Psychology Facts

▲ Social Anxiety ▲

》Social anxiety disorder, also called social phobia, affects everyday interactions that cause significant anxiety, fear, self-consciousness, and embarrassment because you fear being scrutinized or judged by others. (More than normal/natural)

》People with social anxiety may exhibit the following signs:

Panic reactions such as shaking, sweating, and shortness of breath
Significant impairment or distress, especially when in social places
Feeling insecure and embarrassed in front of people
Racing heart
Dry throat and mouth
Muscle twitches

》Approximately 6.65% of the total population has social phobia/social anxiety disorder once in their lives.

》Social phobics have a higher chance of being unemployed, leave school at an early age, or engage in jobs below their educational level.

》Social anxiety disorder is rarely diagnosed by professionals, such as: psychiatrists, psychologists and general practitioners.

》Different studies show that between 69% and 92% of adults with social phobia suffer at least one other mental disorder in their lifetime.

》Different studies find that the age of onset is between 12 and 16.6.

》Social anxiety disorder negatively affects family life, social functioning, education, work and close relationships.

》More women than men have been affected by social anxiety disorder: between 1.5 and 2.2 times more.

》More men than women seek help for social phobia, probably because of gender roles and social expectations.

》It is rare to develop social anxiety disorder after the age of 25.

》People with social anxiety disorders may also suffer from other anxiety disorders, such as depression, and substance abuse disorders.

》People with social anxiety usually experience significant distress in the following situations:

Being introduced to other peopleBeing teased or criticized
Being the center of attention
Being watched or observed while doing something
Having to say something in a formal, public situation
Meeting people in authority ("important people/authority figures")
Feeling insecure and out of place in social situations ("I don't know what to say.")
Embarrassing easily (e.g., blushing, shaking)
Meeting other peoples' eyes
Swallowing, writing, talking, making phone calls if in public

》Like many other mental health conditions, social anxiety disorder likely arises from a complex interaction of biological and environmental factors.

Possible causes include:

Inherited traits. Anxiety disorders tend to run in families. However, it isn't entirely clear how much of this may be due to genetics and how much is due to learned behavior.

Brain structure. A structure in the brain called the amygdala (uh-MIG-duh-luh) may play a role in controlling the fear response. People who have an overactive amygdala may have a heightened fear response, causing increased anxiety in social situations.

Environment. Social anxiety disorder may be a learned behavior — some people may develop significant anxiety after an unpleasant or embarrassing social situation. Also, there may be an association between social anxiety disorder and parents who either model anxious behavior in social situations or are more controlling or overprotective of their children.

》Left untreated, social anxiety disorder can control your life. Anxieties can interfere with work, school, relationships or enjoyment of life. This disorder can cause:

Low self-esteem
Trouble being assertive
Negative self-talk
Hypersensitivity to criticism
Poor social skills
Isolation and difficult social relationships
Low academic and employment achievement
Substance abuse, such as drinking too much alcohol
Suicide or suicide attempts

》There's no way to predict what will cause someone to develop an anxiety disorder, but you can take steps to reduce the impact of symptoms if you're anxious:

Get help early. Anxiety, like many other mental health conditions, can be harder to treat if you wait.

Keep a journal. Keeping track of your personal life can help you and your mental health professional identify what's causing you stress and what seems to help you feel better.

Set priorities in your life. You can reduce anxiety by carefully managing your time and energy. Make sure that you spend time doing things you enjoy.

Avoid unhealthy substance use. Alcohol and drug use and even caffeine or nicotine use can cause or worsen anxiety. If you're addicted to any of these substances, quitting can make you anxious. If you can't quit on your own, see your health care provider or find a treatment program or support group to help you.

》Prescription medication and behavioral therapy are the two effective treatments for social anxiety disorder. You may receive both at the same time.

》Celebs with Social Phobia

Oprah Winfrey

Kourtney Kardashian

Stephen Colbert

Whoopi Goldberg

Kristen Bell