When Does Social Anxiety Become A Problem
Its normal to feel anxious in social situations from time to time. For example, many people feel anxious in job interviews or when having to give a formal speech. Social anxiety can be a problem when it becomes too intense or happens too often. When it does, social anxiety can cause significant distress and affect many aspects of a persons life including:
Work and school
- Examples: difficulty with job interviews problems interacting with bosses or co-workers trouble asking and answering questions in meetings or classes refusing job promotions avoiding certain types of jobs or career paths poor performance at work or school decreased enjoyment of work or school.
Relationships
- Examples: difficulty developing and keeping friendships and romantic relationships trouble opening up to others difficulty sharing opinions
Recreational activities/hobbies
- Examples: avoid trying new things avoid taking classes or lessons avoid activities that involve interacting with others, such as going skiing or to the gym
Day-to-day activities
- Examples: difficulty completing daily activities, such as going grocery shopping, going out to eat, taking the bus, asking for directions, etc.
Q: What Exactly Does It Mean To Have Social Anxiety
A: Just like it sounds, the term refers to the experience of anxiety in a social context. But its more than just feeling a little bit nervous. People with social anxiety often feel like others are laughing at them or judging them, even if thats not the case.
If you have social anxiety disorder, you may worry that youre going to trip over your words or that other people will notice how nervous youre feeling or that youre blushing or sweating, even if you arent. These concerns can be limited to certain settings, like public speaking, or they can apply to any social situations with other people, especially unfamiliar ones.
Theres a lot going on in the mind of a person with social anxiety, which can be distracting and make it difficult for them to actually engage effectively in a social situation.
Q: How Long Will Our Pandemic
A: With social anxiety, the anticipation is often worse than the actual event itself. You may start to feel better once youre able to see that that the worst has not, in fact, happened maybe after a couple days back in the office or a few larger social interactions. Your skills will probably return much faster than you think.
But if your nervousness persists, interferes with concentration or makes you feel symptoms of panic including trouble breathing, a racing heart and feeling shaky or faint it may be time to talk to adoctor.
No one will forget this pandemic, especially those whove experienced so much hardship and grief. But people can recover from loss and trauma, and they can also show incredible resilience.
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They Fear A Social Situation That Has Not Presented Itself
One of the cardinal symptoms of social anxiety is an irrational preoccupation with social situations that have not even occurred but may occur. If, for example, there is an invitation to a wedding and reception that is weeks away, the individual with social anxiety might obsess about the event. An inordinate amount of time may be spent thinking and re-thinking what clothing to wear, what hairstyle will be chosen, who else may be attending, where they might be seated at the reception, etc. You cannot change this thinking, but you can validate it and provide reassurances. Offering to help with selection of clothing and complimenting a particular hairstyle will assist in alleviating fears. Reassuring the individual that you will be right next to them throughout the event is important, and you must follow through with that promise.
Recognizing The Disorder In Others
How do I recognize if someone close to me is having trouble with anxiety?
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorder in the U.S., affecting more than 18% of the population. They are even more common among children, affecting an estimated 25% of children between the ages of 13 and 18. The most common anxiety disorders are Specific Phobias, affecting 8.7% of the population, and Social Anxiety, affecting 6.8% of the population.
You likely know someone with an anxiety disorder.
Although there are several different types of anxiety disorders, each with unique features, there are some common symptoms that might be a clue that someone is suffering from an anxiety disorder:
Please note that it is not a good idea to attempt to diagnose or label a friend or family member. Only a mental health professional can diagnose an anxiety disorder, as many disorders have overlapping features, and can go together with other types of mental health difficulties. However, if you notice signs of anxiety, or just feel that something is not quite right with someone that you care about, it’s a good idea to reach out to ask the person how they are feeling. You could start with something neutral and supportive like, “It seems like you haven’t been quite yourself lately. Is there something going on that you want to talk about?”
What can I do to help a family member or a close friend with anxiety?
It may also be helpful to:
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Research And Statistics: How Many People Have Social Anxiety Disorder
Compared with other anxiety disorders, social anxiety disorder is fairly common. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, it affects 7.1 percent of the U.S. adult population in a given year. The condition affects about 15 million American adults and is the second most commonly diagnosed anxiety disorder after specific phobia.
Social anxiety disorder usually develops early in life, typically beginning at around age 13.
Men and women are equally affected with social anxiety disorder.
Duration Of Social Anxiety Disorder
If it isnt treated, social anxiety disorder can last for many years, or it can be a lifelong condition. It can also prevent you from reaching your full potential.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 36 percent of people with social anxiety disorder have symptoms for at least 10 years before they get help.
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Find A Greater Purpose
Connecting with something that has greater meaning can be a useful support when you are managing any mental health issue, including a social anxiety. This could be through religion or spirituality, through connecting with your culture or whakapapa, through a creative project, or through volunteering or helping others in need. This can distract you from your own problems for a while and build your resilience to manage your anxiety when they affect you.
Negative Beliefs And Maladaptive Behavior That Cause Social Anxiety
To protect themselves from various threats they perceive, people sometimes develop a system of negative beliefs and maladaptive behaviors that cause social anxiety. People with social anxiety tend to have at least a few of the following thoughts when ruminating on upcoming social events or situations, according to Klimaite, Smerling and therapist John L. Clarke, who studied psychology with the father of Cognitive Therapy, Aaron Beck:
- Im going to do something embarrassing.
- I am not going to belong.
- I am not likeable.
- People are going to hate me.
- Im going to pass out.
- People are going to be able to tell Im nervous.
- I wont know what to say.
- I have nothing to offer.
- Nobody will want to be my friend.
- I am going to say something stupid.
- Something is wrong with me.
