Social Anxiety Disorder

Social anxiety disorder is a mental disorder that leads to severe anxiety, fear, and distress in social situations. This condition can significantly impair your ability to function in daily life.

What Is Social Anxiety Disorder?

Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is associated with severe anxiety and fear in social settings, such as public gatherings, meetings, social events, public performances, etc [mfn] Jefferson J. W. (2001). Social Anxiety Disorder: More Than Just a Little Shyness. Primary care companion to the Journal of clinical psychiatry, 3(1), 4–9. https://doi.org/10.4088/pcc.v03n0102 [/mfn]. People suffering from social phobia are always apprehensive about negative scrutiny and public humiliation.

They may be wary of attending social events, forming new relationships, appearing for a job interview, eating in front of others, etc. Social phobia can manifest itself as anxious and fearful behavior in social settings and can also involve a number of physical and mental symptoms, such as blushing, sweating, and shaking.

People with social anxiety disorder tend to have unrealistic standards for their own social behavior and underestimate their ability to cope with social situations [mfn] Hofmann, S. G. (2007). Cognitive factors that maintain social anxiety disorder: A comprehensive model and its treatment implications. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 36(4), 193-209. https://doi.org/10.1080/16506070701421313 [/mfn].

People living with social anxiety disorders often resort to “safety behaviors” [mfn] Evans, R., Chiu, K., Clark, D. M., Waite, P., & Leigh, E. (2021). Safety behaviors in social anxiety: An examination across adolescence. Behavior research and therapy, 144, 103931. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2021.103931 [/mfn] such as avoiding certain situations or focusing excessive attention on their minute movements in order to deal with the stress. They also have a tendency to ruminate about a single event or interaction and scrutinize every aspect of it.

The worldwide prevalence of social anxiety disorder is 5 to 10% [mfn] Rose GM, Tadi P. Social Anxiety Disorder. [Updated 2021 Sep 29]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555890/ [/mfn] and the lifetime prevalence is around 8.4% to 15%. Women are more commonly affected than men.

Shyness Vs. Social Anxiety

Social anxiety is often confused with shyness. However, a person who is shy in certain social situations might gradually be able to overcome the feeling on their own. On the other hand, social anxiety disorder is a more severe condition that affects a person’s quality of life and well-being on a regular basis and usually requires professional help.

Case Example

Jisha, a 28 year old copywriter, was plagued with the feeling that everyone was constantly judging her. She always wore a baseball cap or a hoodie in public, claiming that it made her feel safe from the scrutinizing gaze of people around.

Ever since childhood, Jisha had been labeled as the “shy” girl who struggled to make friends. Even as an adult, she often had a hard time conversing with people, and maintaining eye contact.

If she so much as had to make a phone call to place an order, her heart would start racing and she would pace for a good fifteen minutes before getting around to it.

She had a habit of going over every single conversation in her head, repeatedly analyzing everything she had said or done, and criticizing herself for not being confident enough.

Jisha’s fear of social interactions regularly slowed her down and caused her an immense amount of distress. Her acquaintances and colleagues often misperceived her behavior as arrogance or laziness, which increased her sense of guilt and loneliness.

However, Jisha was actually suffering from the debilitating condition of social anxiety disorder and had little control over her symptoms.

Symptoms Of Social Anxiety Disorder

Social anxiety disorder symptoms involve physiological, behavioral, and cognitive signs of severe anxiety and fear. These have been discussed below:

A. Physiological Symptoms

Social phobia induces a “fight-or-flight” response in its sufferers and this gets manifested in a number of physiological responses [mfn] Crişan, L. G., Vulturar, R., Miclea, M., & Miu, A. C. (2016). Reactivity to Social Stress in Subclinical Social Anxiety: Emotional Experience, Cognitive Appraisals, Behavior, and Physiology. Frontiers in psychiatry, 7, 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2016.00005 [/mfn] . These may include:

1. Blushing
2. Excessive sweating
3. Palpitations
4. Nausea
5. Shaking or trembling
6. Breathing problems
7. Fainting
8. Inability to walk properly
9. Crying
10. Disjointed speech

