Oct 11
7
Social phobia, otherwise known fear of people, shyness, and social anxiety, is a persistent and irrational fear of social events and situations. It’s caused by a fear of the scrutiny and opinion of others (which includes things like not being good enough or being rejected), and may begin in adolescence, perhaps because of overprotective parents or limited social opportunities. Boys and girls, men and women, show social anxiety disorder in equal proportions.
It’s kinder, I think, to refer to it as social phobia. It’s not, after all, a disease! But it can have some severe consequences. People with soial phobia are at high risk for alcohol or other drug addiction because drink and drugs may help them to relax around people.
Symptoms of social phobia or social anxiety disorder
People with social phobia or social anxiety disorder are very anxious and self-conscious in common social situations. They have an intense, chronic fear of being seen or judged by others, or doing or saying things that will embarrass them. They tend to worry for days or weeks before a situation they fear, and the fear may be so severe that it interferes with other things such as work, school, and day to day activities. Such extreme fear can mean it is difficult to make and keep friends.
Many people with social anxiety realize that their fears about being around people are excessive and totally unreasonable, but they are unable to overcome them.
Social anxiety disorder may occur in one situation (for example - talking to people, eating or drinking, parties, writing on a blackboard in front of other people, public speaking). Or it may be so widespread - generalized social anxiety - that an individual feels anxiety around almost everyone except family members.
Physical symptoms of social phobia include:
- Blushing
- Difficulty talking or thinking clearly
- Nausea and dizziness
- Sweating and tension
- Trembling
In general, most psychologists would see social phobia as different to mere shyness. Shy people can participate in social functions., but men and women with social anxiety disorder cannot function normally in work and social or personal relationships.
Some of the most common fears of people with social anxiety disorder are:
- Going to parties and other social occasions
- Eating, drinking, and writing in public
- Meeting new people
- Public speakingc
- Using public toilets
Treatment of social anxiety disorder
The goal of treatment is to help someone live normally. Anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications may be helpful, to reduce the symptoms associated with phobias, but behavioral treatments have long-lasting benefits and are better (some medications have unpleasant side effects).
Cognitive behavioral therapy – also known as CBT – can help a person understand and alter the thoughts causing social anxiety and teach them how to recognize and replace thoughts which induce panic.
A process known as systematic desensitization (aka exposure therapy) can sometimes be helpful. This technique involves putting someone in a state of deep relaxation, and then asking them to imagine the situations which cause anxiety, in order from least fear-producing to most fear-producing. This is linked to gentle and gradual exposure to the real-life situation which causes fear. This approach can help men and women overcome their fears of social situations very effectively.
An alternative is some practical social skills training – for example, social contact in a group therapy to practice social skills. Role playing and modeling help social phobics to be more comfortable with other people in a social situation.
Some practical steps can reduce social anxiety disorder: taking regular exercise, ensuring adequate sleep, and having regularly scheduled healthy meals, as well as reducing caffeine intake, and other stimulants such as alcohol is also helpful.