| Social Anxiety Disorder
(Social Phobia) |
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Causes of Social Anxiety
Regarding possible causes of social anxiety, research suggests that both genetic and environmental factors are relevant. The origins of social anxiety are multiple. In order to treat your social anxiety, rather than focusing on why you have the problem, it is more useful to look at what is maintaining the problem treatment [see cognitive behaviour therapy].
Feared situations:
Some typical social situations feared by people with social anxiety include:
Speaking in a group
Giving a presentation or speech
Meeting new people
Being introduced
Talking to someone in authority
Being observed doing an activity
Eating or drinking in public
Using the telephone
Going to a party
Expressing your opinion
Returning faulty goods
Using public toilets
Being the centre of attention
Speaking to someone you're attracted to
Main fears:
If you have social anxiety you usually worry that others will notice your anxiety because of your blushing, sweating, shaking, or difficulty getting your words out.
Other fears triggered by social situations include:
I'll look uncomfortable or awkward
I'll seem weird or strange
I'll appear stupid or incompetent
I'll look embarrassed
I'll be boring
These fears tend to be triggered when just anticipating the social situation. You may also have noticed that, after the event, you often feel bad or worse when thinking about how you "performed". How you actually felt in the situation can play a big role in this "post-mortem".
Physical symptoms:
There are a number of typical physical symptoms experienced by people with social anxiety. These include:
Blushing
Shaking or trembling
Heart going fast
Sweating
Mind going blank
Shaky or soft voice
Problems concentrating
Urge to use the toilet
Breathe faster
Dizziness
Nausea or vomiting
Urge to escape
Behavioural symptoms:
As a result of your fears, you may do a number of things to try to prevent something bad from happening. These may include:
Avoiding the situation altogether
Avoiding similar sorts of situations
Leaving prematurely
Focusing on yourself
Trying not to draw attention to yourself
Keeping quiet
Not looking at other people
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