Social Anxiety Disorder
Key facts
- Social Anxiety Disorder is a common problem and is the third largest mental health issue in the world today.
- It is an intense fear of being negatively judged and of embarrassment in front of others
- It often has a huge impact on somebody's life and can affect them in many ways.
- CBT is proven to work well for people struggling with social anxiety and can alleviate distress in social situations.
Symptoms and Experiences
Social Anxiety Disorder, also called Social Phobia, is a long-lasting and overwhelming fear of social situations and it is the third largest mental health care problem in the world today
Social anxiety is the fear of being negatively judged and evaluated by other people. It is a pervasive disorder and causes anxiety in most areas of a person's life.
Social anxiety is more than shyness. It's an intense fear that doesn't go away and affects everyday activities, relationships and work or school life and creates worry about social situations before, during and after them.
You may have social anxiety if you:
- dread everyday activities, such as meeting strangers, starting conversations, speaking on the phone, working or shopping
- avoid certain social activities
- worry about doing something you think is embarrassing
- find it difficult to do things when others are watching
- have symptoms such as feeling sick, sweating, trembling or a pounding heartbeat (palpitations) when interacting with people.
Many people with social anxiety also have other mental health issues such as depression, generalised anxiety disorder or panic attacks.
“I wondered how many people there were in the world, who suffered, and continued to suffer , because they could not break out of their own web of shyness and self-reserve”
Treatment
Cognitive-behavioral therapy for social anxiety has been markedly successful. Thousands of research studies now indicate that, after the completion of CBT, people with social anxiety disorder are changed. They now live a life that is no longer controlled by fear and anxiety.
Appropriate therapy is successful in changing people's thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and behavior. The person with social anxiety disorder must take an active role and be willing to try new things as part of therapy to overcome this problem.
The number of sessions that will be required for CBT therapy to be effective will depend on the severity and complexity of the problem.
If you are concerned that you might be suffering from social anxiety, try this online questionnaire. It can give you an indication of whether this type of anxiety has become a problem for you.
