What Is Social Anxiety Disorder or Social Phobia? - WebMD

If you have social anxiety disorder, which is also known as social phobia, the stress of these situations is too much to handle. You might, for ... MenuMedicalReferenceFeaturesVideoSlideshows&ImagesNewsArchiveNewsReferenceSlideshowsQuizzesVideosQuestions&AnswersFindaPsychiatristOverviewSymptoms&TypesTreatment&CareLiving&ManagingADHDCrisisAssistanceDepressionHealth&BalanceLivingHealthyMentalHealthMilitaryFamiliesSupportSmokingCessationStressManagementSubstanceAbuse&AddictionMoreRelatedTopicsAnxiety&PanicDisordersGuideMenuMedicallyReviewedbyMineshKhatri, MDonOctober27,2021InthisArticleWhenDoesItHappen?WhatDoesItFeelLike?WhatCausesIt?HowCanItAffectYourLife?WhatCanIDoAboutSocialAnxietyDisorder?HowIsSocialAnxietyDisorderTreated?WhenShouldITalktoMyDoctorAboutSocialAnxiety?Weallknowthefeelingofbeingnervousoruncomfortableinasocialsituation.Maybeyou’veclammedupwhenmeetingsomeoneneworgottensweatypalmsbeforemakingabigpresentation.Publicspeakingorwalkingintoaroomfulofstrangersisn’texactlythrillingforeverybody,butmostpeoplecangetthroughit.Ifyouhavesocialanxietydisorder, whichisalsoknownassocialphobia, thestressofthesesituationsistoomuchtohandle.Youmight,forexample,avoidallsocialcontactbecausethingsthatotherpeopleconsider“normal”--likemakingsmalltalkandeyecontact--makeyousouncomfortable.Allaspectsofyourlife,notjustthesocial,couldstarttofallapart.Socialanxietydisorderaffectsabout5.3millionpeopleintheUnitedStates.Theaverageageitbeginsisbetweenage11and19--theteenageyears.It’soneofthemostcommonmentaldisorders,soifyouhaveit,there’shope.Thetoughpartisbeingabletoaskforhelp.Here’showtoknowifyoursocialsilencehasgonebeyondshynesstoapointwhereyouneedtoseeadoctor.WhenDoesItHappen?Insomepeoplewithsocialanxietydisorder,thefearislimitedtooneortwoparticularsituations,likespeakinginpublicorinitiatingaconversation.Othersareveryanxiousandafraidofanysocialsituation.Anyonewithsocialanxietydisordercanexperienceitindifferentways.Butherearesomecommonsituationsthatpeopletendtohavetroublewith:TalkingtostrangersSpeakinginpublicDatingMakingeyecontactEnteringroomsUsingpublicrestroomsGoingtopartiesEatinginfrontofotherpeopleGoingtoschoolorworkStartingconversationsSomeofthesesituationsmightnotcauseaproblemforyou.Forexample,givingaspeechmaybeeasy,butgoingtoapartymightbeanightmare.Oryoucouldbegreatatone-on-oneconversationsbutnotatsteppingintoacrowdedclassroom.Allsociallyanxiouspeoplehavedifferentreasonsfordreadingcertainsituations.Butingeneral,it’sanoverwhelmingfearof:BeingjudgedorwatchedbyothersinsocialsituationsBeingembarrassedorhumiliated--andshowingitbyblushing,sweating,orshakingAccidentallyoffendingsomeoneBeingthecenterofattentionWhatDoesItFeelLike?Again,theexperiencemaybedifferentforeveryone,butifyouhavesocialanxietyandyou’reinastressfulsituation,youmayfeel:Veryself-consciousinsocialsituationsApersistent,intense,andchronicfearofbeingjudgedbyothersShyanduncomfortablewhenbeingwatched(givingapresentation,talkinginagroup)HesitanttotalktoothersTheneedtoavoideyecontactYoualsomighthavephysicalsymptomssuchas:RapidheartbeatMuscletensionDizzinessandlightheadednessBlushingCryingSweatingStomachtroubleanddiarrheaInabilitytocatchbreathAn“out-of-body”sensationYoumaystarthavingsymptomsandgettinganxiousimmediatelybeforeanevent,oryoumightspendweeksworryingaboutit.Afterward,youcouldspendalotoftimeandmentalenergyworryingabouthowyouacted.