is an experience of
Fear ,
Apprehension or
Worry regarding social situations and being evaluated by others. People vary in how often they experience
Anxiety in this way or in which
kinds of situations. Anxiety about
Public Speaking , performance, or
interviews is common. Social anxiety can be related to
Shyness . The
experience is commonly described as having
Physiological components (e.g.
sweating, blushing),
Cognitive /perceptual components (e.g. belief that
one
may be judged negatively; looking for signs of disapproval) and
Behavioral
components (e.g. avoiding a situation). Not all cases deal with fear of being judged negatively, as some cases have social anxiety without any specific reason. It can also be associated with
Asperger Syndrome . Social anxiety causes difficulty with social interaction.
''
, also known as '''social phobia''', is a
diagnosis within
Psychiatry and other
Mental Health Professions referring to excessive
long-lasting social anxiety causing relatively extreme distress and
impaired ability to function in at least some areas of daily life. The
diagnosis can be of a ''specific'' disorder (when only some particular
situations are feared) or a ''generalized'' disorder. Generalized social
anxiety disorder typically involves a persistent, intense, and
Chronic
fear of being judged by others and of potentially being
Embarrassed or
Humiliated by their own actions. These fears can be triggered by
perceived
or actual scrutiny by others. While the fear of social interaction may be
recognized by the person as excessive or unreasonable, considerable
difficulty can be encountered overcoming it. Approximately 13.3% of the
general population may meet criteria for social anxiety disorder at some
point in their lifetime, according to the highest survey estimate, with
the male to female ratio being 1:1.5 respectively.p. 29-30.
ocial Phobia: Diagnosis, Assessment, and Treatment . Richard G.
Heimberg.
Guilford Press
Physical symptoms often accompanying social anxiety disorder include
excessive
Blushing ,
Sweating (
Hyperhidrosis ),
Trembling ,
Palpitations ,
Nausea , and
Stammering .
Panic Attack s may also occur under intense fear and discomfort. An
early
Diagnosis may help in minimizing the symptoms and the
development of additional problems such as
Depression . Some sufferers may
use
Alcohol or other
Drug s to reduce fears and inhibitions at
social events.
A person with the disorder may be treated with
Psychotherapy ,
medication, or both. Research has shown
Cognitive Behavior Therapy ,
whether individually or in a group, to be effective in treating social
phobia. The cognitive and behavioral components seek to
change thought patterns and physical reactions to
anxious situations.
Prescribed Medications
includes
two classes of s (SSRIs) and
Serotonin-norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor s
(SNRIs). Attention given to social anxiety disorder has significantly
increased in the
US since 1999 with the approval and marketing of drugs for its
treatment.
According to the
Diagnostic And Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders , social
Phobia is a persistent fear of one or more
situations in which the person is exposed to possible scrutiny by others
and fears that he or she may do something or act in a way that will be
Humiliating or embarrassing.
name="dsm-iv">Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV-TR.
Social Phobia .
Retrieved February 21, 2006. For one to be socially phobic, exposure
to the feared situation must provoke Anxiety and the person must
recognize this anxiety as irrational (although this may be absent in
children). If another disorder is present, the social phobic fear is
unrelated to it. For instance, if a person has a history of panic
attacks,
having a panic attack must not be the sufferer's fear. Sufferers are
typically more self-conscious and self-attentive than others.
name="crozier-primary">Crozier, W. Ray; Alden, Lynn E. ''International
Handbook of Social Anxiety: Concepts, Research, and Interventions
Relating to the Self and Shyness''. page 18. New York John Wiley & Sons,
Ltd. (UK), 2001. ISBN 0-471-49129-2. As a result, social phobics
tend to limit or remove themselves from situations where they may be
subject to evaluation. Sufferers often recognize their fear is excessive
or irrational, yet can't seem to break out of the cycle. As such, the
diagnosis of social phobia is made only when the fear leads to avoiding
occupational functions, social activities, or relationships with others.Crozier, page 242.
Mental health professionals often distinguish between generalized and
specific social anxiety disorders. People with generalized social anxiety
have great distress with most or all social situations. A famous study by
Stanford University established that distress was more likely when
social encounters were unfamiliar, involved power or status differences,
difference in gender, or the presence of a group of people. Those with
specific social phobias may experience anxiety only in a few situations.Crozier, page 12. For example the most
common specific phobia is Glossophobia , the fear of public speaking
or
performance, also known as "stage fright". Other examples of specific
social phobias include fears of writing in public ( Scriptophobia ) and
using public restrooms ( Paruresis ).
