Social Phobia – Causes, Symptoms and Treatments!

Social Phobia – Causes, Symptoms and Treatments that we should not ignore. Furthermore, during the natural course of life, it is common for situations to arise in which we need to prepare ourselves for what is new and unexpected. The reactions of our organism make us able to avoid danger or threat, whether in cases of pain, fatigue , effort , or frustration, separation, etc., and with that comes anxiety , a normal human response that arises. as a function of adaptation to these situations.

Thus, anxiety is not a negative condition, as it motivates us to provide means of coping with certain events and in an attempt to reduce their consequences.

However, when anxiety leaves its normal level and becomes exaggerated, it becomes pathological and harmful, and can lead to anxiety disorders. And within the set of these disorders, there is social anxiety disorder , or social phobia as it is known, which we will talk about next.

In this disorder, anxiety is intense, leading to an acute crisis, and it differs from common shyness, since the degree of anxiety is greater before and during the social situation, and the degree of damage that occurs in professional, school and social life. of the person also compromises him.

Social interactions, meeting an acquaintance, public speaking, interacting with strangers, making eye contact, starting conversations, going to school or work, dating.

Causes of Social Phobia: It is normal to feel anxious and insecure in situations like these and we usually become familiar with the place, getting along with other people and making friends. However, with the person affected by Social Phobia this does not occur, since the fear and symptoms of anxiety remain all the time just imagining these situations or being in front of them.

Shyness or feeling uncomfortable in certain social situations are not necessarily signs of social anxiety disorder , especially in children. The way a person behaves in a given social situation depends and varies greatly, according to personality and life experiences. Some people are naturally reserved and others are more outgoing.

Symptoms of Social Phobia: The symptoms of social phobia go far beyond these symptoms. In addition to daily nervousness, other signs of the disorder include marked fear and anxiety , which directly affect the person’s quality of life, compromising their daily routine, performance at work, school and other activities.

The main signs and symptoms of social phobia, in terms of feelings and behavior, include more pronounced sensations, such as:

• Fear of situations where you might be judged, of interacting with strangers, of showing your anxiety and apprehension at social events. Fear, too, of physical symptoms that could cause embarrassment, such as easy blushing, sweating, tremors, or a shaky voice
• Concern about going through embarrassing or humiliating situations or even offending someone;
• Avoiding doing certain things or talking to people for fear of embarrassment, avoiding situations where you might be the center of attention
• Anxiety when waiting for something, such as an event or activity:

It is also common for people who suffer from this disorder to spend some time after the end of a social situation analyzing their own performance and trying to identify flaws in their interactions or in their way of acting and behaving.

People suffering from social phobia also tend to be very pessimistic, always expecting the worst, especially in social situations.

Treatment For Social Phobia:  The two most common types of treatment for social phobia are medication and psychotherapy. These two approaches can be used together if the psychiatrist believes that a combination of both may be more effective for the patient.

Psychotherapy: There are several forms of psychotherapy, the most studied and with the best results for social phobia, Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy. It is a type of treatment that usually has a great effect on the quality of life of people with social phobia, reducing their symptoms.

In cognitive therapy, the patient learns to recognize the negative thoughts he carries with him and then change them, developing skills that help him gain confidence (especially in social situations.

Medications:  Various types of medications are used to treat social anxiety disorder . However, serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are often the first and main type of medication used to treat symptoms of social phobia. Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) may also be an option for the disorder.