Social anxiety (social phobia) - NHS

Many people with social anxiety also have other mental health issues, such as depression, generalised anxiety disorder or panic disorder. Skiptomaincontent Home Mentalhealth Mentalhealthconditions Backto Mentalhealthconditions Socialanxiety(socialphobia) Socialanxietydisorder,alsocalledsocialphobia,isalong-termandoverwhelmingfearofsocialsituations.It'sacommonproblem thatusuallystartsduringtheteenageyears.Itcanbeverydistressingandhaveabigimpactonyourlife.Forsomepeopleitgetsbetterastheygetolder.Butformanypeopleitdoesnotgoawayonitsownwithouttreatment.It'simportanttogethelpifyouarehavingsymptoms.Therearetreatmentsthatcanhelpyoumanageit. Symptomsofsocialanxiety Socialanxietyismorethanshyness.It'safearthatdoesnotgoawayandaffectseverydayactivities,selfconfidence,relationshipsandworkorschoollife.Manypeopleoccasionallyworryaboutsocialsituations,butsomeonewithsocialanxietyfeels overly worriedbefore,duringandafterthem.Youmayhavesocialanxietyifyou:worryabouteverydayactivities,suchas meetingstrangers,startingconversations,speakingonthephone,workingorshoppingavoidorworryalotaboutsocialactivities, suchasgroupconversations,eatingwithcompanyandpartiesalways worryabout doingsomethingyouthinkisembarrassing,suchasblushing,sweatingorappearingincompetentfinditdifficulttodothingswhenothersarewatching –youmayfeellikeyou'rebeingwatchedandjudgedallthetimefearbeingcriticised,avoideyecontactorhave lowself-esteemoftenhavesymptomslikefeelingsick,sweating,trembling orapoundingheartbeat(palpitations)have panicattacks,whereyou haveanoverwhelmingsenseoffearandanxiety, usuallyonly forafewminutesManypeoplewithsocialanxietyalsohaveothermentalhealthissues,suchasdepression,generalisedanxietydisorder orpanicdisorder. When togethelpforsocialanxietyIt'sagoodideatoseeaGPifyouthinkyouhavesocialanxiety,especiallyifit'shavingabigimpactonyourlife.It'sacommonproblemandtherearetreatmentsthatcanhelp.Askingforhelpcanbedifficult,butaGPwillbeawarethatmanypeoplestrugglewithsocialanxietyandwilltrytoputyouatease.They'llaskyou aboutyourfeelings,behavioursandsymptomstofindoutaboutyouranxietyinsocialsituations.Iftheythinkyoucouldhavesocialanxiety,you'llbereferredtoamentalhealthspecialist tohave afullassessmentandtalkabouttreatments.YoucanalsoreferyourselfdirectlytoanNHSpsychologicaltherapiesservice(IAPT)withoutareferralfromaGP. FindanNHSpsychologicaltherapiesservice(IAPT) Thingsyoucantrytoovercomesocialanxiety Self-helpcanhelpreducesocialanxietyandyoumightfinditausefulfirststepbeforetryingothertreatments.Thefollowingtipsmayhelp:trytounderstandmoreabout youranxiety –bythinkingabout orwritingdownwhatgoesthroughyourmindandhowyoubehaveincertainsocialsituations,itcanhelptokeepadiarytrysomerelaxationtechniques,suchasbreathingexercisesforstressbreakdownchallengingsituationsintosmallerpartsandworkonfeelingmorerelaxedwitheachparttrytofocusonwhatpeoplearesayingratherthanjustassumingtheworst Readmoreaboutanxiety,fearandpanicandhowtomanagethem.YoumayalsofinditusefultoreadanNHSself-helpguideforsocialanxiety. Audio:Anxietycontroltraining Inthisaudioguide,adoctorexplainshowyoucantakecontrolofanxiety. Medialastreviewed:2March2021 Mediareviewdue:2March2024 Treatmentsforsocialanxiety Anumberoftreatmentsareavailableforsocialanxiety.Themainoptionsare:Cognitivebehaviouraltherapy(CBT) withatherapist,whichistherapythathelpsyouidentifynegativethoughtpatternsandbehaviours,andchangethem.Thiscanbedonewithjustyouandatherapist,inagrouporwithyourparentsorcarers.Guidedself-help,whichinvolvesworkingthroughaCBT-basedworkbookoronlinecoursewithregularsupportfrom atherapist.Antidepressantmedicines, usuallyatypeofmedicinecalledaselectiveserotoninreuptakeinhibitor(SSRI),suchasescitalopramorsertraline.Theseareusuallynotusedtotreatpeopleundertheageof15.CBTisgenerallyconsideredthebesttreatment,butothertreatmentsmayhelpifitdoesnotworkoryoudonotwanttotryit.Somepeopleneedtotryacombinationoftreatments. SupportgroupsThereareseveralcharities,supportgroupsandonlineforumsforpeoplewithsocialanxietyandotheranxietydisorders,including:AnxietyUKa HealthUnlockedanxietyforum runbyAnxietySupportMind and YoungMindsSocialAnxietyUK, whoalsohave anonlineforumTriumphOverPhobia(TOPUK) Social anxietyinchildrenSocialanxietycanalsoaffectchildren.Signsofsocialanxietyinachildinclude:cryingorgettingupsetmoreoftenthanusualgettingangryalotavoidinginteractionwithotherchildrenandadultsfearofgoingtoschool ortakingpartinclassroomactivities,schoolperformancesandsocialeventsnotaskingforhelpatschoolbeingveryreliantontheirparentsorcarerSpeaktoaGPifyou'reworriedaboutyourchild.They'llaskyouaboutyourchild'sbehaviourandtalkto themabouthowtheyfeel.Treatmentsforsocialanxietyinchildrenaresimilartothose forteenagersandadults,althoughmedicinesarenotnormallyused.Therapywillbetailoredtoyourchild'sageand will ofteninvolvehelpfromyou.Youmaybegiventrainingandself-helpmaterials tousebetweensessions.Itmayalsotakeplace inasmallgroup. Video:Psychologicaltherapiesforstress,anxietyanddepression Animatedvideoexplainingself-referraltopsychologicaltherapiesservicesforstress,anxietyordepression. Medialastreviewed:14March2022 Mediareviewdue:14March2025 Pagelastreviewed:13March2020 Nextreviewdue:13March2023