B. Behavioral Symptoms

Severe anxiety disorder causes people to be overtly self-conscious in their personal perceptions and assessment. They are burdened by dreads of scrutiny, criticism, judgment, and underperformance in social contexts. Because of this, they may display the following behavioral symptoms [mfn] National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (UK). Social Anxiety Disorder: Recognition, Assessment and Treatment. Leicester (UK): British Psychological Society (UK); 2013. (NICE Clinical Guidelines, No. 159.) 2, SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK327674/ [/mfn]:

1. Avoidance behavior (such as avoiding eye contact, physical contact, making conversation, etc.)
2. Awkward self-presentation
3. Withdrawing from social situations
4. Insecure, nervous, and unconfident behavior, etc.

C. Cognitive Symptoms

Social anxiety also involves a number of cognitive symptoms [mfn] Hofmann S. G. (2007). Cognitive factors that maintain social anxiety disorder: a comprehensive model and its treatment implications. Cognitive behaviour therapy, 36(4), 193–209. https://doi.org/10.1080/16506070701421313 [/mfn], which include the following:

1. Unrealistic social standards
2. Inability to select attainable social goals
3. Perception of self as a social object
4. Anticipation of negative evaluation from others
5. Negative interpretations of neutral events

Causes Of Social Anxiety Disorder

Social phobia has been examined from multiple perspectives—ranging from psychiatry and neuroscience to sociology and cultural studies. However, research is yet to uncover its exact causes. Some risk factors believed to influence the onset of social anxiety disorder are discussed below:

1. Biological Causes

Social anxiety disorder can be a result of genetic causes or dysregulation within the brain.

A. Heredity

Like any other behavioral disorder, social anxiety disorder shows great heritability [mfn] Lochner, C., Hemmings, S., Seedat, S., Kinnear, C., Schoeman, R., Annerbrink, K., Olsson, M., Eriksson, E., Moolman-Smook, J., Allgulander, C., & Stein, D. J. (2007). Genetics and personality traits in patients with social anxiety disorder: a case-control study in South Africa. European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, 17(5), 321–327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2006.06.010 [/mfn]. Research [mfn] Stein, M. B., Chen, C. Y., Jain, S., Jensen, K. P., He, F., Heeringa, S. G., Kessler, R. C., Maihofer, A., Nock, M. K., Ripke, S., Sun, X., Thomas, M. L., Ursano, R. J., Smoller, J. W., Gelernter, J., & Army STARRS Collaborators (2017). Genetic risk variants for social anxiety. American journal of medical genetics. Part B, Neuropsychiatric genetics : the official publication of the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics, 174(2), 120–131. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajmg.b.32520 [/mfn] suggests that a person is at a two- or three-fold greater risk of having social anxiety disorder if a first-degree relative already has it.

B. Brain chemistry

Research [mfn] Fink, M., Akimova, E., Spindelegger, C., Hahn, A., Lanzenberger, R., & Kasper, S. (2009). Social anxiety disorder: epidemiology, biology and treatment. Psychiatria Danubina, 21(4), 533–542. [/mfn] has attributed the pathological causes of social phobia to neurotransmitters (such as dopamine, glutamate, serotonin) and increased activity in the limbic regions of the brain.

A 2007 meta-analysis [mfn] Etkin, A., & Wager, T. D. (2007). Functional neuroimaging of anxiety: a meta-analysis of emotional processing in PTSD, social anxiety disorder, and specific phobia. The American journal of psychiatry, 164(10), 1476–1488. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2007.07030504 [/mfn] suggests that individuals with a social anxiety disorder may have hyperactivation in the amygdala, the dorsal anterior cingulate, and insula areas—which are frequently associated with fear and negative emotional processing.

