How to recognize social phobia

Video: Social Anxiety Disorder - causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, pathology

Content

Steps
Method 1 of 6: Understanding Social Phobia correctly
Method 2 of 6: Signs of social phobia in the social environment
Method 3 of 6: Signs of social anxiety at school and at work
Method 4 of 6: Signs of Social Phobia in Children
Method 5 of 6: Coping with social anxiety disorder
Method 6 of 6: Coping with Social Anxiety in Your Child
Tips
Warnings

Social anxiety disorder, more commonly known as social anxiety disorder, is very common.However, the disorder is difficult to diagnose and is often mistaken for other mental disorders. A person with social phobia often experiences uncontrollable feelings of anxiety or fear when entering a social environment or in the center of attention. Such anxiety can manifest itself even on a physical level in the form of tremors, intense sweating and the appearance of color on the face. If you are worried that you or your loved ones have social anxiety, read on for more details on what to look out for.

Steps

Method 1 of 6: Understanding Social Phobia correctly

1 Study the symptoms of social phobia. Knowing the most common symptoms of social anxiety disorder will help you recognize the disorder. People with social phobia experience an exaggerated sense of fear of situations in which they need to communicate with strangers or be the center of attention. These are situations such as public speaking, presentations, meeting new people and socializing. People with social phobia may respond to these situations in the following ways:
- have a pronounced sense of anxiety
- try to avoid such situations
- they show physical symptoms of anxiety, such as flushing of the face, shaking limbs, and vomiting.
2 Learn to distinguish social phobia from normal anxiety. Everyone experiences anxiety and excitement from time to time. Any new situation or situation that involves public speaking, social interaction, or attention from other people can cause some anxiety and fear, and this is normal. This kind of excitement helps prepare for the upcoming situation. The problem arises when this fear and anxiety takes over completely, rendering you incapable of functioning, forcing you to act irrationally, or to avoid the situation altogether.
- Normal levels of anxiety and anxiety include the following: a sense of apprehension before appearing in public or performing; Shyness or awkwardness when meeting a stranger; difficulty entering into a new dialogue or social interaction.
- Social phobia includes the following manifestations: an excessively high level of anxiety and fear of failure, physical symptoms - sweating, trembling and shortness of breath; negative thoughts about the upcoming speech; a hypertrophied feeling of horror at the need to communicate with strangers; excessive anxiety and urge to avoid falling into such a situation at all costs; rejecting any invitation for fear of rejection or embarrassment.
3 Assess your risk factors for social phobia. Some people are at higher risk of developing social anxiety due to their experience, genetics, and personality. Having any of these risk factors does not mean that you should develop social anxiety, but your risk of doing so is higher than that of other people. If you already have social anxiety disorder, understanding your own risk factors can help you understand the origins of the disorder.
- Ridicule. The humiliation or childhood trauma of being bullied can trigger the development of social phobia and fears. It also makes you feel like you don't fit in with your peers.
- Hereditary factors. Being raised by a parent who also has signs of social phobia. Often, if the person who takes care of you as a child has difficulties in communication and creates an environment in which he can avoid human contact as much as possible, this leads to difficulties in the development of social skills and the formation of a psychology of avoidance of contacts in the child.
- Shyness. Shyness is a personality trait that is not a sign of disorder in and of itself, but many people with social phobia are shy.Keep in mind, however, that social phobia is more serious than usual shyness. Shy people do not suffer from the same experiences as people with social anxiety.
4 Explore the relationship between social anxiety disorder and other mental illness. Some mental illnesses are associated with social phobia, and social phobia can also trigger or worsen the manifestation of some mental illnesses. It is important to have an idea of what mental illness can be mistaken for social anxiety, and which are directly related to it.
- Social phobia and panic attacks. Panic attacks are defined as a person's physical reaction to anxiety, similar in manifestations to a heart attack. Social anxiety and panic attacks are not the same thing, but they often coexist side by side. One of the reasons the two are confused is because people with panic attacks also tend to avoid social situations so as not to be surrounded by people who can see and judge it during the attack. People with social phobia, on the other hand, avoid communication out of fear of it.
- Social phobia and depression. Depression is a common concomitant diagnosis of social phobia, as people with social phobia significantly limit their contact with others. This leads to feelings of loneliness, which can cause or worsen depression.
- Social phobia and alcohol or drug abuse. The statistics on alcohol or drug abuse among people with social phobia is much higher. About 20% of people with social phobia suffer from alcoholism. This may be related to the ability of alcohol and drugs to reduce social anxiety levels.

