SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER

Social Anxiety Disorder

Carley Henry

Mid Michigan College

Psychology 101

Tara Cooper

November 19, 2018

What is Social Anxiety Disorder

Social anxiety disorder is a psychological disorder that is defined as intense anxiety or fear of

being judged, negatively evaluated, or rejected in a social or performance situation (ADAA,

n.d.). Social anxiety disorder is a chronic mental health condition that can be treated, treatment

depends on how much it affects the ability to function in daily life (Mayo Clinic, 2017). During

the teenage years, social anxiety disorder is most-likely to shape, extreme shyness as a child

increases the risk for social anxiety disorder. A person with social anxiety disorder feels

symptoms of anxiety or fear in certain or all social situations, such as meeting new people,

dating, being on a job interview, answering a question in class, or having to talk to a cashier in a

store (NIMH, n.d.). When living with social anxiety disorder, people tend to watch the way they

talk to people and judge themselves with the thought that other people are judging them. People

with social anxiety disorder usually avoid social situations, when the situation cannot be avoided

there is a feeling of distress and anxiety (ADAA, n.d.). When the anxiety kicks in, the heart rate

usually increases, sweating is normal, along with nausea. When confronting a feared situation, a

full blown attack can occur (NIMH, n.d.). People with social anxiety disorder can sometimes

hold back from using public restrooms and eating in public due to fear of being criticized,

humiliated, and judged. Social anxiety disorder affects approximately fifteen million American

adults and is the second most commonly diagnosed anxiety disorder following specific phobia

(ADAA, n.d.).

Complications

Some complications that are left untreated can potentially ruin your life. Anxiety can interfere

with daily living and cause people to hold back from doing the norm. Social anxiety disorder can

cause: low self-esteem, trouble being assertive, negative self-talk, hypersensitivity to criticism,
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poor social skills, isolation and difficult social relationships, low academic and employment

achievement, substance abuse, and suicide or suicide attempts (Mayo Clinic, 2017).

Symptoms

The symptoms of social anxiety disorder are: fear of situations in which you may be judged,

worrying about embarrassing or humiliating yourself, intense fear of interacting or talking with

strangers, fear that others can tell that you are anxious, fear of physical symptoms that may cause

you embarrassment (Mayo Clinic, 2017). Embarrassment such as blushing, sweating, trembling,

or having a shaky voice (Mayo Clinic, 2017). More symptoms include: avoiding doing things or

speaking to people out of fear of embarrassment, avoiding situations where you might be the

center of attention, having anxiety in anticipation of a feared activity or event, enduring a social

situation with intense fear or anxiety, spending time after a social situation analyzing you

performance and identifying flaws in your interactions, expecting the worst possible

consequences from a negative experience during a social situation (Mayo Clinic, 2017).

Adults/teens are more likely to have these symptoms, children usually cry and cling to parents.

Symptoms may be so extreme to the point that they disrupt daily life and can severely interfere

with daily routines, occupational performance, or social life, making it hard to complete school,

interview for a job, and have friendships and romantic relationships (ADAA, n.d.). Physical

symptoms of social anxiety disorder include: blushing, fast heartbeat, trembling, sweating, upset

stomach or nausea, trouble catching your breath, dizziness or lightheadedness, feeling that your

mind has gone blank, muscle tension (Mayo clinic, 2017). Social anxiety disorder symptoms can

change over time, they may flare up if you’re facing a lot of stress or demands (Mayo Clinic,

2017). Social anxiety disorder symptoms typically start in the teenage years, but meeting new
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people, giving a speech in public or making an important work presentation may trigger

symptoms for the first time (Mayo Clinic, 2017).

