All of us suffer from it. At one time or another we’ve had to give a speech or speak in front of an audience and our hand freezes, we get tongue tied and start sweating, our heart beats fast, hands tremble and we almost feel like we’re going to throw up or have a heart attack. It’s more than just being shy. What’s going on?
Social Anxiety
You’re having an anxiety attack and aren’t alone. The truth is it’s the third most common psychiatric disorder; 1 out of 8 Americans suffer from social anxiety disorder. However, there’s good news, this condition is treatable so if you had lost hope, sit back and continue reading. It may not happen overnight but with the right kind of treatment, you can get better. You’ll be confident to know that you can control your anxiety and live the way you want.
Signs and Symptoms
o Fear of a situation where you have to meet others and be scrutinized by them
o Intense anxiety of being in the presence of others
o Physical symptoms such as blushing, sweating, shaking, trembling, tense muscles, shaky voice, stuttering, dry mouth or a fast heart beat
o Panic attacks
o Repeated attacks of intense fear
o Feeling something terrible is going to happen
o Free of public speaking, giving a speech, going on a date or talking to your boss
o Standing up for yourself
What Causes Social Anxiety?
It can start as early as childhood and sometimes runs in families, especially when you have close relatives like parents and children. Maybe you experienced something traumatic that scarred you and though it’s not something welcoming, it’s not biased when it comes to men and women; they can both suffer from it.
Social anxiety disorder is also related to an imbalance of a chemical called serotonin that transports signals between nerve cells in your brain. It’s interesting to know that this same chemical has been linked to other mood and anxiety disorders.
Treatment
Cognitive behavioral therapy, which is talk therapy that teaches people to react differently to situations that trigger their symptoms
Social skills training where you rehearse problematic situations (role playing) where the person learns how to make eye contact, talk louder and slower, greet people, say good-bye, respond to requests, ask for favors and handle criticism. They’re shown to be assertive, not aggressive or passive. In other words not be a push over or someone they can walk over; by knowing what to do the person will have less anxiety. Keeping a diary of your progress is extremely important. It doesn’t matter if you fall short, keep going.
Something to keep in mind is that people who have this anxiety tend to use alcohol or drugs to self-medicate and cope with their problem. This is NEVER a good thing to do. What may help short-term can become a long-term problem.
Recovery
o Never let others discourage or make you feel ashamed
o Learn as much as you can about social anxiety disorder
o Seek others support; join a group with those who have the same problem
o Be active in how you’re doing, talk to your doctor
o Have a goal, no matter how small it may be, whether it’s to speak in front of a group or raise your hand
Always remember, no matter how long it takes, you’ll succeed.
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