The Hard Facts About Social Phobia

Social Phobia, also known as social anxiety disorder is a psychiatric condition in which an excessive as well as chronic social anxiety is experienced by a person. Often times it leads to a lot of extreme stress as well as impairment in the daily functions of life. Social Phobia can be a fear of specific situations, called a specific disorder, or a fear of a lot of things, where it is diagnosed as a general disorder.

People who have this disorder experience a persistent phobia of being judged by others and being embarrased by what they do. They have difficulty in interacting with other people and become overly shy. This can be so extreme that the person may be unable to overcome this extreme shyness. At some point in time, more than a tenth of the population experiences the symptoms associated with social phobia.

Physical symptoms associated with social phobia or social anxiety disorder includes:

Excessive sweating(hyperhidrosis)

Stammering

Excessive blushing

Palpitations

Trembling

Nausea

Panic attacks due to excessive fear

Discomfort

Early diagnosis is needed so that further complications may be avoided. These complications may be in the form of depression, or drug and alcohol abuse. This is a defense mechanism, so that the person’s fear may be reduced when he or she is meeting people. According to studies, this is one of the most common psychiatric disorders, along with depression and alcohol abuse.

Usually, this disorder starts at a young age. A person may go through a traumatic childhood experience which may go unresolved to his teens and onwards to his adult life. The symptoms become pronounced during adolescence, from 14 to 16 years old. People who suffer from social phobia will often times avoid situations where social interaction is a must. They are self conscious of what they say or what they look like, and that they will be made fun of and people will not like them. This can last a lifetime if no appropriate and immediate action is taken.

There have been studies linking genetics to social anxiety disorder. If a member of a family suffers from this, there is a greater chance that other members and future generations might also suffer from this. But this is just a theory.

Treatment for social anxiety disorder may be in the form of medication or psychotherapy, or the combination of both. Studies have proven that cognitive behavior therapy is a very effective solution in treating social phobia, whether it is done on an individual or a group. A change of patterns of physical reactions to anxious social situations is sought by the cognitive and behavioral components.

Medicines for Social Anxiety Disorder include 2 types of depressants. These are the SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) and the SNRI (Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors). Today the public is more aware of the implications and effects of Social Anxiety Disorder because of medications marketing as well as public awareness campaigns have educated people about the problem of social anxiety disorder. If you or a loved one is experiencing the symptoms listed above, you should seek immediate medical advice to help you combat with this disorder.