to confront their fears one by one and avoid exhibiting the response. With time, individuals get the confidence to face their fears and stop responding to them.
4. Acceptance and commitment therapy
This therapy is quite different and considered an advanced type of therapy. Moreover, this involves the use of mindfulness techniques to get rid of fear, discomfort, and anxiety.
5. Medications
Different types of psychiatric medications are recommended by the experts to deal with the symptoms of social anxiety such as:
6. Antidepressants
Antidepressants are used to treat and prevent the symptoms of depression but are also helpful for social anxiety disorder.
7. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
SSRIs are the type of antidepressants that regulate the level of neurotransmitters in the brain. The most common selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors that are used to treat the symptoms of social anxiety are as follows:
- Paroxetine
- Dapoxetine
- Citalopram
- Fluoxetine
- Vilazodone
8. Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors
SNRIs are another type of antidepressant that are commonly used for the treatment of depression and associated mental health conditions. The most common SNRIs include:
- Levomilnacipran
- Duloxetine
- Effexor
Antidepressants usually take time to perform properly. Therefore, individuals should stick to their medication intake schedule. Moreover, antidepressants can also cause some side effects, including:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Dizziness
- Headache
Therefore, always take the expert recommendation before the intake of antidepressants. The effective dosage is directly linked with positive mental health outcomes.
9. Antianxiety medications
Antianxiety medications are used to treat anxiety symptoms. They are mostly used for a shorter time. Most individuals usually develop resistance towards anxiety therefore, exerting recommendation is essential.
Most common antianxiety medications involve:
- Valium
- Serax
- Ativan
- Klonopin
10. Beta-blockers
Beta-blockers help manage the symptoms of social anxiety disorder, including sweating, elevated heart rate and respiration rate, and tremors. Moreover, beta-blockers are sometimes specifically used for the performance anxiety type of social anxiety disorder. Common beta blockers which are recommended by experts include:
- Nadolol
- Atenolol
- Bisoprolol
- Nebivolol
How to support others with a Social anxiety disorder?
With the help of the following strategies, you can stay secure from a social anxiety disorder.
1. Educate yourself
If you or you know anyone who is suffering from social anxiety disorder, then you first need to educate yourself and others. Start researching to become aware of the signs or symptoms of social anxiety and the best ways to deal with social anxiety.
2. Communicate with others
When you feel anxious, start talking with your loved ones. Share all your feelings, emotions, and thoughts in front of them and feel relaxed. You can also show your support to them if they are facing this situation.
3. Start journaling
Keeping track of your life can help you to get rid of your social anxiety. Whatever you feel, write it on a paper. By observing your emotions, feelings, and thoughts, you and your professional can get a better idea of how to overcome the thoughts that trigger social anxiety.
4. Prioritize your life
Try to do those things or participate in those activities that make you happy. Make a schedule of your diet, sleep and workout to remain physically and mentally strong and active.
5. Stop substance abuse
If you are taking alcohol or any other drug, then stop doing this, as this can also worsen the symptoms of social anxiety disorder. You can also get professional help if you are unable to leave any bad habits.
6. Support groups
You can also join different support groups where you interact with those who are facing the same mental illness. All individuals share their experiences and learn from each other. With the help of support groups, individuals can gain confidence and increase their reduced self-esteem.
7. Talk to a healthcare provider
If you think that your social anxiety symptoms are interfering in your life, then immediately seek professional help and get timely treatment for your mental stability.
What is the prognosis of Social anxiety disorder?
Individuals suffering from social anxiety disorder expect a positive response to social anxiety disorder treatment. Some require medications, while some have to take the combined form of both medications and psychotherapy. However, if a social anxiety disorder is not treated on time, then it can result in major consequences, including poor academic and professional performance, weak relationships, and overall reduced quality of life. Moreover, different studies have also reported that untreated social anxiety can transform into depression in some individuals, depending on the severity of symptoms and the mental state.
Last thoughts
Social anxiety disorder is one of the common mental health disorders that negatively affects the lives of individuals. They prefer to stay alone instead of participating in social activities or gatherings due to their fear of being judged, humiliated, or embarrassed. Different biological, genetic as well as environmental factors are responsible for the development of social anxiety. However, with the help of treatment of social anxiety that comprises medications and psychotherapy, individuals can recover from this mental illness. Remember that overcoming social anxiety is a journey that ultimately gives you mental stability and wellness.
Concluding thoughts
Social anxiety is a mental illness in which individuals feel fear and anxiety about moving out and meeting and interacting with others in social gatherings. They think that they will judged, embarrassed, or humiliated by others due to their appearance and personality flaws. Different factors can cause the development of social anxiety in individuals. However, social anxiety disorder or social phobia can be treated with the help of effective treatment.
Furthermore, if the symptoms get severe then you can also get professional help. Brainpower Wellness Institute is one of the renowned mental health platforms that provide exceptional treatment solutions for mental health disorders, including social anxiety. Our mental health experts not only treat social anxiety but also guide on coping strategies for social phobia. No matter what type of social anxiety you have, we have the best mental health treatment for you. Schedule a consultation with our experts to treat your social anxiety now.
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