Causes & Risks

Social anxiety disorder can sometimes run in a family, but no one knows why some family

members have it and some do not (NIMH, n.d.). While social anxiety disorder can run in

families, it can also just be a learned behavior that has changed over time. Several parts of the

brain are involved in fear and anxiety (NIMH, n.d.). A structure in the brain called the amygdala

may play a role in controlling the fear response, people who have an overactive amygdala may

have a heightened fear response, causing increased anxiety in social situations (Mayo Clinic,

2017). Underdeveloped social skills are another possible contributor to social anxiety disorder,

for example, if you have underdeveloped skills, feelings of discouragement after talking with

people can occur and may cause worry about doing it in the future (NIMH, n.d.). Some people

might develop social anxiety disorder after an unpleasant or embarrassing social situation (Mayo

Clinic, 2017). There may be a relationship between social anxiety disorder and parents who

either model anxious behavior in social situations or are more controlling or overprotective of

their children, this indicates that a cause could be the person’s environment (Mayo Clinic, 2017).

Some risk factors for social anxiety disorder are: family history, you are more likely to develop

social anxiety disorder if your biological parents or siblings have the condition (Mayo Clinic,

2017). Negative experiences are also a risk factor, children who experience teasing, bullying,

rejection, ridicule or humiliation may be more prone to social anxiety disorder, other negative

events in life, such as family conflict, trauma or abuse, may be associated with social anxiety

disorder (Mayo Clinic, 2017). Temperament is another risk factor which includes children who
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are shy, timid, withdrawn or restrained when facing new situations or people may be at greater

risk (Mayo Clinic, 2017).

Treatment

Treatment for social anxiety disorder usually starts by talking to a doctor about the problems

occuring. After talking to the doctor about the problems, they may be recommended to see a

psychiatrist or counselor. Treatment starts by a diagnosis, DSM-5 criteria for social anxiety

disorder include: persistent and intense fear or anxiety about specific social situations because

they believe they may be judged or embarrassed and potentially humiliated (Mayo Clinic, 2017).

Avoidance of anxiety-producing social situations or enduring them with intense fear or anxiety,

excessive anxiety that’s out of proportion to the situation, anxiety or distress that interferes with

your daily living, fear or anxiety that is not better explained by a medical condition, medication

or substance abuse (Mayo Clinic, 2017). Social anxiety disorder is usually treated with

psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is especially useful for treating it (NIMH,

n.d.). In therapy, you learn how to recognize and change negative thoughts about yourself and

develop skills to help you gain confidence in social situations (Mayo Clinic, 2017). Though

several types of medication are available, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are

often the first type of drug tried for persistent symptoms of social anxiety (Mayo Clinic, 2017).

Despite the availability of effective treatments, fewer than 5% of people with social anxiety

disorder seek treatment in the year following initial onset and more than a third of people report

symptoms for 10 or more years before seeking help (ADAA, n.d.).

Self Reflection

Dealing with social anxiety disorder myself, has been quite a challenge. I can 100% tell a

difference from when I’m very stressed out and when I am not. When I am stressed out I am
SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER

more likely to have an episode than when I am not stressed. I have been diagnosed by my doctor

and a psychiatrist. I go to therapy about two to three times a month and I am seeking medication.

I’ve had anxiety to the point where I can not go into stores/ public places by myself and if I do I

find myself running through the store and not taking my time to pick out what I actually want.

Living with social anxiety/basic anxiety is challenging due to the fact that I sit for hours thinking

about the last thing I said to the point where I have to call someone to distract myself.

Conclusion

Social anxiety disorder is extreme and persistent fear, anxiety, and avoidance of social situations

in which the person could be viewed in a negative way. 12% of the US population has this

disorder.

Reference Page
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Social Anxiety Disorder: More Than Just Shyness. (n.d.). Retrieved from NIMH

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/social-anxiety-disorder-more-than-just-

shyness/index.shtml

Social anxiety disorder (social phobia). (2017, August 29). Retrieved from Mayo Clinic

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/social-anxiety-disorder/diagnosis-treatment/drc-

20353567

Social Anxiety Disorder. (n.d.). Retrieved from ADAA https://adaa.org/understanding-

anxiety/social-anxiety-disorder