Social Phobia - Symptoms, Causes and Treatments

What is Social Phobia?

Social phobia, also known as social anxiety disorder, is an anxiety disorder that typically includes significant fear of being negatively judged by others. It can often result in overwhelming worry about what others are thinking about you or blushing, shaking, feeling dizzy, or faint. Social phobia typically starts during childhood or adolescence but can persist into adulthood.

The good news is that social phobia can be overcome by identifying and confronting the root causes of feelings of intense unease around other people.

As always with any type of difficult issue, the best way to improve your quality of life is to tackle it head-on rather than unconsciously pushing it aside and hoping it goes away on its own.

What Are The Characteristics Of Social Phobia?

Social phobia is a general term that means a person has a persistent excessive fear of being judged negatively by others. Social phobia includes the following:

·         Fear that others will judge you negatively.

·         Fear that others will think you are stupid or delinquent.

·         Fear of blushing or fainting.

·         Fear of shaking, sweating, choking, or vomiting due to intense anxiety.

·         Fear of not knowing what to say in social situations. Same as above except this time it's more about not "knowing what to say" than about receiving negative judgment from other people.

·         Fear that you might lose control of your ability to talk.

What Are The Causes Of Social Phobia?

It's believed that social phobia has at least two underlying causes. Often, this type of anxiety disorder is either genetically based or can arise from early childhood experiences with abuse or neglect.

If both parents exhibit signs of anxiety disorder, an increased likelihood of developing social anxiety is unavoidable. It's also usually present in people who have suffered traumatic events in their life, especially those who experienced the loss of a loved one early on in life.

Although not all people who suffer traumatic events develop a social phobia, it is known that they are more likely to do so if they are raised by anxious parents or caregivers.

What Is The Difference Between Social Anxiety Disorder And Shyness?

Social anxiety disorder isn't shyness. People with social anxiety often feel uncomfortable when they're in a new situation or when they're in front of new people.

Some people with social anxiety may be shy, but others experience this type of unease with all people. Social anxiety can make it difficult to make friends and can interfere with their work, school, or hobbies. People who suffer from a social phobia will often spend most of their day worrying about what others might think about them and how they'll react to certain situations.

What Are The Symptoms Of Social Phobia?

Symptoms of social phobia often include:

·         Avoiding talking to people, eating with others, or attending events that involve other people. Limited contact with other people can lead to social isolation. This can be particularly damaging for adolescents who should be spending time making friends and learning how to be comfortable around others.

·         Feeling physically ill when you're in front of other people.

·         Anticipating that you'll make mistakes, act shamefully or embarrass yourself because of anxiety over what other people will think about you. People with social phobia often feel like they need to hide their true selves from others; however, this type of behaviour usually draws negative attention to them instead.

·         Not being aware of how your behaviour appears to others.

·         Feeling that others are watching you closely or talking about you.

What are The Treatment Options for Social Phobia?

Several different types of treatments are available for social phobia. If you are taking antidepressants, see if your doctor can adjust the dose or change the type of medication. Antidepressants can also help with sleep, muscle tension, and agitation.

Cognitive-behavioural therapy is commonly recommended since it has been proven to be an effective way to confront the root causes of social anxiety disorder. For more information on cognitive behavioural therapy, see my recent post on "Positive Thinking".

What is Social Anxiety Disorder?

Social anxiety disorder is also known as social phobia and it involves feelings of intense unease in social situations. This can be so severe that it results in panic attacks and can result in comorbid conditions such as depression and substance abuse.

What is The Difference Between Social Phobia And Shyness?

Social phobia involves being uncomfortable around other people, whereas shyness involves feeling nervous when you have to do things alone or say something out loud. People with a social anxiety disorder may also be shy, but they feel this type of unease with virtually everyone they meet.

Social anxiety disorder often affects the teen years, but it doesn't always disappear in childhood. If you're experiencing a social anxiety disorder, you can get help by talking to your doctor about the type of treatment that's best for you.

Can Social Phobia Be Treated?

Yes, it can be treated by learning to identify and confront the root causes of social anxiety disorder. Once again, keep in mind that these feelings will only go away if you do something about them. The sooner you confront your fears and learn how to control them better, the sooner they'll disappear on their own.