Feeling anxious while talking in front of many people for the first time is common. Meeting new people and attending social gatherings can be troublesome sometimes. But when a person has a social anxiety disorder, he faces anxiety whenever he is in any kind of social situation. A person with this anxiety feels like everyone is judging or scrutinizing them. Sometimes, people misunderstand social anxiety as shyness. When a person is shy, he faces issues in talking to a new person or socializing. But social anxiety can affect your lifestyle. Sometimes, buying groceries or ordering food on a phone call becomes difficult. Social anxiety is a type of psychological disorder, but still, a lot of people do not believe in it. They often mark it as shyness or a phase of time.
Common symptoms of social anxiety disorder
If a person has social anxiety, he faces problems in social interaction. Whenever he interacts with someone, he faces issues like:
Blushing
Sweating
Difficulty speaking
Stuttering
Nausea
Rigid body stance
Mind goes blank
Rapid heart rate
Dizziness
A person may face various psychological symptoms like:
Feel intense worry before every social situation
Feeling very self-consciousness that he might do something wrong or embarrassing
Concerns that others with notice his nervousness
Need to consume alcohol to face social situations
Feeling nervous or anxious from time to time is common. But a person with social anxiety always feels nervous and has fear of being judged by others. When a person has social anxiety, he usually starts avoiding all types of social situations such as:
Job interviews
Shopping
Asking a question
Talking to any stranger
Using public restrooms
Making orders in restaurants or cafes
Eating in public, etc.
The symptoms of social anxiety differ from person to person. Some people face anxiety while talking to people only. Whereas some feel anxiety while eating in public, facing interviews, or using public restrooms.
What are the possible causes of social anxiety disorder?
If we talk about the exact cause of social anxiety disorder, there is none. The cause of social anxiety disorder is unknown but there are a few factors that may cause this psychological disorder. Few biological, genetic, and physical factors can cause this problem. Certain problems with neurotransmitters can imbalance the hormones like dopamine, serotonin, and glutamate that are responsible for regulating mood. Sometimes environmental factors can also contribute to causing this disorder.
Common Risk Factors for Social Anxiety
Several factors can raise the chances of getting social anxiety disorder such as:
Genetics: A kid is more likely to develop this disorder if any of his parents or siblings have a social anxiety disorder. Some research shows that it can be more influential than genetics. Kids often learn behavior from their parents. They witness anxiety symptoms in their parents or any family member and mimic them.
Temperament: Shy Children are at greater risk of developing this social disorder.
Negative experience: Any kind of negative experience in a social situation that leads to humiliation can cause social anxiety disorder. Kids often develop social anxiety disorder when they experience bullying, rejection, teasing, or any kind of abuse.
New social interaction: Most people start facing social anxiety during their teenage years. But sometimes, people develop this disorder when they make sudden changes in life like moving to a big city.
Having a condition that draws attention: People often develop social anxiety disorder when they have any kind of condition that can draw attention such as Parkinson’s disease, stuttering, facial disagreement, etc.
Complications due to social anxiety disorder
This disorder can cause lots of problems in life. Sometimes dealing with any kind of situation becomes very difficult. People with this disorder face problems like:
Low self-esteem
Negative self-talk
Poor social skills
Trouble being assertive
Difficulty in social relationship
Poor academic
Alcohol or substance abuse
Best treatment options for social anxiety disorder
Certain medications and therapies are available to deal with social anxiety disorder. Meanwhile, the treatment for social anxiety depends from person to person.
Medications
Certain medications like SSRIs are prescribed to reduce social anxiety symptoms. Your doctor may prescribe paroxetine or sertraline to manage the symptoms. Sometimes health care providers suggest other medications for the condition like antidepressants, anti-anxiety medication, beta-blockers, etc.
Homeopathy
Opting for homeopathy can be helpful to treat social anxiety disorder. Find the best homeopathic doctor in USA and get proper treatment. Your homeopath will ask you questions regarding the condition, possible causes, risk factors, environment, diet, family, etc. He will provide a prescription that can help in reducing social anxiety symptoms and manage the condition.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy can improve the symptoms of social anxiety disorder. In this therapy, the therapist helps the person to recognize and change negative thoughts about himself. Psychotherapy such as CBT is very effective in treating social anxiety and various other types of mental disorders.
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