WhatCausesIt?There’snoonethingthatcausessocialanxietydisorder.Geneticslikelyhassomethingtodowithit:Ifyouhaveafamilymemberwithsocialphobia,you’remoreatriskofhavingit,too.Itcouldalsobelinkedtohavinganoveractiveamygdala--thepartofthebrainthatcontrolsyourfearresponse.Socialanxietydisorderusuallycomesonaround13yearsofage.Itcanbelinkedtoahistoryofabuse,bullying,orteasing.Shykidsarealsomorelikelytobecomesociallyanxiousadults,asarechildrenwithoverbearingorcontrollingparents.Ifyoudevelopahealthconditionthatdrawsattentiontoyourappearanceorvoice,thatcouldtriggersocialanxiety,too.HowCanItAffectYourLife?Socialanxietydisorderpreventsyoufromlivingyourlife.You’llavoidsituationsthatmostpeopleconsider“normal.”Youmightevenhaveahardtimeunderstandinghowotherscanhandlethemsoeasily.Whenyouavoidallormostsocialsituations,itaffectsyourpersonalrelationships.Itcanalsoleadto:Lowself-esteemNegativethoughtsDepressionSensitivitytocriticismPoorsocialskillsthatdon’timproveWhatCanIDoAboutSocialAnxietyDisorder?Ifyoursocialanxietykeepsyoufromdoingthingsyouwantorneedtodo,orfrommakingorkeepingfriends,youmayneedtreatment.Talkaboutyourfearsandworrieswithadoctorortherapistwhohasexperiencetreatingsocialanxietydisorder.Theywillbeabletotellifyouhavenormalsocialanxietyorifyouneedtreatment.HowIsSocialAnxietyDisorderTreated?Prescriptionmedicationandbehavioraltherapyarethetwoeffectivetreatmentsforsocialanxietydisorder.Youmayreceivebothatthesametime.Herearesomedetailsoneach:Medications:Forsome,takingaprescriptionmedicationcanbeaneasyandeffectivetreatmentforsocialanxietydisorder.Thedrugsworkbyreducingtheuncomfortableandoftenembarrassingsymptoms.Sometimesmedicationcandramaticallyreduceyoursymptomsoreveneliminatethem.Somepeoplemaynotreacttoaparticularmedication,andsomearen'thelpedatall.Thereisnowaytopredictwhetheramedicationwillhelpyouornot.Sometimes,youmusttryseveralbeforefindingonethatworks.TheFoodandDrugAdministration(FDA)hasapprovedfourmedicinesforsocialanxietydisorder:Paxil,Zoloft,Luvox,andEffexor.Althoughthesearetheonlymedicationsapprovedspecificallyforthecondition,othermedicationsmaybeusedsuccessfully,too.Theadvantageofmedicationsisthattheycanbeveryeffective,andaretakenjustonceaday.Buttherearesomedownsides.First,medicationonlytreatssymptoms.Ifyoustoptakingit,yoursymptomscanreturn.Second,somepeoplehavesideeffectsfromanxietymedications.Theymayincludeheadache,stomachache,nausea,andsleepdifficulties.Also,theFDA-approvedmedicinesforsocialanxietydisorder,likeallmedicinesthatarealsousedtotreatdepression,carryawarningfromtheFDA.TheFDAsaysthemedicationsmaycauseorworsensuicidalthoughtsorbehaviorsinyoungpeopleunderage24.Therefore,teenswhotakethesemedicinesshouldbemonitoredcloselyforchangesinthoughtsaboutsuicide.Formanypeople,theadvantagesofmedicationsoutweighthedisadvantages.Youandyourdoctormustweighthechoice.Ifyoutakemedicationforsocialanxietydisorder,callyourdoctorimmediatelyifyoudevelopanysideeffects,includingfeelingdownanddepressed.Andneverstoptakinganyanxietymedicationwithouttalkingtoyourdoctorfirst.Suddenlystoppingananxietymedicationmaycauseserioussideeffects.Behavioraltherapy:Behavioraltherapywithatrainedtherapistcanhelpyouidentifyandchangethethinkingthatmakesyouanxiousinsocialsituations.Atypeofbehavioraltherapycalledexposuretherapyisfrequentlyusedforsocialanxietydisorder.Exposuretherapyworksbygraduallyexposingyoutosocialsituationsthatareuncomfortableandwaitinguntilyoufeelcomfortable