SOCIAL
ANXIETY
WHAT
IS SOCIAL ANXIETY?
Social Anxiety Disorder, also known as Social Phobia, is characterized
by a fear of being negatively judged by others. Anxiety may
be experienced in a variety of social situations, including:
- public speaking
- participating or presenting at meetings
- talking with a group of people
- being assertive with others
- dating or talking to romantic interests
- being watched while writing or eating
- having one-on-one conversations
- talking with authority figures
Many people feel temporary discomfort in these situations,
because social anxiety is a normal part of life. However, people
with social anxiety disorder experience fear in situations
like these to the point that it causes them problems and missed
opportunities. They may worry about upcoming social obligations
for days in advance. They may experience physical symptoms
such as a pounding heart, trembling or shaking, difficulty
breathing, or other panic-like feelings when in a feared social
situation. In an attempt to manage their anxiety, they might
begin avoiding the situations that make them feel anxious,
resulting in a limiting and unfulfilling lifestyle.
Having
extreme and frequent social anxiety often interferes with
a person’s quality of life and ability to function
well at work, school, or in relationships with others. People
with social anxiety disorder are at increased risk for depression,
alcohol abuse, and suicide attempts–even more so than
people who have other types of problems with anxiety. Fortunately,
social anxiety disorder is a treatable condition.
TREATMENT
FOR SOCIAL ANXIETY
Approaches
that work
Two
primary approaches have been proven effective in the treatment
of social anxiety disorder: (1) Cognitive-Behavior
Therapy (CBT) is a treatment
based firmly on research findings. A major focus of this
treatment is
to help individuals change the way they perceive situations
and events in their lives and develop skills to better cope
with anxiety.(2) Medication treatments have
also been proven to be effective in the treatment of social
anxiety disorder
Treatment
at the Adult Anxiety Clinic of Temple
The Social Anxiety Program at the AACT is a treatment,
research, and training clinic, funded by the National Institute
of Mental
Health, to study the nature and treatment of social anxiety
disorder and life problems associated with it. At any given
time, research studies are being conducted to evaluate
the effectiveness of treatments for social anxiety.
In fact, many of the people who seek treatment at the AACT
end up taking part in one of the ongoing treatment-outcome
studies. Evaluation and treatment (for qualified adults) are available
on a sliding fee scale, and participation in funded studies
is free of charge.
Checklist for
Signs of Social Anxiety
Please
take a moment to think about whether any of the following
statements apply to you. If you answer "yes" to
some of these statements, you may benefit from treatment
for social anxiety.
| 1. I
feel anxious or nervous when making presentations for
work or school (or almost always avoid these situations). |
Y |
N |
| 2. I
feel anxious or nervous when interacting with others
(or almost always avoid these situations). |
Y |
N |
| 3. I
feel anxious or nervous eating or drinking in front
of others. |
Y |
N |
| 4. I
have trouble being assertive with family, friends,
or strangers. |
Y |
N |
| 5. I
have difficulty interacting with authority figures
(i.e., boss or teacher). |
Y |
N |
| 6. I
have used alcohol or tranquilizers to calm my nerves
before interacting with others. |
Y |
N |
| 7. I
am afraid I will do something to humiliate or embarrass
myself in a social situation. |
Y |
N |
| 8. I
fear being judged as inadequate or incompetent by others. |
Y |
N |
|