2. Psychosocial Causes

There are several psychosocial [mfn] Hudson, J. L., & Rapee, R. M. (2000). The Origins of Social Phobia. Behavior Modification, 24(1), 102–129. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145445500241006 [/mfn] and developmental risk factors that may make a person more prone to social phobia. A 2007 study [mfn] Hofmann S. G. (2007). Cognitive factors that maintain social anxiety disorder: a comprehensive model and its treatment implications. Cognitive behavior therapy, 36(4), 193–209. https://doi.org/10.1080/16506070701421313 [/mfn] states that people who are inclined to inhibited shyness, unexpected bursts of emotions, lack of internal control, avoidant behavior, and interpersonal sensitivity are more susceptible to social anxiety.

Some other factors that might play a role in the development of social phobia are:

A. Temperament

Temperament [mfn] Rettew, D. C., & McKee, L. (2005). Temperament and its role in developmental psychopathology. Harvard review of psychiatry, 13(1), 14–27. https://doi.org/10.1080/10673220590923146 [/mfn] is the early occurrence of traits or range of characteristics that go on to form a personality. Temperament research suggests that people who had a higher level of behavioral inhibition (BI) as children are more likely to eventually develop social phobia.

B. Childhood environment

The degree to which a child is exposed to social situations can be a crucial factor in determining whether they will grow up to be socially anxious. Restricted exposure can prevent a person from learning appropriate social skills. Moreover, if a child grows up around people who are also socially anxious, it is more likely that they will also learn the same behavior.

C. Parenting style

It has been seen that overprotection on the part of a parent can lead to social withdrawal in children. This can often develop into a social anxiety disorder. “Helicopter parenting” [mfn] Srivastav, D., & Mathur, M. L. (2020). Helicopter Parenting and Adolescent Development: From the Perspective of Mental Health. In L. Benedetto, & M. Ingrassia (Eds.), Parenting – Studies by an Ecocultural and Transactional Perspective. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.93155 [/mfn], a kind of parenting that involves a high level of involvement on the part of the parents, has also been found to be associated with social anxiety.

D. Traumatic experiences

First-hand negative social experiences involving public criticism and humiliation are potential triggers for social phobia. Some experiences that can lead to its onset include:

• Bullying and harassment
• Peer and parental pressure on children and adolescents [mfn] Khalid-Khan, S., Santibanez, M. P., McMicken, C., & Rynn, M. A. (2007). Social anxiety disorder in children and adolescents: epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Paediatric drugs, 9(4), 227–237. https://doi.org/10.2165/00148581-200709040-00004 [/mfn]
• Emotional abuse involves intimidation, gaslighting, competitive berating, negative appraisal, etc.

Diagnosing Social Anxiety Disorder

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) 5, social anxiety disorder can be diagnosed [mfn] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. DSM-5 Changes: Implications for Child Serious Emotional Disturbance [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2016 Jun. Table 16, DSM-IV to DSM-5 Social Phobia/Social Anxiety Disorder Comparison. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519712/table/ch3.t12/ [/mfn] if a person has been experiencing debilitating fear in one or more social situations where they are exposed to “possible scrutiny” by other people, for a period of more than 6 months. The fear experienced should be out of proportion to the threat.

Mental health practitioners may examine self-reported data, patient history, symptoms, and other behavioral patterns [mfn] Liebowitz M. R. (1999). Update on the diagnosis and treatment of social anxiety disorder. The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 60 Suppl 18, 22–26. [/mfn] to arrive at a definite diagnosis. Certain assessments may also be used [mfn] Rose GM, Tadi P. Social Anxiety Disorder. [Updated 2021 Sep 29]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555890/ [/mfn] for the diagnosis of social anxiety disorder such as:

• Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN)
• Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS)
• Liebowitz Self-Rated Disability Scale
• Brief Social Phobia Scale (BSPS)
• Social Phobia Safety Behaviors Scale
• Self Statements During Public Speaking Scale, etc.

Social Anxiety Disorder Treatment

Treatments for social anxiety disorder can include therapy or medication. Some of the most common treatment approaches are mentioned below:

1. Psychotherapy

Studies have found various psychotherapy treatment approaches to be effective for social anxiety disorder. Some of them have been elaborated on below.

I. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is currently considered the “gold standard” [mfn] Goldin, P. R., Ziv, M., Jazaieri, H., Hahn, K., Heimberg, R., & Gross, J. J. (2013). Impact of cognitive behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorder on the neural dynamics of cognitive reappraisal of negative self-beliefs: randomized clinical trial. JAMA psychiatry, 70(10), 1048–1056. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.234 [/mfn] psychological treatment approach for social phobia. Studies [mfn] Hofmann, S. G., & Scepkowski, L. A. (2006). Social Self-Reappraisal Therapy for Social Phobia: Preliminary Findings. Journal of cognitive psychotherapy, 20(1), 45–57. https://doi.org/10.1891/jcop.20.1.45 [/mfn] show that CBT induces healthy self-focused attention and self-perception, and leads to reduction [mfn] Behera, N., Samantaray, N. N., Kar, N., Nayak, M. R., & Chaudhury, S. (2020). Effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy on social anxiety disorder: A comparative study. Industrial psychiatry journal, 29(1), 76–81. https://doi.org/10.4103/ipj.ipj_2_20 [/mfn] of social withdrawal symptoms [mfn] Tsitsas, G. D., & Paschali, A. A. (2014). A Cognitive-Behavior Therapy Applied to a Social Anxiety Disorder and a Specific Phobia, Case Study. Health psychology research, 2(3), 1603. https://doi.org/10.4081/hpr.2014.1603 [/mfn].

About 56% to 95% of patients suffering from social anxiety disorder find respite by CBT [mfn] Pinjarkar, R. G., Sudhir, P. M., & Math, S. B. (2015). Brief cognitive behavior therapy in patients with social anxiety disorder: a preliminary investigation. Indian journal of psychological medicine, 37(1), 20–25. https://doi.org/10.4103/0253-7176.150808 [/mfn].

Read More About CBT Here

II. Group psychotherapy

Group psychotherapy [mfn] Barkowski, S., Schwartze, D., Strauss, B., Burlingame, G. M., Barth, J., & Rosendahl, J. (2016). Efficacy of group psychotherapy for social anxiety disorder: A meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials. Journal of anxiety disorders, 39, 44–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2016.02.005 [/mfn] has been proven to be quite effective for treating social anxiety disorder. In fact, cognitive behavioral group therapy for social phobia (CBGT) is the most validated approach to treating severe social phobia.

It is both an educational and supportive therapy. It enhances social skills while also addressing problems faced in socialization. Social self-appraisal therapy is another form of group therapy that focuses on addressing issues [mfn] Farmer, A. S., & Kashdan, T. B. (2012). Social anxiety and emotion regulation in daily life: spillover effects on positive and negative social events. Cognitive behaviour therapy, 41(2), 152–162. https://doi.org/10.1080/16506073.2012.666561 [/mfn] of social skills and self-perceptions via discussions, video feedback, audio feedback, mirror exposure,etc. .

III. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) [mfn] Goldin, P. R., Morrison, A. S., Jazaieri, H., Heimberg, R. G., & Gross, J. J. (2017). Trajectories of social anxiety, cognitive reappraisal, and mindfulness during an RCT of CBGT versus MBSR for social anxiety disorder. Behaviour research and therapy, 97, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2017.06.001 [/mfn] enables people to practice self-acceptance and meaningful communication [mfn] Dalrymple, K. L., Morgan, T. A., Lipschitz, J. M., Martinez, J. H., Tepe, E., & Zimmerman, M. (2014). An Integrated, Acceptance-Based Behavioral Approach for Depression With Social Anxiety: Preliminary Results. Behavior modification, 38(4), 516–548. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145445513518422 [/mfn]. In a 2014 study [mfn] Niles, A. N., Burklund, L. J., Arch, J. J., Lieberman, M. D., Saxbe, D., & Craske, M. G. (2014). Cognitive mediators of treatment for social anxiety disorder: comparing acceptance and commitment therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Behavior therapy, 45(5), 664–677. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2014.04.006 [/mfn], it was found that ACT predicted better outcomes post-treatment in over 39% of patients suffering from social anxiety disorder.

