How to Alleviate Social Anxiety Disorder
Social anxiety disorder once referred to as social phobia, is a disorder that involves a fear of social settings. People who struggle with this disorder often have a difficult time talking with others, meeting new people, or attending social events. This is not the typical personality of shyness. Shyness makes socializing difficult and social anxiety disrupts life and affects everyday living. Social anxiety disorder stems from the intense fear of being embarrassed or humiliated by their actions. It includes having a chronic fear of being judged for every action. This can be at school, work, social events, church, or any other setting where the person feels others may be watching them. It is not uncommon for social anxiety disorder to run in the family and be accompanied by other disorders such as depression or OCD. When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your comfort delights my soul. – Psalm 94:19, NASB Types of Social Anxiety Disorder Overall those who struggle with any one or two social settings are noted as having generalized social phobia. However, two categories can be used to group people based on the events that cause anxiety. Some people may develop social phobia as a result of some other medical condition such as Parkinson’s or a disfigurement. Performance Group: This group includes those who struggle with the idea of doing something in front of others. Interactional group: Individuals in this group typically fear situations where they have to engage with others, such as meeting new people. Symptoms: Though the person knows the fear doesn’t make any sense, they will continue to struggle with anxiety associated with that fear. When a person can identify the symptoms of social anxiety, they can find ways to cope with and manage the anxiety associated with the event. Physical symptoms The stress [...]
