Social Anxiety: More Than Just Being Shy
Social anxiety is different from being just shy, as sufferers often are debilitated considerably and may experience ostracism from having this disorder. Social anxiety actually causes an overwhelming fear and leaves an individual helpless in dealing with others.
Social phobias must be differentiated from other forms of anxiety. Unlike panic attacks, social anxious patients do not experience an abrupt unprovoked fear. They experience fear in relation to dealing with others.
Social phobias have two types: generalized social phobias and specialized social phobias.
General social phobia refers to a difficulty in most or almost all social situations. Sufferers could be described as being "painfully shy", not able to mingle with others, perhaps in fear of rejection.
Specialized social phobia, on the other hand, is characterized by anxiety triggered by specific situations. Sufferers of this type of social phobia may have an acute fear of speaking or writing in public, using restrooms, or eating in public places alone.
Social anxiety is considered by almost all clinicians today as an illness in its own right, not just a manifestation of other conditions. As such, many interventions are recommended for this disorder. Most treatments are psychological, including systematic desensitization, in which patients are slowly and gradually made tolerant of experiences that trigger their fears.
Cognitive behavior therapy includes the adoption of schemas that enable an individual to conquer their fears. Group therapies allow sufferers to draw on each other's experiences and allay their fears. Drugs such as anti-depressants or anti-anxiety medication more often supplement the above-mentioned treatments.
So, if a friend or a family member is suffering from this social disorder, do not just let him be. Help him conquer his social fears and make him face the world with courage and confidence. Do not let him live his life in the shadows and not be able to see and appreciate the real beauty of life.
SOURCES:
"What is Social Anxiety?", socialphobia.org
"Social Anxiety Disorder", anxietytreatment.ca
Published by Heide Lynne Canlas
Heide Lynne Canlas is the author of how-to articles that contain helpful tips, techniques, and secrets on how to deal with problems on life. She collectively call them LIFE MANUAL: Troubleshooting Problems o... View profile
- 12 Tips for Social Anxiety SufferersSocial paranoia is commonly, but incorrectly, used to describe social phobia or social anxiety disorder. The disorder is characterized by feelings of overwhelming fear, anxiety, and excessive self-consciousness in so...
- Identifying and Treating Social PhobiaDo you fear social or performance situations? If you do, you may have social phobia. Read on to find out how social phobia is diagnosed and treated.
- Chronic Anxiety Disorders: The PhobiasPhobias manifest in different forms. It is always an excessive fear, out of proportion to the real threat.The fear can focus on objects or situations. There is a more generalized phobia, however, called "Social Phobia."
- What is Social Anxiety?we have all experianced social axiety but, sometimes it is more then we can handle.
- What is Social Anxiety Disorder?Social anxiety disorder strikes people of all ages. In fact, there are millions of people silently suffering from this disorder, all over the world.
- Social Anxiety Disorder Creates Misery in Life of Adults and Adolescents
- Social Anxiety Disorder in Children
- Social Phobia and Social Anxiety Disorder
- Ways to Make Social Anxiety Disorder Less of a Problem for YOU!
- Living with Social Anxiety
- Managing Social Anxiety Disorder
- Physical and Emotional Symptoms of Social Phobia