Social anxiety

 

Social anxiety, or fear of social situations, such as talking in front of groups of people, is one of the most common mental health conditions, affecting around 13% of people at some point during their lives. Symptoms can be a combination of emotional (anxiety, fear), physical (blushing, racing heart), and cognitive (thinking we are being scrutinized or negatively judged by people) responses and can cause significant distress, leading people to avoidance and, over time, having a significant impact on their lives.

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Types and Causes of Social Anxiety

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1. Generalized Social Anxiety: This type applies to many different social situations, where individuals feel anxious in almost all social interactions.

2. Specific Social Anxiety: This type is limited to specific situations, such as speaking in front of groups of people, which many people may experience.

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Common Causes of Social Anxiety

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1. Genetic Factors: Social anxiety can run in families, suggesting a genetic component.

2. Environmental Factors: Negative experiences such as bullying, rejection, or overprotective parenting can contribute to the development of social anxiety.

3. Learned Behaviours: Observing and mimicking anxious behaviours from parents or peers can also lead to social anxiety.

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Symptoms of Social Anxiety

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• Emotional Symptoms: Intense fear or anxiety in social situations.

• Physical Symptoms: Blushing, racing heart, trembling, sweating, or nausea.

• Cognitive Symptoms: Believing that others are having critical thoughts about us or that symptoms like hesitant speech are very noticeable and negatively judged.

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The Vicious Cycle of Social Anxiety

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One problem is that the avoidance associated with social anxiety means the fears and negative thoughts don’t get challenged. Social situations feel progressively more daunting, trapping individuals in a vicious cycle of rising anxiety and further avoidance.

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How Psychotherapy Can Help

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The good news is that social anxiety responds well to interventions. Psychotherapy can get to the bottom of what is happening and begin to unwind distorted thinking patterns. Here’s how different therapeutic approaches can help:

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• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): CBT is an evidence-based therapy that teaches healthier ways of thinking, behaving, and relating to situations, changing how we experience other people. It helps challenge the fear that others are judging us harshly and teaches us that people may be paying us a lot less attention than we imagine.

• Psychodynamic Therapy: This approach might look at the reasons why we feel others are so judgmental, possibly as a result of critical or demanding figures in our lives, or at other possible causes of self-esteem issues.

• Exposure Therapy: Gradually exposing individuals to feared social situations in a controlled manner can help reduce anxiety over time.

• Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques: These practices can help manage the physical symptoms of anxiety and promote a sense of calm.

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All these approaches point individuals towards more realistic ways of experiencing social situations, and with that, greater confidence in how to handle them.

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Keywords:

 

Social anxiety, fear of social situations, generalized social anxiety, specific social anxiety, genetic factors, environmental factors, brain structure, learned behaviours, emotional symptoms, physical symptoms, cognitive symptoms, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, CBT, psychodynamic therapy, exposure therapy, mindfulness, relaxation techniques, mental health.
 

Here are some TedX Talks with some interesting perspectives on social anxiety:

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Why We’re Socially Awkward and Why That’s Awesome

Social Anxiety in the Modern World

Social Anxiety: The Silent Pandemic That Needs A Louder Voice

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The sites below also have some useful information on social anxiety:

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Mayo Clinic

NHS

Mind

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