Social anxiety disorder is a common issue that people attend counselling to work through. So, what does social anxiety feel like for a person who has it? What are it’s causes and symptoms? And how can social anxiety be treated? Here’s more info:
Often, when clients with social anxiety attend sessions, they recognize their source of anxious thoughts and sensations: social settings. Many clients will think, “I just can’t bring myself to say anything in social settings because I’ll sound unintelligent and others will judge me.” Other clients say things like, “I can’t stand being in large groups. Sometimes I get hot and I don’t know what to say when people speak to me. Now I just avoid going out with big groups.”
Often, people with social anxiety disorder will become so overwhelmed in social situations that avoidance becomes a better option than going out and feeling overwhelmed and/or judged. This has serious implications for individuals who have to attend work or school where interaction with other people is necessary. The stress and anxiety of socializing can be debilitating for some and it’s important to know that you don’t have to feel that way. There are ways to address this in counselling where you’re able to develop strategies that work for you in social settings.
What is Social Anxiety Disorder, Anyway?
As you might have guessed, social anxiety is feelings of intense worry or overwhelm that show up when an individual is in a social setting. This doesn’t have to be a big group setting either. Social anxiety can show up in any interpersonal interaction, making it very difficult for some people to date, make friends, work, or go to school. The fear of judgement, being rejected, or embarrassed motivates this type of anxiety, leading to the lessening of an individual’s quality of life.
Anxiety is also future-oriented, as a lack of control and worry about what might happen is often present. If a person experiences social anxiety and they are invited to an event or gathering that is a few weeks or days away, the person will likely become anxious when they get the invitation and the anxiety may escalate until the moment they arrive. Due to the aforementioned fears, it’s not uncommon for people who experience social anxiety to choose not to go to spare them the frustration and constant underlying worry about interacting with other people. Therefore, avoidance of social situations is very common for individuals with social anxiety disorder.
What Causes Social Anxiety Disorder?
This is still not completely clear however, research has given us more information over the years about how the brain and nervous system function in relation to anxiety. Children and adults can develop social anxiety; however, some adults are more likely than others to show symptoms based on childhood experiences. We do know that environment, genetics, and an overactive fear response (amygdala) in the brain can also contribute to anxiety.
A study from 2018 by Danko et al. highlights that social anxiety is common, and 50% of children often display specific behaviours before age six. There are many factors to consider in children, such as those who are shy or displaying social withdrawal from a young age (Danko et al., 2018). Understanding specific behaviours from a young age allow teachers and parents to help intervene early so that children have a better chance of developing feelings of safety in social settings. Social anxiety can also begin in adolescence.
Some adults who experienced some social anxiety when they were young may experience less social anxiety with age. It is not unusual, however, for high-stress situations to lead to an increase in anxious thoughts and behaviours related to social situations.
There are adults who also experience performance anxiety which is less broad than social anxiety. For example, performance anxiety may show up when a person has a presentation at work. This doesn’t however mean that the same person has anxiety in more relaxed social settings without a performative component.
Here are different symptoms of social anxiety. Remember, each person is different.
Physical Symptoms May Include:
· Blushing
· Sweating
· Racing heart
· Tension in the body
· Nausea
· Head goes blank
· Feeling unsteady
Behavioural Symptoms May Include:
· Going to work
· Going to school
· Avoiding eye contact
· Avoiding meeting new people
· Avoiding dates
· Going to or using public facilities
· Starting conversations
· Initiating contact with others
Emotional & Mental Symptoms May Include:
· Constant fear of judgement in social settings
· Constant fear that others will notice your anxiety
· Worry that you will humiliate yourself
· Worry about saying the wrong thing
· Fear about social situations due to mind always jumping to worst-case scenarios
· Spending time worrying and overanalyzing what you said and what might happen
· Avoiding sharing due to overwhelm and fear
Is there a way to overcome social anxiety?
Absolutely. There are lots of tools that you can get to help you manage your anxiety and depending on its roots, some people can reduce their anxious experiences by engaging with different therapeutic methods. Also, some people prefer to get anxiety medication, which can help. If you tend to numb with substances, a suggestion is to try to reduce your substance use to be able to work through the anxiety, rather than numb it. Give yourself some time to adjust if you do choose to engage in counselling.
Of course, as with literally all symptoms of all “disorders”, the most important thing that you can do for yourself is to engage in self-care. Self-care is made up of activities that you enjoy. For some this includes physical exercise, for others it includes nice baths, being creative, rest…whatever works for you, do it. Put yourself first so that you have the energy to work through your own issues and give back to others.
If you’d like more help, OR ARE LOOKING FOR CBT THERAPIST IN VANCOUVER, feel free to get in touch for more information! You are never alone in your journey to improving your quality of life and your mental, emotional, and physical well-being!