Method 2 of 6: Signs of social phobia in the social environment

1 Pay attention to your fear. Are you terrified at the thought that everyone at an event will pay attention to you? Are you scared because you have to answer a question in front of others, or even simply because you have been invited to an event where other people will be? If you suffer from social anxiety, this fear will dominate your thoughts and feelings and cause anxiety attacks.
- For example, if you have social anxiety, you may feel horrified just because a friend asked you a question in front of strangers.
2 Notice how reflective you are in your social environment. One of the common symptoms of social phobia is a tendency towards self-reflection, which dictates how you should interact with others. People with social phobia are always afraid of being embarrassed or rejected to some degree. If you feel that in a situation related to communication with other people, you are consumed by self-reflection, this may indicate social anxiety.
- For example, if you feel unable to add value to the conversation despite your hobby being discussed, you may have social phobia. Instead of sharing your ideas and opinions, you are consumed with thoughts that others may not like the way you are dressed or your intelligence.
3 Analyze how much you tend to avoid society. A common feature of all social phobia is the tendency to avoid situations where you may be forced to perform or interact with other people. If you struggle to resist any of these situations, you may have social phobia.
- For example, if you are invited to a party and you refuse to go just because you are too worried about having to communicate with people, you may have social anxiety.
4 Analyze how often you refrain from participating in the discussion. People with social anxiety tend to stay aloof during discussions because they are too nervous about expressing their thoughts.They are afraid with their words to cause displeasure or ridicule of others. If you are often silent during a conversation because of this fear, this may be an indicator that you have social anxiety.
- For example, if you enter into a conversation with someone, do you voice your opinion or quietly give in to others, avoiding eye contact?

Method 3 of 6: Signs of social anxiety at school and at work

1 Pay attention to when you start to worry about an upcoming event. People with social phobia start to worry about their upcoming performance or event a few weeks before it is due. This kind of anxiety can trigger digestive problems such as loss of appetite and sleep. While it is natural to be nervous from the evening and morning before the event, a sign of social anxiety can be considered anxiety in a couple of weeks.
- For example, if you are scheduled to speak in two weeks and you have already written your speech, you can assume that you are prepared. However, a person with social anxiety may experience insomnia for two weeks about an upcoming performance.
2 Analyze how often you actively participate in school activities or workshops. One of the common signs of social anxiety is unwillingness to participate in classes or meetings. This means that you are afraid to raise your hand to answer a question, or prefer individual projects over group projects. People with social phobia often avoid group work because they are too concerned about what the rest of the group will think of them.
- For example, if you avoid raising your hand to answer a question even though you know the answer, it could be a sign of social anxiety.
3 Pay attention to whether you are showing physical symptoms of social anxiety. People with social phobia often show physical as well as emotional symptoms of the disorder. These include flushing on the face, increased sweating, tremors in the limbs, shortness of breath, and numbness.
- For example, if you are called to the board and you know the answer, but instead of answering, you start to blush, sweat and gasp, this could be a sign of social anxiety.
4 Analyze if you are changing your mind to avoid speaking your thoughts out loud. People with social phobia tend to change their minds so that they don't have to prove or express their own thoughts. They tend to avoid alienation or ridicule at all costs.
- For example, imagine that you are working on a common project and your colleague has a suggestion while you have a better idea. But you pick up on his proposal, albeit less effective, simply because you don't want to be in the spotlight and defend your idea.
5 Reflect on how you feel about public speaking. People with social phobia will do their best not to appear in public, where all eyes will be on them. Think about how you perceive public speaking and whether you tend to avoid them.
- In situations like this, you may be thinking, "What if I forget everything I have prepared? What if I shut up in the middle of a speech? What if I get lost? What will everyone think? Everyone will laugh at me. I make myself look like a complete idiot."

