Social Anxiety Disorder

 

Social anxiety disorder is a type of anxiety disorder where you have an extreme fear of social situations and being negatively judged by others. This is different to being shy, as it can cause a significant negative impairment in a person's life. Social phobia is relatively common - about three percent of the population suffers from it.

Some of the symptoms of social anxiety include blushing, trembling, increased heart rate, nausea, dry throat and mouth, and many others in the presence of other people. If you have social anxiety disorder, you have a persistent fear of social situations, where there are unfamiliar people or there is intense scrunity by others.

Some of the reactions to these fears include:

• Being afraid to eat or drink in public
• Fear of public speaking
• Fear of using public toilets
• Being in situations they may be embarrassed in
• Being  unable to start a conversation with others
• Having problems with dating
• Feelings of self-doubt
• Fear of meeting someone new
• Experiencing these situations with intense feelings of anxiety and distress

Treatments for social anxiety include:

• Education about the causes of social anxiety
• Cognitive behavioural theraphy (where a person is taught to overcome negative thinking)
• Learning about anxiety management techniques 
• Medications
• Social skills training