When we first meet anxiety, the ultimate emotion that helps a 13-year-old girl named Riley in Disney’s summer blockbuster, “Inside Out 2,” The character introduces himself by saying that fear, another emotion we found in the first “Insider Out” movie, protects Riley “from the scary things he might see,” while his The job “is to protect her from the scary things that she has.” can not see.”
It is an appropriate way to describe how many people with anxiety They feel the uneasiness that comes with something unknown approaching. Although people experience anxiety in different ways and in many different situations, social anxiety is one of the most common, with almost 15 million American adults I was diagnosed with the disease only last year.
“While all fears and anxieties have underlying causes that can be addressed therapeutically,” says Juanita Guerra, PhD, a clinical psychologist in New Rochelle, New York, “if left untreated, any form of anxiety can become debilitating, whether it’s generalized anxiety disorder or social anxiety disorder.”
What is social anxiety?
Social anxiety is defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as an intense and persistent fear or worry about being in specific social situations because one believes that one will be mercilessly judged, embarrassed, or humiliated. “This leads to avoiding anxiety-producing social situations or enduring them with intense fear and anxiety,” Guerra says. Social anxiety often also brings with it a fear of rejection, which causes many people to avoid putting themselves in circumstances where they might be evaluated by another person.
Guerra says that all experiences some degree of anxiety or restlessness in social situations, but that when social anxiety begins to interfere with one’s ability to function and meet the demands of daily life, such as work, school, and relationships, “it may become pathological in nature and the affected individual should consider accessing mental health services.”
In fact, if left untreated, “social anxiety disorder can increase the risk of other mental health problems, such as depression and substance use disorder,” warns Dr. Elizabeth Hoge, a psychiatrist and director of the Anxiety Disorders Research Program at Georgetown University.
It’s also worth noting that social anxiety disorder is distinct from generalized anxiety disorder “in that it is triggered by the anticipation or preparation associated with being around other people,” explains Joanne Broder, PhD, a media psychologist and fellow of the American Psychological Association. This is one reason why social anxiety is so common. “Many other forms of anxiety are more specific to other fears, such as fires, heights, tests, snakes, etc. public speaking“he says, “all of which might be more avoidable than being in social situations.”
What causes social anxiety?
Although there is no single cause of social anxiety, Broder says it can be due to past trauma or a negative experience involving rejection, embarrassment, harassment, humiliation or ridicule. She says it can also happen when someone gets out of the habit of being around other people or when someone finds themselves in a new school or work environment “and just doesn’t know what to do, how to act, what to wear, etc.”
The most extreme extremes of social anxiety, such as social anxiety disorder, may be related to genetic or environmental factors. “People with a family history of social anxiety anxiety disorders are more likely to develop social anxiety,” Guerra says.
It may also be related to having grown up amid excessive family conflict or harsh discipline, having learned through a parent who dealt with social anxiety, or being the result of frequent poor interactions during childhood “that could have negatively affected a child’s confidence in the long term, leading to the development of social anxiety.”
How to solve social anxiety
To resolve milder forms of social anxiety, you need to prepare for unfamiliar situations before they occur by learning what’s likely to happen and even role-playing with other people, Broder says. She also recommends learning and repeating mantras to encourage yourself when you’re feeling stuck and recognizing that “you’re very likely not the only person in the room who’s feeling socially anxious.”
Guerra says that exposure therapy, such as the regular practice of being in social situations It’s the best way to feel more comfortable with it. “Once you do it and realize that it didn’t kill you or result in anything disastrous, you’ll be able to see that the fear in your head was much worse than the actual reality,” he says.
In more severe cases, such as when a person suspects they have social anxiety disorder, “they should talk to their doctor, who can recommend treatments,” Hoge says. Effective treatments include: Talk therapycognitive behavioral therapy and medication.
“However you choose to deal with your social anxiety, be patient with yourself,” Guerra suggests. “Progress may be slow, but never underestimate the power of taking small steps.”