2. Medication

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) [mfn] Chu A, Wadhwa R. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors. [Updated 2021 May 10]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554406/ [/mfn], a second-generation antidepressant [mfn] Hansen, R. A., Gaynes, B. N., Gartlehner, G., Moore, C. G., Tiwari, R., & Lohr, K. N. (2008). Efficacy and tolerability of second-generation antidepressants in social anxiety disorder. International clinical psychopharmacology, 23(3), 170–179. https://doi.org/10.1097/YIC.0b013e3282f4224a [/mfn] is the most preferred form of medical treatment for social anxiety disorder [mfn] Hjorth, O. R., Frick, A., Gingnell, M., Hoppe, J. M., Faria, V., Hultberg, S., Alaie, I., Månsson, K., Rosén, J., Reis, M., Wahlstedt, K., Jonasson, M., Lubberink, M., Antoni, G., Fredrikson, M., & Furmark, T. (2021). Expectancy effects on serotonin and dopamine transporters during SSRI treatment of social anxiety disorder: a randomized clinical trial. Translational psychiatry, 11(1), 559. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-021-01682-3 [/mfn]. Some commonly used SSRIs are:

• Paroxetine [mfn] Book, S. W., Thomas, S. E., Randall, P. K., & Randall, C. L. (2008). Paroxetine reduces social anxiety in individuals with a co-occurring alcohol use disorder. Journal of anxiety disorders, 22(2), 310–318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2007.03.001 [/mfn]
• Sertraline
• Escitalopram [mfn] Pallanti, S., & Quercioli, L. (2006). Resistant social anxiety disorder response to Escitalopram. Clinical practice and epidemiology in mental health : CP & EMH, 2, 35. https://doi.org/10.1186/1745-0179-2-35 [/mfn]
• Venlafaxine XR
• Fluvoxamine CR (luvox CR) [mfn] Irons J. (2005). Fluvoxamine in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment, 1(4), 289–299. [/mfn].

Research [mfn] Cassano, G. B., Baldini Rossi, N., & Pini, S. (2002). Psychopharmacology of anxiety disorders. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience, 4(3), 271–285. https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNS.2002.4.3/gcassano [/mfn] shows that SSRIs help reduce general anxiety [mfn] Williams, T., Hattingh, C. J., Kariuki, C. M., Tromp, S. A., van Balkom, A. J., Ipser, J. C., & Stein, D. J. (2017). Pharmacotherapy for social anxiety disorder (SAnD). The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 10(10), CD001206. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD001206.pub3 [/mfn], hostility, and frenzied behavior.

In most cases, a combination of psychotherapy and SSRIs is used to treat severe social anxiety.

Myths About Social Anxiety

Social anxiety disorder is an underdiagnosed anxiety disorder, a fact that can be attributed to the misunderstanding surrounding it. Some of the myths regarding social phobia have been countered below.

1. Social anxiety is same as introversion

Social anxiety disorder is sometimes confused with shyness or introversion. However, it should be noted that while introversion is simply a normal personality type, social anxiety disorder is a more severe condition that warrants treatment.

2. Social phobia is the same as other phobias

Social anxiety disorder, though synonymously termed as “social phobia”, should be differentiated from specific phobias like claustrophobia, hydrophobia, and the like. According to a 2003 study [mfn] Schneier F. R. (2003). Social anxiety disorder. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 327(7414), 515–516. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.327.7414.515 [/mfn], social phobia is different from other phobic disorders by the characteristic age of onset in the mid-teens and greater ratio of women to men.

