Social Phobia
Social phobia (also known as social anxiety) is a type of anxiety disorder that evokes extreme feelings of shyness, self-consciousness, fear, uncertainty, nervousness, etc. Generally, this results in a persons inability to participate in everyday social interactions. The truth is, people with social phobia can usually interact well with family and close friends. However meeting new people, talking in groups, or speaking in public can spark their social anxiety. Instead of enjoying social activities, people with social phobia might dread them and avoid some of them altogether.
THE FEAR REACTION
Similar to other phobias, being social is a feared reaction to something that isn't actually dangerous — although the body and mind do react as if the danger is real. This means the persons body may feel a “fight–flight response” such as: an elevated heartbeat, perspiration, and heavy breathing. This response is caused by a rush of chemicals that prepare the body to either fight or make a quick getaway. This biological mechanism kicks in when we feel afraid and is a built-in nervous system response that alerts the body when danger is near.
With social phobia, this response gets activated too frequently. The danger feels real so the person will react negatively causing them unable to interact. Often times, these sensations lead people to avoid the situation altogether. "Uh-oh, my heart's pounding, this must be dangerous — I'd better not do it!". As compared to individual's who don’t suffer from social phobia that might interpret the same sensations of nervousness differently. "OK, that's just my heart beating fast. It's me getting nervous because it's almost my turn to speak. It happens every time. No big deal."
WHAT ARE PEOPLE AFRAID OF?
With social phobia, a person's fears and concerns are focused on their social performance. People with social phobia tend to fear judgment by others, embarrassment, making mistakes, or be criticized or laughed at. No one wants to experience these things, but most people don't really spend much time worrying about it.
AFFECTS of SOCIAL PHOBIA
Thoughts and fears get exaggerated in someone's mind. The person starts to focus on the embarrassing things that could happen, instead of the good things. This makes a situation seem much worse than it is and influences a person to avoid it. Some of the ways social phobia can affect someone's life include:
David can’t sleep at night because a meeting is scheduled the next day at work where he will be speaking publicly
Lisa has severe heart palpitations when standing in line at the grocery store because she's afraid that everyone is watching her
A student does not attend her university classes on the first day because she knows the professor will instruct the students to go around the room and introduce themselves
COPING STRATEGIES
People with social phobia can learn to manage fear, develop confidence and coping skills. Overcoming social phobia means gaining the courage it takes to go beyond what's comfortable, one step at a time. Here are some coping strategies:
Therapists : Therapists can help people recognize triggers and create a plan to face social fears one by one. They may also provide strategies to build the skills and confidence to practice new behaviors in social environments.
Family or Friends: Family and friends can encourage people with social phobia to pick a small goal to aim for, remind them of their success, and be there when they might feel discouraged. Positive and supportive family and friends are there to celebrate each small success along the way.
Overcoming Social Phobia: Overcoming social phobia takes patience, courage, and a willingness to change . It takes a commitment to go forward rather than looking backwards. Little by little, someone who decides to cope with social phobia can learn to be more comfortable and build enough confidence to take the next small step. As fears begin to melt, confidence and positive feelings build. Pretty soon, the person is thinking less about what might feel uncomfortable and more about what might be fun.