Mosaic Mental Healthand WellnessBook an appointmentWhat Is Social Anxiety Disorder, Its Symptoms, And Treatment?
Social anxiety disorder is a mental health condition marked by intense fear in social settings. Learn its symptoms and treatment options for recovery.
Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is a mental health condition that makes people feel scared and nervous around others in social situations. People with social anxiety worry a lot about what others think of them, and this can make it hard for them to do regular things in their daily lives. But the good news is that this condition can be helped with the support of mental health experts and the right medicines.
What Causes Social Anxiety Disorders?
The very reason for social anxiety disorder isn't known, but a variety of factors could cause it. Researchers and doctors are working to understand where social anxiety comes from. They think that it could involve things like our bodies, genes, and the environment around us.
They're also looking at how stress and things in our environment might play a role in making social anxiety worse. Because fear and anxiety involve many parts of the brain, understanding social anxiety disorder is quite challenging.
Symptoms Of Social Anxiety Disorder
Symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder can range in degree of severity but often include:
1. Physical Symptoms
- Blushing
- Sweating
- Muscle tension
- Rapid heartbeat
- Trembling or shaking
- Nausea or upset stomach
- Difficulty speaking or a choking sensation
2. Emotional Symptoms
- Fear of judgment or criticism
- Feeling insecure or inferior to others
- Worrying about embarrassing oneself
- Intense fear or anxiety in social situations
- Anticipatory anxiety leading up to social events
- Avoidance of social situations or specific activities
- Difficulty making eye contact or speaking to others
3. Behavioral Symptoms
- Avoidance of social situations or events
- Difficulty initiating or maintaining conversations
- Overanalyzing social interactions after they occur
- Difficulty asserting oneself or expressing opinions
- Consuming alcohol or drugs to cope with anxiety in social situations
Treatment For Social Anxiety Disorder
Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is typically addressed using a multifaceted approach that combines various treatment modalities. Working with a qualified mental health professional to develop a customized treatment plan that meets your needs is important.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is considered the most effective form of therapy for social anxiety. It helps people recognize and challenge negative thoughts about social situations. One part of CBT, called exposure therapy, involves slowly facing feared social situations in a safe and supportive way.
Medication
Remember, medications can help ease your symptoms and make it easier to go about your daily activities. Antidepressants are commonly used to treat depression and anxiety, while anti-anxiety medications are typically taken for shorter periods. In some cases, beta-blockers, which are usually used to treat high blood pressure, can also help with symptoms of social anxiety disorder.
You may need to begin with a small amount of medication to minimize side effects and then slowly increase the dose. If you're not happy with a certain medication, a mental health professional can suggest a different one. They will also talk to you about the good and not-so-good things about each treatment option and help you determine which is right for you.
Support Groups
Joining a group of people who struggle with social anxiety can make you feel more connected and understood. Talking to others going through similar things can be comforting and make you feel like your experiences are valid.
Lifestyle Changes
Remember, doing regular exercise, trying to relax by taking deep breaths or doing mindfulness meditation, and avoiding too much coffee and alcohol can all help you feel better if you're dealing with anxiety.
Social Skills Training
Communicating clearly and confidently can help people feel more sure of themselves in social situations.
Social Anxiety Disorder Vs. Shyness
It's important to understand that feeling shy and experiencing social anxiety differ. Feeling shy is something that everyone goes through once in a while, and it can make it tough to be around other people or get things done. However, it doesn't typically have as big of an impact on life as social anxiety does. Social anxiety is when you feel nervous and stressed out a lot of the time, and it can make it hard to do everyday things like being in a crowded place.
Dealing with social anxiety can make everyday activities like talking to people or going to the store really difficult. It can greatly impact your school, work, and relationships.
Final Thought!
It's important for individuals experiencing symptoms of social anxiety to seek support from a mental health expert who can provide an accurate diagnosis and develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to their needs.
Help Is Available
Discover your path to healing and wellness with us. Whether you are having social anxiety or other mental health conditions, we are here to help you. Your well-being is our top priority. We are delighted to offer patients in Texas, Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, New Mexico, Utah and Washington various psychiatric and mental health services to meet their needs. We provide telepsychiatry for the convenience of our patients and those with safety concerns.
We treat a variety of conditions, including but not limited to mood disorders, ADHD, anxiety disorders, sleep problems, and thinking disorders. We also provide wellness services such as GLP-1 treatment for weight loss, Low-T and other hormone replacement therapies, Opioid Use Disorder, and more! We can help patients aged 6 and up.
We are a completely electronic practice! For your convenience, we will submit and keep all registration, consent, signature, insurance, and payment information online using our secure, HIPAA-compliant electronic health record. We now offer same-day appointments; contact us for more details!
This article is general information, not medical advice, and reading it does not create a patient relationship. Medication and treatment decisions belong in a visit with your own provider. In an emergency, call or text 988, call 911, or go to the nearest emergency room.
Elizabeth Macshadiya, PMHNP-BC
Elizabeth Macshadiya is a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and the founder of Mosaic Mental Health and Wellness in Katy, Texas. She treats children from age 6, teens and adults, in person and by secure video in seven states.