Sometimes these thoughts are connected to self-esteem. When people feel like they are not worth much, its easy for them to believe they cant offer anything in a social situation. It isnt only fear of social criticism. They might not feel like they deserve the benefits of social interactions that will go well.
To negate the risk of these anxieties, people with social anxiety avoid many interactions with others. This strategy may allow them to reduce symptoms and put off confronting their social anxiety, but it comes at the cost of limiting how full their lives are. It also makes it difficult for them to handle social situations when they need to.
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They Will Have More Health Issues As Their Immune Systems Are Continually Compromised
A UCLA study showed that social anxiety increases inflammatory activity of those parts of the brain that trigger immune system functions. Continued activation of this system wears it down and makes the body more subject to illness and disease. Rather than criticize or accuse someone of hypochondria, understand and accept the fact that there is a real physical cause of more frequent illness.
Practice Patience And Note If It Turns Into Resentment
When two people have different socializing preferences, it will require patience on both their parts. However, Hendriksen says to pay attention and see if, underneath the patience, there is some resentment. Perhaps the more social person feels they are missing out or not getting their needs met and realizes theyâre being passive-aggressive. In that case, more communication likely needs to happen. âBe patient, but pay attention to little red flags and the cause of your patience wearing thin,â she says.
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Treating Anxiety In Adults
Treating anxiety in adults can involve psychotherapy, medications, or both. As with other age groups, CBT can be an effective treatment for generalized anxiety and social anxiety disorders, and behavioral therapy and exposure therapy are effective for treating phobias.
Medication options for anxiety in adults are a little more broad. Benzodiazepines, like and , can help treat generalized anxiety and panic disorders. These types of medications are prescribed extra carefully, since they can lead to tolerance and dependence. is another medication that can treat anxiety long term its not a benzodiazepine and does not have a risk of dependence. SSRIs and SNRIs can also be useful for reducing anxiety in adults.
Treating Anxiety In Children
Treatment for childhood anxiety may one or more of the following:
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Psychotherapy: This can mean behavioral therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy . Behavioral therapy may involve gradually exposing a child to their fears and teaching them how to cope in the process. CBT can help a child reframe negative thoughts and learn new ways to cope with worry and fear.
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School-based interventions: This is where parents work with teachers if a childs anxiety affects their academic performance or ability to go to school.
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Medications: Some children may need medications on top of psychotherapy. SSRIs , like and , and SNRIs , like , are the most commonly prescribed because they tend to have fewer side effects.
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Putting The Brakes On Life
Not at all, say many leading psychiatrists. “Many people are a little bit shy. If you’re shy, you might be somewhat uncomfortable in situations such as going to a party where you don’t know anyone, but you do it. You give yourself a push, you go to the party, after a while you relax and talk to people,” says Rudolf Hoehn-Saric, MD, who heads the Anxiety Disorders Clinic at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “The social phobic person, at the prospect of the same party, would be overwhelmed by such anxiety that would have a physical reaction — perhaps nausea, sweating, heart racing, dizziness — and would avoid it if at all possible. It’s a matter of degree.”
In other words, being shy can complicate your life. Having social phobia can stop it in its tracks. “The hallmark of social anxiety disorder is that it causes impairment in your function,” explains Sy Atezaz Saeed, MD, chair of the department of psychiatry and behavioral medicine at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria and co-director of the University’s Anxiety and Mood Disorders Clinic. A high school student — many adolescents have social anxiety disorder — might be so overwhelmed by the fear of standing up to give a report that they can’t complete assignments and fails classes. For Peter, the businessman, social anxiety disorder endangered his career advancement.
How Long Does It Take To Get A Social Anxiety Diagnosis
In order to be diagnosed with social anxiety disorder, you must have been experiencing the symptoms outlined in the DSM-5 for at least 6 months or more. The DSM-5 diagnostic criteria also require ruling out other mental disorders such as panic disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, or autism spectrum disorder. It may therefore take multiple sessions with a mental health professional before they can confidently make a diagnosis of social anxiety disorder.
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Prevention Of Social Anxiety Disorder
There’s no way to prevent social anxiety disorder, but these techniques can help you reduce anxiety symptoms, per the Mayo Clinic:
Get help as soon as possible. Anxiety can be more difficult to treat if you delay seeking treatment.
Start journaling. Keeping a record of your thoughts and experiences can help you and your healthcare provider figure out what’s causing your symptoms and what makes you feel better.
Figure out your priorities. Carefully manage your time and energy, and spend time doing things you enjoy.
Avoid unhealthy substance use. Using alcohol and drugs, as well as caffeine or nicotine, can cause anxiety or make it worse. But quitting can also cause anxiety. If youre addicted to any substances, look for a doctor, treatment program, or support group that can help.
What Is Social Anxiety
Its common for most of us to have occasional moments where social situations can feel a bit daunting, but someone with social anxiety experiences strong anxiety or panic in most social situations. In some way, anxiety about social encounters sits on a bit of continuum: at the low end is shyness, where you might be a little concerned about social situations but you go along anyway. Next is social anxiety where you have an intense fear about being judged by others that might lead you to avoid social events or tolerate them with significant distress. Lastly, at the top end of the spectrum is avoidant personality disorder. This is when an extreme sensitivity to being judged negatively and the possibility of being rejected leads to avoidance of social interactions.
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Treating Anxiety In Teens
As with young children, treatment for anxiety in teens may involve behavioral therapy, CBT, and/or medications, including SSRIs and SNRIs. Another type of psychotherapy known as exposure therapy or systematic desensitization can also help teens learn how to face their anxiety with relaxation strategies.
Whether medications would be helpful will depend on the type of anxiety and how severe it is. Studies show that treatment that includes both therapy and medication is often more effective at reducing anxiety in teens than either medication or therapy alone.