Method 4 of 6: Signs of Social Phobia in Children

1 Keep in mind that even a child can develop social phobia. Most often, adolescents are susceptible to social anxiety, but it can also occur among children. Just like adults with social phobia, children with this disorder are so afraid that they will be judged or criticized that they are willing to use all means to avoid certain social situations. And this is not just a "period" or bad behavior.
- Children with social phobia can voice their fears. From them you can hear “what if” questions: “What if I look stupid? What if I say something wrong? What if I screw it up? "
2 Learn to tell the difference between social phobia and common shyness in children. Similar to social anxiety in adolescents and adults, social anxiety in children manifests itself in more pronounced symptoms than simple shyness. Children tend to worry about new situations, but after a period of adaptation with the support of adults, they usually cope with them. Social phobia prevents the child from adapting to the social environment. Children with social phobia may try to avoid school activities, not answer questions, not go to parties and holidays, and so on.
- Children with social phobia suffer from an exaggerated fear of criticism from their peers and adults. This fear can interfere with their daily activities, as the children's attention will be focused on how to avoid situations that provoke anxiety. Some children even show physical symptoms such as shaking, sweating, and shortness of breath. In order to diagnose social phobia, such symptoms must appear for six months or more.
- It is common for shy children to avoid engaging in any kind of activity from time to time or to worry about a particular situation for a while, but these experiences do not last as long and do not take on such an exaggerated form as with social anxiety. Shyness does not have the same effect on a child's ability to experience joy as social anxiety does.
- For example, a child may find it difficult to answer at the blackboard, but a shy child will do so if called by the teacher. A child with social phobia, due to excessive fear, may refuse to do their homework or even skip school to avoid answering. His actions can be regarded as the act of a lazy or an irresponsible student, but, in fact, he is driven by fear.
3 Analyze how your child interacts with other people. Social phobia makes children feel uncomfortable and even afraid to interact with both adults and other children. Even a simple conversation with a relative or peer can be enough to provoke crying, tantrums, or withdrawal.
- Your child may express fear towards new people and be reluctant to make new friends or attend events where strangers may be.
- In addition, he may refuse or try to run away from activities in which a large number of people participate, such as field trips, guests, or after school.
- In severe cases, your child may experience anxiety in relatively simple communication situations, such as asking a peer for a pen or answering a question in a store. He may show symptoms of panic: heart palpitations, sweating, chest pain, tremors, shortness of breath, and dizziness.
4 Ask your child's teacher about their progress. Children with social phobia may have difficulty concentrating and actively participating in the lesson because they are consumed with fear that someone will evaluate them or that they will fail. Activities that involve active interaction or speaking, such as speaking in front of the entire class, are simply not possible for them.
- Sometimes social phobia occurs as a comorbid disorder along with diseases such as attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder or learning disabilities. It is important to have your child examined by doctors in order to know for sure what the problem is and how to deal with it.
5 It can be extremely difficult to diagnose social phobia in a child. This process is difficult because children find it difficult to express their feelings and their actions are part of the response to fear. Children with social phobia often have behavior problems. In order to cope with social anxiety, they may start skipping school.For some children, social phobia-related fear can trigger tears or outbursts of anger.
6 Find out if your child is being teased. Taunting can make your child socially phobic, or it can make the illness worse. Because victims of ridicule are at risk of developing social anxiety, chances are your child is suffering from abuse. Talk to your child's teacher or any other adult who observes your child interacting with other children, make sure he is not being ridiculed, and if they do, make a plan for how you can intervene and change the situation.

Method 5 of 6: Coping with social anxiety disorder

1 Practice deep breathing. During periods of increased stress, you may experience rapid heart rate, sweating, muscle tension, and shallow breathing. Deep breathing can help relieve stress symptoms and regulate the nervous system.
- Place one hand on your cheek and the other on your stomach.
- Take a deep breath through your nose. Count to 7 as you inhale.
- Then exhale through your mouth, counting to 7, until you feel tension in your stomach, when all the air is out of there.
- Repeat this process 5 times, an average of one inhalation-exhalation every 10 seconds.
2 Stop your negative thinking. Negative thoughts provoke the development of social phobia, so it is important to learn to catch yourself on negative thoughts and stop. The next time a negative thought occurs to you, just don't let it go. Analyze it and try to find a weak link in it.
- For example, the following negative thought occurred to you: "At the presentation, I will present myself in front of everyone as a complete idiot." If you find yourself thinking this way, ask yourself the question: "Why did I decide that I would make myself a complete idiot?" and "If I don't succeed, will anyone really think I'm stupid?"
- In response to both questions, you must say to yourself "No" and "No", since you cannot know what will happen and what people are thinking. It is much more likely that you will succeed and no one will think anything bad about you.
3 Take care of yourself. Taking care of yourself can help you cope with social anxiety. Eating well, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly can all contribute to both physical and mental health. Make sure you eat well, get enough sleep, and exercise regularly.
- Eat a balanced diet. Include fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and high protein foods in your diet.
- Sleep at least 7-9 hours a day.
- Exercise for 30 minutes 3 times a week.
- Limit your caffeine and alcohol intake.
4 Seek help from a counseling psychologist or psychotherapist. Dealing with anxiety syndrome on your own is very difficult. If someone close to you suffers from social anxiety, see a specialist treating such disorders. A specialist will help you identify the roots of social anxiety and work through problematic issues.
- Consider attending a cognitive behavioral therapy group for people with social phobia. In such groups, you can learn to feel more confident and use cognitive-behavioral techniques to better cope with difficult situations.
5 Ask your doctor about drug treatment options. Medication alone will not cure social anxiety disorder, but it can be helpful in certain situations. For your specific situation, some medications may be more effective and some less effective, so it is important to consult with your doctor about symptoms and treatment options.
- Common medications for treating social anxiety disorder include: benzodiazepines such as Xanax; beta blockers such as inderal or tenormin; monoamine oxidase inhibitors such as nardium; selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), eg Prozac, Luvox, Zoloft, Paxil, Lexapro; selective serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors such as effexor and simbalta.

