Social Anxiety Disorder: Symptoms, Triggers & Treatment

A Quick Guide

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is characterized by an intense fear of social situations, and it can be treated through psychotherapy such as CBT and medication like anti-anxiety or antidepressant drugs, helping individuals overcome their anxiety symptoms and improve their quality of life.

What is Social Anxiety Disorder?

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is characterized by an intense fear of social situations. SAD is also known as social phobia. According to research from the National Institute Of Mental Health, it has been estimated that about 12.1% of adults have had social anxiety disorder at some point in their lives. While it can be really difficult to seek help with this issue because it almost feels impossible to interact with strangers, it is important you take the first step and start getting treatment for your social anxiety. Because SAD can further lead to other issues such as depression, OCD or substance abuse, etc. You should look for treatment options that you are most comfortable with.

Symptoms

So SAD can have effects on all aspects of an individual including physical, behavioral, and psychological. Moreover, it is commonly diagnosed if it causes extreme distress in your life. Some of its symptoms include the following: 

• Being rigid in body posture and having a soft voice during social interactions
• Difficulty in making or maintaining eye contact
• Evading circumstances that might trigger anxiety
• Extreme fear of judgment from others
• Fear of experiencing anxiety or appearing anxious in front of others
• Feeling very self-conscious, embarrassed, or awkward in front of others
• Feelings of fear or dread in situations with other people, especially strangers
• Having panic attacks
• Having trouble speaking
• High sensitivity to criticism, feeling of inferiority, low self-esteem, and negative self-talk
• Physical symptoms, such as sweating, blushing, quivering, nauseousness, an elevated heart rate, or your mind “going blank”

Some triggers

Social anxiety can be triggered by multiple factors among different people. These factors may include the following:

• Being called on to speak anywhere in a public setting
• Being seen while eating or drinking anything
• Having to perform in front of anyone
• Having to talk to a cashier or workers at a store
• Having to use a public restroom
• Meeting unfamiliar people
• Talking to people at work or school

Oftentimes, people don’t seek treatment for their condition. Because they simply think its a part of their personality. Moreover, untreated social anxiety can lead to depression and other issues.

Treatment

There are different treatments you can get for social anxiety disorder. Without treatment, SAD might persist throughout a person’s life. You may get treatment depending on the severity of your symptoms.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy or talk therapy may be typically used for the treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder. You can opt for different therapies such as CBT, interpersonal therapy, psychodynamic therapy, or family therapy. 

CBT is mostly used. It can help you understand that it’s your own thoughts not of others that determine your actions. It also helps you in recognizing your negative thought patterns and then changing them into more positive ones. Other than that, exposure therapy may also be used. It can help you gradually overcome your fear through exposure in a controlled environment. 

Medication

Your doctor may prescribe different types of medications ranging from anti-anxiety medication, and antidepressants to beta-blockers

Antianxiety Medication: These drugs are typically for short-term use as they can lead to addiction. It can quickly alleviate your anxiety symptoms. Though it is important that you follow your doctor’s complete instructions regarding their use. If for instance, it is combined with alcohol or other opioids, these drugs can be fatal.

Antidepressants: These drugs take several weeks up to months to show any effects. There are different types of SSRIs your doctor can prescribe.

Beta-Blockers: These drugs are used only in specific situations. They are used to block the physical effects of anxiety symptoms such as sweating, trembling, etc. This is done by blocking the effects of adrenaline in your body.

Read: 9 Strategies To Cope With Anxiety For A Balanced & Peaceful Mind

We hope you found this article helpful in understanding social anxiety disorder, and its symptoms. triggers and treatment.