How to tell if you have social anxiety disorder - Samarpan

In specific social settings, it's acceptable to feel anxious. For instance, giving a presentation or going on a date could make you feel butterflies. However, everyday encounters create major worry, self-consciousness, and shame when you have a social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, since you dread being scrutinized or adversely judged by others.

In social anxiety disorder, fear and stress lead to avoidance, which can have a detrimental effect on your life. Severe stress can affect relationships, day-to-day activities, work, school, and other endeavours.

While social anxiety disorder can be a long-term mental health issue, taking medication and learning coping mechanisms in psychotherapy can boost your self-esteem and enhance your social skills.

Signs and symptoms

Shyness or uneasiness in specific circumstances, particularly in young people, are not always symptoms of social anxiety disorder. Individuals' comfort levels in social settings differ based on their life experiences and personality features. While some people are more gregarious by nature, others are inherently quiet.

Unlike normal anxiety, social anxiety disorder is characterized by worry, anxiety, and avoidance that interferes with relationships, daily activities, jobs, education, and other endeavours. Usually starting in the early to mid-teens, social anxiety disorder can sometimes strike adults or younger children at earlier ages.

Behavioural and emotional signs

• Fear of being poorly judged in circumstances
• Fear making a fool of yourself or humiliating yourself
• severe anxiety while engaging or conversing with strangers
• Fear that people will see that you're nervous
• Fear of embarrassing physical symptoms, such blushing, sweating, shaking, or trembling when speaking
• avoidance of activities or social interactions due to embarrassment and fears
• Stay away from circumstances where you could be the centre of attention
• Anxiety that arises before a feared task or occasion
• severe anxiety or fear in social settings
• After a social scenario, an evaluation of your performance and a look for weaknesses in your interactions
• anticipation of the worst outcomes following an unpleasant social scenario encounter

Children may weep, have temper tantrums, cling to their parents, or remain silent in social situations to express their concerns about interacting with adults or peers.

When you perform or speak in public, you may have severe anxiety and panic, but not in other, more casual social settings. This is known as the performance kind of social anxiety disorder.

physical signs and symptoms

The following physical indications and symptoms can occasionally accompany social anxiety disorder:

• Blushing
• rapid heart rate
• shaky
• Perspiration
• nausea or upset stomach
• Having difficulty breathing
• Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
• feeling as though nothing is on your mind
• Tension in the muscles

Children may cry, throw temper tantrums, cling to their parents, or keep quiet in social situations to show that they are afraid of interacting with adults or their classmates.

You might not experience significant anxiety or panic in other, more relaxed social situations, but you might in public speaking or performing situations. The term "performance kind" refers to this type of social anxiety.

physical indications and manifestations

The following physical signs and symptoms may occasionally accompany social anxiety disorder:

• blushing, fast heartbeat
• shaky
• Sweat
• nausea or stomach discomfort
• breathing problems
• Dizziness or lightheadedness, or the impression that nothing is bothering you
• Muscle tenseness

The signs of social anxiety disorder might evolve. They can worsen if you're dealing with many expectations, stress, or changes in your life. If you don't get therapy, your anxiety is likely to deteriorate over time, even though avoiding anxious circumstances may temporarily improve your symptoms.

Reasons

Social anxiety disorder most likely results from a complicated interplay between biological and environmental factors, just like many other mental health diseases. Heredity characteristics are among the potential causes. Anxiety disorders are often inherited. It's unclear, though, how much of this may be learned behaviour and how much may be inherited.

• Structure of the brain. The amygdala (uh-MIG-duh-luh) is a brain structure that may regulate the response to fear. Individuals with an overactive amygdala may experience elevated anxiety in social circumstances due to a heightened fear response.
• Surroundings. Social anxiety disorder may be a learned trait; some people may have severe anxiety in the wake of an uncomfortable or embarrassing social event. Additionally, there can be a link between social anxiety disorder and parents who exhibit nervous behaviour in social settings or who overprotect or manage their kids excessively.

Factors at risk

The following are some things that can make someone more likely to acquire social anxiety disorder:

• Background in the family. If any of your siblings or biological parents suffer from social anxiety disorder, you are more likely to get it as well.
• Bad encounters. Youngsters who endure bullying, taunting, rejection, mockery, or embarrassment may be at higher risk of developing social anxiety disorder. In addition, this disease may be linked to other adverse life experiences like abuse, trauma, or conflict in the family.
• Temperament. Youngsters who exhibit shyness, timidity, withdrawal, or restraint around strangers or unfamiliar situations may be more vulnerable.
• More obligations in work or society. Symptoms of social anxiety disorder usually appear in adolescence. Still, they can also appear for the first time when a person meets new people, gives a speech in front of an audience, or presents a significant work.
• They were having a noticeable appearance or health issue. For instance, tremors, stuttering, or facial deformities brought on by Parkinson's disease might make some people feel more self-conscious and perhaps worsen their social anxiety problems.

Difficulties

Social anxiety disorder can take over your life if left untreated. Anxiety can cause problems at work, in the classroom, in relationships, or simply enjoying life. This illness may result in:

• Low regard for oneself
• Having a hard time being assertive
• negative dialogue with oneself
• Intolerance for criticism
• Inadequate social abilities
• Social ties that are challenging and isolation
• Poor performance in school and the workplace
• substance misuse, including excessive alcohol consumption
• Suicide or attempting suicide

Social anxiety disorder frequently coexists with other anxiety disorders and a few other mental health conditions, including major depressive disorder like eating disorder, Schizophrenia. and substance misuse issues.

Prevention

Although it is impossible to forecast what will lead someone to acquire an anxiety condition, if you already have anxiety, there are things you can do to lessen the severity of your symptoms:

• Seek early assistance:  Like many other mental health issues, anxiety can be more challenging to manage if you put off treatment.
• Maintain a journal: By keeping a journal of your personal life, you and your mental health provider can determine what's stressing you out and what seems to make you feel better.
• Establish priorities in your life: By carefully allocating your time and energy, you can lessen your tension. Make sure you engage in activities you find enjoyable.
• Steer clear of harmful substance use: Anxiety can be brought on by or made worse by the use of drugs, alcohol, caffeine, or nicotine. It might be unsettling to stop using any of these substances if you are addicted to them. See your doctor, look for a treatment program, or join a support group if you are unable to stop on your own.

How Can Samarpan Help?

Samarpan offers support for individuals who suspect they may have social anxiety. Through confidential consultations with trained professionals, Samarpan helps individuals recognize and understand the symptoms of social anxiety. Therapists at Samarpan work collaboratively with clients to assess their experiences and provide personalized strategies for managing social anxiety. Samarpan encourages individuals to explore their feelings and behaviours associated with social situations by offering a safe and supportive environment. Through evidence-based therapies such as cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy, Samarpan equips individuals with practical tools to overcome social anxiety. Additionally, Samarpan provides access to resources and support groups where individuals can connect with others facing similar challenges, fostering a sense of community and understanding. With Samarpan's guidance, individuals can gain clarity about their social anxiety and embark on a path towards greater confidence and well-being.