Social Anxiety Disorder – Signs, Symptoms & Treatment
Social Anxiety Disorder
Social anxiety disorder is also known as social phobia; in actuality, it is intense anxiety or fear of being judged, negatively evaluated, or rejected in a social situation. People with such conditions may worry about acting or appearing visibly anxious, or being viewed as stupid, annoying, or awkward. They always try to avoid social or performance situations, and when they are unable, they feel significant anxiety and distress. Some intense physical symptoms have also been noticed in people with a social anxiety disorder.
Symptoms can include rapid heart rate, sweating, nausea, and full-blown attacks when confronting a feared situation. Although they can understand that their fear is unreasonable, and they are powerless against their anxiety.
A number of people (about 15 million) in the United States are suffering from this social condition as Social anxiety is the second most diagnosed anxiety disorder following specific phobia. This condition can be initiated by a teenager.
People with this condition commonly report extreme shyness, but the critical point is that it is not merely shyness but something more.
Signs And Symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder
People with social anxiety disorder can experience these (given below) symptoms when performing in front of others.
- Feel nauseous or sick to their stomach
- Sweat, blush, tremble, feel a rapid heart rate, or feel their mind going blank.
- Find it difficult and scary to be with other people, especially in front of an unknown person, and have a hard time talking to them even though they wish they could.
- Make little eye contact, show a rigid body posture, or speak with an overly soft voice
- Always be afraid that others will judge them
- self-conscious in front of other people and feel awkward and embarrassed
- Please stay away from other people or places where they are.
What Causes Social Anxiety Disorder?
This mental condition sometimes runs in families, but there is not any evidence for sure why only individual members of the family experience it when others don’t. Human researches have proved that many parts of the brain are involved in fear and anxiety. Some reports said that misreading of an individuals’ behavior might be a cause of social anxiety disorder. Underdeveloped social skills can also cause social anxiety.
For example, people with underdeveloped social skills can feel discouraged after talking with someone unknown and may fear doing it in the future.
Treating Social Anxiety Disorder
Key Points
- Medical researchers have found that medications work faster, but cognitive behavioral therapy plays the best role and produces long-lasting benefits.
- Benzodiazepines or beta-blockers are recommended first for people with a specific social phobia.
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and one serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors are considered the best medication options for the management of generalized social anxiety (GAD).
Psychotherapy
Many medical studies have concluded that CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is often useful and produces better results than other psychotherapy options.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
It is a medical technique used in people with social anxiety disorder; it works to interfere with how they think about and react in situations that terrify them. Doctors can use this technique separately or as a part of group therapies.
It usually consists of 12 to 16 weekly sessions lasting 1 to 1.5 hours each. In studies, individuals with such conditions often needed at least six to twelve weeks of cognitive-behavioral therapy before showing any improvement.
Other Options
There are some additional therapies for the management of social anxiety disorder. These techniques are modified forms of interpersonal treatment that improve the ability to interact and socialize with other peoples.
Medication Options
Some medication options are also available for the management of social anxiety disorder. Benzodiazepines and beta-blockers are the best medication option after SSRI and venlafaxine.
Benzodiazepine
It is a family of certain similar drugs that are known for their calming effects between the human brain and the central nervous system. It boosts the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid and works to change how our brain responds to social conditions.
Beta-blockers
It is a recommended anti-anxiety medication for people with heart diseases. It can help to counter symptoms of social phobia such as sweating, shortness of breath, and rapid heart rate.