.Duringthisprocess,yourbrainislearningthatasocialsituationyouwereafraidofisactuallynotsobad.Mosttherapistswhopracticeexposuretherapybeginwithsmallexposurestouncomfortablesituations,thenmoveontomoredifficultexposuresonceyoufeelcomfortable.Theadvantageofthistherapyisthatyouaretreatingtheunderlyingproblem,notjustthesymptomsofsocialanxietydisorder.Soifyoustopbehavioraltherapy,thechanceofyoursymptomsreturningislesslikely.OthertherapiesOthertherapieshavealsobeentriedfortreatingsocialanxietydisorder.Theyinclude:Relaxationtherapy:Withthistherapeuticapproach,youlearntechniquesforrelaxinglikebreathingexercisesandmeditation.Althoughrelaxationtherapymayhelpwithsomespecificsocialphobias,itisnotconsideredeffectivetreatmentforgeneralanxietydisorder.Beta-blockers:Thesemedicationswereoriginallyusedtotreathighbloodpressureorotherheartproblems.Yetbeta-blockersarealsoeffectivefortreatingsomepeoplewithaspecifictypeofsocialphobiacalled"performancesocialanxiety."Thisiswhenyouareafraidofperforming,likegivingapublicspeech.Beta-blockersarenoteffectivefortreatinggeneralsocialanxietydisorder.Buttheymayhelpiffearofaspecificcircumstance,occurringataspecific,predictabletime--likegivingaspeechtoaclass--isyourproblem.WhenShouldITalktoMyDoctorAboutSocialAnxiety?First,it'simportanttoknowthatyouarenotabnormalifyouhavesocialanxiety.Manypeoplehaveit.Ifyouhaveunusuallyhighanxietyandfearaboutsocialsituations,talkopenlywithyourdoctorabouttreatment.Ifleftuntreated,socialanxietydisordermayleadtodepression,drugoralcoholproblems,schoolorworkproblems,andapoorqualityoflife.NextArticleSlideshow:WhenFearBecomesPhobiaAnxiety&PanicDisordersGuideOverviewSymptoms&TypesTreatment&CareLiving&ManagingTreatmentOptionsforAnxiety4TypesofSpecificPhobiasStandUptoStageFright:10TipsMSandDepression:HowAreTheyLinked?PTSD:WhatAretheWarningSigns?GuidetoGeneralizedAnxietyDisorderWhatAreYouAfraidOf?ALookatCommonPhobiasSocialPhobiaTheSecretSocialPhobiaIssocialanxietydisorder(SAD)--alsocalledsocialphobia--justanothernameforbeingreallyshy?WhatIsSocialAnxietyDisorder?DoYouHaveSocialPhobia?7TipsforLivingwithSocialAnxietySocialPhobiaTopicsNaturalWaystoCalmYourAnxiety14non-drugremediesthatcanreleasetension.CanAnxietyDisordersBeCured?Testyourknowledge.TypesofPhobiasWhatareyourfears?TestYourStressIQDoyouknowhowstressaffectsyourhealth?SlideshowAnxietyDisorders:TypesandTreatmentsArticleAnxietyvs.PanicSLIDESHOWGeneralizedAnxietyDisorderSymptomsQuizIsClownPhobiaReal?SlideshowFearofHeights?CommonPhobiasArticle10TipstoOvercomeStageFrightArticleHoarding:MoreThanaMessArticleCanAnxietyBePrevented?TreatmentforAnxietyAGuidetoGADSymptomsofPTSDHowtoPreventPanicAttacksPhobias:WhatAreYourFears?OvercomingStageFrightHealthSolutionsPenisCurvedWhenErect?CouldIhaveCAD?TreatBentFingersTreatHR+,HER2-MBCTiredofDandruff?BenefitsofCBDRethinkMSTreatmentAFib-RelatedStrokesRiskofaFutureDVT/PEIsMyPenisNormal?RelapsingMSOptionsLiverTransplantsSaveLivesFinancePlasticSurgeryBentFingerCausesLivingWithPsoriasis?MissingTeeth?MorefromWebMD5TipstoHelpWithRelapsingMSHowtoThriveWithNarcolepsyReliefforBlockedHairFolliclesPsoriaticArthritisandYourSleepWhatPsoriasisFeelsLikeFirstPsoriaticArthritisFlareTalkingtoYourDoctorAboutRACrohn's:A'Full-Body'DiseaseAvoidingCrohn’sFlaresHealthBenefitsofHempSeedOilLiveBetterWithPsoriaticDiseaseTypesofB-CellTherapyforMS5HealthBenefitsofHempWhyProstateCancerSpreadsLivingwithAdvancedBreastCancerWhereBreastCancerSpreads