3. Social phobia and anxiety disorders are same

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) prescribes specific criteria for the diagnosis of social anxiety disorder [mfn] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. DSM-5 Changes: Implications for Child Serious Emotional Disturbance [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2016 Jun. Table 16, DSM-IV to DSM-5 Social Phobia/Social Anxiety Disorder Comparison. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519712/table/ch3.t12/ [/mfn] which is different from other disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder. [Read more]

Social phobia may sometimes manifest in a panic attack, which is a key symptom of panic disorders [mfn] Cackovic C, Nazir S, Marwaha R. Panic Disorder. [Updated 2021 Jul 10]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430973/ [/mfn]. However, symptoms of social phobia can be differentiated by their confinement to situational encounters [mfn] Potter, C. M., Wong, J., Heimberg, R. G., Blanco, C., Liu, S. M., Wang, S., & Schneier, F. R. (2014). Situational panic attacks in social anxiety disorder. Journal of affective disorders, 167, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2014.05.044 [/mfn].

Read More About Panic Disorder Here

4. The “fear” in social anxiety is very common

The most common symptom of social anxiety disorder is extreme and persistent fear of embarrassment and humiliation while participating in social activities. And, this fear in social anxiety is very distinct.

This fear [mfn] Westenberg H. G. (1998). The nature of social anxiety disorder. The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 59 Suppl 17, 20–26. [/mfn] often results in self-defeating thoughts, ambiguous actions, cognitive distortions, and awkward self-presentation. One must be careful that this fear is not the effect of substance abuse or a different medical or psychological condition.

Coping Tips

Everyday life can be quite exhausting if you have social anxiety. It can often lead to other mental disorders such as depression and greatly affect your well-being.

Some self-help strategies for social anxiety that can go hand-in-hand with professional treatment have been mentioned below.

1. Recognize your symptoms and triggers
2. Practice mindfulness
3. Try participating in small support groups, like clubs, travel groups, etc.
4. Practice small-scale networking to broaden social horizons at a healthy and acceptable pace
5. Engage in stress management techniques, such as yoga [mfn] Hofmann, S. G., Curtiss, J., Khalsa, S., Hoge, E., Rosenfield, D., Bui, E., Keshaviah, A., & Simon, N. (2015). Yoga for generalized anxiety disorder: design of a randomized controlled clinical trial. Contemporary clinical trials, 44, 70–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cct.2015.08.003 [/mfn], meditation [mfn] Goldin, P., Ramel, W., & Gross, J. (2009). Mindfulness Meditation Training and Self-Referential Processing in Social Anxiety Disorder: Behavioral and Neural Effects. Journal of cognitive psychotherapy, 23(3), 242–257. https://doi.org/10.1891/0889-8391.23.3.242 [/mfn], deep breathing exercises, muscle relaxation techniques, [mfn] Goldin, P. R., & Gross, J. J. (2010). Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on emotion regulation in social anxiety disorder. Emotion (Washington, D.C.), 10(1), 83–91. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018441 [/mfn], etc.
6. Indulge in leisure activities like journaling, taking long walks, making art, [mfn] Abbing, A., Ponstein, A., van Hooren, S., de Sonneville, L., Swaab, H., & Baars, E. (2018). The effectiveness of art therapy for anxiety in adults: A systematic review of randomised and non-randomised controlled trials. PloS one, 13(12), e0208716. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0208716 [/mfn] or doing any other hobbies that may give you pleasure.
7. Be patient with yourself throughout the process of recovery.

Takeaway

Social phobia is one of the most common but widely underdiagnosed anxiety disorders. If not treated, it can interfere with your quality of life, career, and relationships. Early diagnosis and effective treatment (involving therapies, medication, self-help strategies, etc.) can significantly help manage and overcome the effects of social anxiety disorder.

At A Glance

1. Social anxiety or social phobia is the fear linked to being in social settings.
2. Its causes can range from genetic to psychological, biological, and socio-cultural factors.
3. Severe social anxiety manifests in negative emotions, avoidance and safety behaviors, disjointed speech, etc.
4. The symptoms of social anxiety involve blushing, palpitation, excessive sweating, breathing problems, fainting, etc.
5. If untreated, social phobia can lead to a number of severe physical and mental health conditions.
6. Social anxiety disorder also has negative effects on a person’s quality of life, reputation, career, and relationships.
7. The treatment for social anxiety includes both psychotherapies and medication.
8. Social phobia can be managed better with healthy coping strategies.

Frequently Answered Questions (FAQs)