Social Anxiety Disorder is the intense fear of social situations. People with social anxiety disorder:
- Avoid interactions with other people
- Are extremely afraid of being judged negatively by others
- Feel humiliated, embarrassed, and inadequate more easily than others
Social anxiety may be:
- Generalized to all social interactions
- Specific to certain social situations
Social anxiety is much more severe than shyness.
Causes
The exact cause of
Social Anxiety Disorder is unknown. Possible causes include:
- Genetic factors
- Problems with regulation of chemicals in the brain
- Past emotional trauma in social situations
Risk Factors
A risk factor is something that increases your chance of getting a disease or condition.
- Age: Adolescence and early adulthood
- Other anxiety disorders (such as panic disorder)
Symptoms
People with
Social Anxiety Disorder may have the following symptoms during social interactions:
- Blushing
- Excessive sweating
- Trembling
- Dry throat and mouth
- Muscle twitches
- Intense anxiety
Any public situation, familiar or unfamiliar, can lead to symptoms of
Social Anxiety Disorder. Examples include:
- Being teased or criticized
- Being the center of attention
- Meeting new people
- Interacting with authority figures
- Interacting with members of the opposite sex
- Eating, writing, or speaking in public
- Using public toilets
Treatment
Treatments include:
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
A therapist may:
- Gradually expose you to feared situations in a controlled environment.
- Help you change phobic and other negative thought patterns and behaviors.
- Teach you to control anxiety symptoms through deep breathing visualization, and meditation.
- Suggest changes of your social environment to minimize perceived stress. This may be helpful in the short term, but it is far better to learn to cope with all social situations rather than rely on ways to avoid them.
Due to the social nature of this disorder, non-threatening peer support groups may be helpful in overcoming your phobia.
Medication
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) – can relieve symptoms of anxiety and the depression that sometimes accompanies social anxiety
- Benzodiazepines and monoamine oxidase inhibitors – can help to relieve anxiety and depression
- Beta-blockers – can stop the physical symptoms of panic and anxiety (used to help relieve the performance anxiety that often occurs with social anxiety disorder)
Prevention
There are no guidelines for preventing
Social Anxiety Disorder.However, early diagnosis and treatment can prevent complications such as:
- Substance abuse
- Depression
- Dysfunctional school, work, social, and family interactions