There is much debate concerning the relationship between social phobia
and
Shyness . Shyness is not a criterion for social anxiety disorder.
People
with social anxiety disorder may be quite comfortable with certain people
or many people, but still feel intense anxiety in specific social
situations. Child Psychologist Samuel Turner provides a summary
between shyness and social phobia. Both share several features: negative
Cognition s in social situations, heightened
Physiological reactivity, a tendency to avoid social
situations, and deficits in social skills. Negative cognitions include
fear of negative evaluation, Self-conscious ness, devaluation of
social
skills, self-deprecating thoughts, and self-blaming attributions for
social
difficulties. Social phobia is distinct from shyness in that it has a
lower
prevalence in the population, follows a more chronic course, is more
functionally debilitating, and has a later age of onset. There are
problems with these kinds of comparisons. It may be that the differences
between them are quantitative rather than qualitative.
name="crozier-shyness">Crozier, page 10. There are some that argue
that shyness is mistakenly treated with Medication intended for
social
phobia, effectively labeling the Personality Trait a mental
illness.Cable News Network (CNN).
''Anxiety disorder -- a problem beyond simple shyness'' . April 6, 2000. Retrieved
February 21, 2006.
Social phobia should not be confused with Panic Disorder . Sufferers
of
panic disorder are convinced that their panic comes from some dire
physical
cause, and often go to the hospital or call for an ambulance during or
after their attacks. Social phobics may experience a panic attack when
triggered, but they are aware that it is extreme anxiety they are
experiencing, and that the cause is an irrational fear. Few social
phobics would willingly go to a hospital in that instance because they
fear rejection and judgment by authority figures (such as the medical
staff). The general form of social anxiety is sometimes incorrectly
called
Generalized Anxiety Disorder . The principal difference between the
two
is that the social phobia deals with anxiety in a social setting, while
generalized anxiety disorder is extreme anxiety for any situation (work,
school, ''et al.''), not necessarily one involving other people.
In Cognitive Model s of Social Anxiety Disorder, social phobics experience
Dread over how they will be presented to others. They may be overly
Self-conscious , pay high self-attention after the activity, or have high
performance standards for themselves. According to the Social Psychology
theory of Self-presentation , a sufferer
attempts
to create a well-mannered impression on others but believes he or she is
unable to do so. Many times, prior to the potentially anxiety-provoking
social situation, sufferers may deliberate over what could go wrong and
how to deal with each unexpected case.
After the event, they may have the Perception they performed
unsatisfactorily. Consequently, they will review anything that may have
possibly been abnormal or embarrassing. These thoughts do not just
terminate soon after the encounter, but may extend for weeks or
longer.Shyness & Social Anxiety Treatment Australia
Social Phobia Those with social phobia tend to interpret neutral or
Ambiguous conversations with a negative outlook and although still
inconclusive, some studies suggest that socially anxious individuals
remember more negative memories than those less distressed.
name="furmark">Furmark, Thomas.
Social Phobia - From Epidemiology to Brain Function . Retrieved February
21, 2006. An example of an instance may be that of an employee
presenting to his co-workers. During the presentation, the person may
Stutter a word upon which he or she may worry that other people
significantly noticed and think that he or she is a terrible presenter.
This cognitive thought propels further anxiety which may lead to further
stuttering, sweating and a possible panic attack.
Social anxiety disorder is a persistent fear of one or more situations in
which the person is exposed to possible scrutiny by others and fears that
he or she may do something or act in a way that will be humiliating or
embarrassing. It exceeds normal "shyness" as it leads to excessive
social avoidance and substantial social or occupational impairment.
Feared activities may include almost any type of social interaction,
especially small groups, Dating , parties, talking to strangers,
restaurants, etc. Physical symptoms include "mind going blank", fast
heartbeat, blushing, Stomach Ache . Cognitive distortions are a hallmark,
and learned about in CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy). Thoughts are
often self-defeating and inaccurate.
The groundless fear of the Telephone is typical, both calling
somebody and answering the phone. It may appear early in childhood.
According to psychologist B.F. Skinner , Phobias are controlled by
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