Social Anxiety Disorder (social phobia) is the third largest
mental health problem in the world. The latest government
epidemiological data show social phobia affects over 7 percent
of the population at any given time. The lifetime prevalence
rate -- the chances of developing social anxiety disorder
at any time during the lifespan -- stands at above 13 percent.
Anxiety
is a normal reaction to stress. It helps a person deal with
a tense situation at school or work or helps you study harder
for an exam, and keeps you focused on an important situation.
In general, it helps one cope. But when anxiety becomes an
excessive, irrational dread of everyday situations, it has
become a disabling disorder. There are five major types of anxiety disorders. They are:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Panic Disorder
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD)
Social Anxiety Disorder (Social
Phobia)Social anxiety is defined as: the fear of social situations
that involve interaction with other people. This includes
the fear and anxiety of being judged and evaluated by other
people. Social anxiety is often mixed up with panic disorder.
People with social anxiety do not experience panic attacks.
Social
anxiety disorder, also called social phobia, involves overwhelming
anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social
situations. People with social phobia have a persistent, intense,
and chronic fear of being watched and judged by others and
being embarrassed or humiliated by their own actions. Social
phobia can severely disrupt normal life, interfering with
school, work, or social relationships. While many people with
social phobia recognize that their fear of being around people
may be excessive or unreasonable, they are unable to overcome
it. They often worry for days or weeks in advance of a dreaded
social situation. The dread of a feared event can begin weeks
in advance and be quite debilitating.
Social
phobia can be limited to only one type of situation -- such
as a fear of speaking in front of others as in formal or informal
situations. Fear of eating, drinking, or writing in front
of others -- or, in its most severe form, may be so broad
that a person experiences symptoms almost anytime they are
around other people. Social phobia can be very debilitating
-- it may even keep people from going to work or school on
some days. Many people with this illness have a hard time
making and keeping friends.
Physical
symptoms often accompany the intense anxiety of social phobia
and include: nervousness, blushing, profuse sweating, trembling,
racing heart, nausea, dry mouth and throat, and difficulty
talking. If you suffer from social phobia, you may be painfully
embarrassed by these symptoms and feel as though all eyes
are focused on you. You may be afraid of being with people
other than your family.
People
with social phobia are aware that their feelings are irrational.
Even if they manage to confront what they fear, they usually
feel very anxious beforehand and are intensely uncomfortable
throughout. Afterward, the unpleasant feelings may linger,
as they worry about how they may have been judged or what
others may have thought or observed about them.
Social
phobia affects about 5.3 million adult Americans. Women and
men are equally likely to develop social phobia. The disorder
usually begins in childhood or early adolescence and there
is some evidence that genetic factors are involved. Social
phobia often co-occurs with other anxiety disorders or depression.
Substance abuse may develop in individuals who attempt to
"self-medicate" their social phobia by drinking
or using drugs to alleviate their symptoms. Social phobia
can be treated successfully with carefully targeted psychotherapy
or medications.
Therapy: Cognitive behavioral therapy for social anxiety
has shown to be successful. Thousands of research studies
now indicate that after cognitive behavioral therapy, people
with social anxiety disorder report a changed life -- one
that is no longer controlled by fear and anxiety.
The National Institutes of Mental Health funded studies report
a very high success rate using cognitive therapy and a behavioral
therapy group. Both are essential to alleviating anxiety symptoms
associated with this disorder.Medication: Social anxiety medication is useful for many
people, and psychologists and therapists should work with
the persons’ medical doctor and/or psychiatrist if at
all possible. For cases of generalized social anxiety,
research indicates use of the anti-anxiety agents, and certain
antidepressants in conjunction with behavioral therapy has
proven most beneficial. As to antidepressants, the MAOIs
have the highest success rate when combined with cognitive
behavioral therapy. Medication without cognitive behavioral
therapy has proven to be only temporarily helpful.
Treatment Specialties: Social anxiety, as well as the other
anxiety disorders, can be successfully treated. In seeking
help for this problem find a a specialist; someone who understands
this problem well and knows how to treat it. (Source:
National Institute of Mental Health)
For more on Anxiety Disorders
Get Information on PureCalm for Anxiety & Panic Attacks. One Reader with panic attacks gave it a great review. It really works for her when other medications did not.
