For people suffering from social anxiety, everyday social interactions can cause irrational anxiety, fear, self-consciousness, and embarrassment. Social anxiety can take any form, may it be dating, making friends, networking, public speaking, work relationships or socializing,
Social anxiety is a condition in which a person has an excessive fear of being closely watched, judged, and criticized in social situations.
Understanding social anxiety is the most important step towards not feeling lost or unaware of why and when it happens. So, where do you start?
In this post, we will answer a few common questions pertaining to social anxiety.
- What is the name for the fear of being judged?
- Is social anxiety a mental disorder?
- What are the symptoms of social anxiety disorder?
- What are the situations that commonly provoke anxiety?
- What causes social anxiety disorder?
- How is social anxiety disorder diagnosed?
- What should I do if I have social anxiety?
- How is social anxiety disorder treated?
- What is the outlook for people with social anxiety disorder?
- Can social anxiety disorder be prevented?
What is the name for the fear of being judged?
Sociophobia is the name for the fear of being judged. This fear is part of social anxiety.
Is social anxiety a mental disorder?
Disorder, like syndrome, refers to a cluster of symptoms, thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
Psychiatrists and researchers use the word “disorder” with the purpose of classification and in order to study complex conditions.
While such simplifications may be useful, a label leads to a loss of information and overlooks the uniqueness of the person being studied or treated. Things need a name.
Social anxiety is a mental disorder. In other words, social anxiety is a complex cluster of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that can cause suffering.
What Are the Symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder?
The two key symptoms of social anxiety are the intense anxiety in social situations and the avoidance of social situations in the first place.
Most of the people with social anxiety disorder feel that “something is not right,” but don’t realize what is actually happening.
People with social anxiety disorder are afraid that they will make mistakes, look bad, and be embarrassed or humiliated in front of others. Most of the time, the person is aware that the fear is unreasonable, yet is unable to overcome it.
Individuals with social anxiety may have unusual thinking, including false beliefs about social situations and the negative opinions of others.
Also, people with social anxiety often suffer from the fear of a situation before it even happens, for days or even weeks before the event. This pattern of thinking is known as anticipatory anxiety.
Social anxiety can manifest physical symptoms, including confusion, pounding heart, sweating, shaking, blushing, muscle tension, upset stomach, and under extreme circumstances, diarrhea.
Children with social anxiety may express their anxiety by crying, adhering to a parent, or having a fit of rage.
When extreme, anxiety can build into a panic attack. A panic attack is the sudden onset of intense discomfort that reaches a peak within minutes and includes one or more of the following symptoms:
- Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate
- Sweating, trembling or shaking
- Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering
- Feelings of choking
- Nausea or abdominal distress
- Feeling dizzy, shaky, light-headed, or faint
- Chills or heat sensations
- Fear of losing control or “going crazy.”
As a result of the social anxiety symptoms, the person experiences several social situations in extreme distress or may avoid them altogether.
What are the situations that commonly provoke anxiety?
Individuals with social anxiety disorder may be afraid of a specific situation, such as public speaking. However, most people with social anxiety disorder fear more than one social situation.
Below are the situations that commonly provoke anxiety
- Eating or drinking while being watched
- Performing a job while being watched
- Entering a room during an event
- Requesting information from a stranger
- Expressing your opinion
- Speaking up in meetings or a classroom
- Talking to people of authority
- Going to parties
- Making new friends
What Causes Social Anxiety Disorder?
The cause of social anxiety disorder is a complex blend of biological, psychological, and environmental factors.
Social anxiety biological factors
Social anxiety disorder is currently thought to be associated with unusual functioning of brain circuits that regulate fear and the “fight or flight” response in the brain.
Hereditary factors may also contribute, because social anxiety may be somewhat more likely to occur when it is also present in parents, siblings or children.
Social anxiety psychological factors
Traumatic social experiences in the past, such as being bullied, neglected or humiliated by peers, may contribute to the development of social anxiety.
Social anxiety environmental factors
Children may develop their fear from observing the behavior of others or seeing what happened to someone else as the result of their behavior (such as being laughed).
Moreover, children who are sheltered or overprotected by their parents may not learn good social skills as part of their healthy development.
Social anxiety can get worse for those lacking social skills or experience in social situations.
How Is Social Anxiety Disorder Diagnosed?
Other mental conditions, such as panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and depression may overlap with social anxiety disorder. Many people with social anxiety disorder initially see a doctor with complaints related to these disorders. For example, depression may worsen social anxiety symptoms or the loneliness resulting from social anxiety may worsen depression.
Psychologists use specially designed interview and assessment tools to evaluate a person for an anxiety disorder. The doctor bases his or her diagnosis of social anxiety disorder on reports of the intensity and duration of symptoms, including any problems with functioning caused by the symptoms.
The doctor then determines if the symptoms and degree of dysfunction indicate social anxiety disorder.
How Is Social Anxiety Disorder Treated?
The aim of social anxiety disorder treatment is to detangle thoughts, emotions, and behaviors to enable the sufferer to live free of what once got in their way.
The three primary goals of social anxiety treatment are:
- To help the person identify misinterpretations about social interactions and develop healthier thoughts.
- To minimize physical symptoms and assist the person to control their anxiety.
- To help the person stop avoiding situations that once caused anxiety.
What should I do if I have social anxiety?
Without treatment, Social Anxiety Disorder can interfere with a person’s regular daily routine, including school, work, social activities, and relationships.
The first step you should take if you have social anxiety is to understand the condition.
The second step is to include those close to you, like family or friends, in the process by sharing what you’ve learned and asking for their support. It is highly advisable to approach a mental health counselor who can guide you through the process in a more efficient and effective manner.
What is the outlook for people with Social Anxiety Disorder?
The prospects for sufferers of Social Anxiety Disorder are good. When treatment is pursued, many people improve and enjoy happier lives.
Can Social Anxiety Disorder be prevented?
Sadly, you can’t prevent Social Anxiety Disorder. However, seeking help from a counselor as soon as symptoms surface is necessary to successfully overcome it.
Suffering from social anxiety, or know someone who is? Seek professional help from highly trained & well-experienced counselors near you!