Method 6 of 6: Coping with Social Anxiety in Your Child

1 Realize that starting treatment as early as possible is extremely important. The average age of children with social phobia is 13 years, but sometimes the disorder occurs in young children as well. Adolescent depression and early alcohol abuse are also associated with social anxiety. Therefore, if you suspect that your child has social phobia, be sure to see a doctor immediately.
2 Take your child to a therapist. A psychotherapist can very effectively clarify the causes of social phobia in a child, which, in turn, greatly facilitates treatment. The psychotherapist can offer the child exposure therapy, in the process of which he gradually confronts all his fears face to face and overcomes them, being in a controlled situation.
- A child therapist can also give you advice on how to help your child.
- Another popular treatment is cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps a child see and learn to control negative or unhealthy thinking processes.
- Your child therapist may even suggest you participate in group therapy. This can be beneficial for the child, as there he will see that he is not alone in his fears, and that many are struggling with the same problems as himself.
- A family therapist can help you express your desire to support your child and walk with him along the path of overcoming the illness. This type of therapy is especially useful if the child's social phobia is related to family difficulties.
3 Support your child. If you are worried that your child has social phobia, seek professional help. Never try to overcome your child's shyness by forcing him to participate in performances or activities that provoke his social anxiety.
- Make sure you acknowledge your child's feelings.
- Simulate confidence situations for your child - be calm and relaxed in public.
- Help your child learn social skills such as making friends, saying hello, complimenting, and so on.
4 Help your child deal with anxiety. If he suffers from social anxiety, it is important to find ways to overcome anxiety. There are several ways to do this. These include teaching your child to use deep breathing techniques and stop negative thoughts, creating a calm environment, and gentle support.
- Teach your child to calm down by taking deep breaths. Show him how to practice deep breathing, and then explain that this should be used whenever he is worried or anxious.
- Help your child stop negative thoughts. For example, if a child says something like “I’m never able to cope with the retelling today!”, Say in response: “If you practice well, you will see how best to retell the book, and you will succeed.”
- Give your child a photo to use as a calming anchor. For example, if your child is especially worried about the retelling, give him your small photo and offer to attach it to the edge of the book. So he can imagine that he is doing the retelling for you, and not for other people.
- Gently encourage your child and never force him to participate in activities that cause him anxiety. For example, if your child is uncomfortable participating in a game, do not force it. But if he decides to participate, carefully and only in private praise him.
5 Don't just try to avoid stressful situations. You may be tempted to protect your child from all situations that provoke stress and anxiety, but this, in reality, will only make the situation worse. It is much more useful for a child to learn how to react sensibly to everyday situations, and your support will help him in this.
- Instead, remind your child of how they have successfully dealt with difficult situations in the past and that they can do so now.
6 Ask your doctor about drug treatment options. If your child has a very high level of anxiety and the situation does not improve, talk to your doctor about the need for medication. For some children, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are very effective.
- The most commonly prescribed SSRIs for children are citalopram (Selexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), and paroxetine (Paxil).
- Venlaflaxine hydrochloride (velafax, velaxin) is another common antidepressant, but it belongs to the group of selective serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors.

Tips

People with social phobia may have difficulty eating in the presence of other people, while fearing that others will evaluate what and how they eat.
People with social phobia may also have difficulty making calls or having to leave a voice message because they worry that they will sound silly or unconvincing.