Social Anxiety Disorder

Social Anxiety Disorder General Information

The clinical phrase “Social Anxiety” is widely employed in order to describe a feeling of anxiety (worry, apprehension, fear, and so on). This clinical condition generally affects patients who are in their early childhood years; some specialists consider it a natural part of the normal social functioning of the individual. The severity of the patient’s Social Anxiety Disorder is known to vary from one individual to another. In some clinical cases, the presence of this medical disorder has been related to shyness or any other temperamental or emotional factors. In the severe clinical cases in which patients are diagnosed with an extreme form of this medical condition, the individuals may find this disorder disabling. In such cases, the patient is said to be suffering from Social Phobia. The clinical phrases “Social Phobia” and / or “Social Anxiety” are commonly interchanged.

There are various types of Social Anxiety Disorder. Their classifying is generally based on the social situations that are known to trigger an attack. One of the most common forms of this clinical disorder is simple shyness (a widely spread condition), while other forms of this disease (such as fear of eating in public places) are less common. Other types of this medical condition include fear of speaking in public, performance anxiety, stage fright, and so on. Most specialists define this medical disorder as a continuous expectation of being negatively judged by those around us. One of the many theories that have tried to determine the cause of such a disorder includes the presence of a motivation (or that of an urge) to make a good impression to certain individuals (especially if it is accompanied by doubt regarding whether the patient possesses the ability to do so).

Social Anxiety Disorder Symptoms

The clinical manifestations that are related to the presence of this medical disorder are known to vary depending on the severity of the patient’s clinical condition, on his or her age, sex, clinical history, and so on. An attack of Social Anxiety Disorder often triggers clinical symptoms such as the following: blushing, sweating, mild paranoia (the individual may start to believe that he or she is being negatively judged by the people around him or her - in such cases, the patient will probably start looking for any proof of a potential disapproval). The patient’s normal behavior will be altered; he or she will start avoiding certain situations, certain individuals and / or certain locations.

The first symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder generally occur during the patient’s early years of infancy. This medical condition is very common among adolescents, especially regarding their relations with members of the opposite sex. Most teenagers are able to deal with their medical disorder by challenging their fears, with the help of their family and friends.
Most of the manifestations that may be linked with the presence of this medical condition (Social Anxiety Disorder) are known to affect the patient’s normal behavior. However, some of them are of a clinical nature (blushing, increased sweating, increased heart rate, and so on). It is a known fact that these symptoms vary from one clinical case to another. For this reason, we strongly recommend you to seek the professional advice of a specialist if you experience any of the symptoms that we have listed above.

Social Anxiety Disorder Treatment

Finding an adequate therapy option that will enable you to deal with this disabling medical condition (Social Anxiety Disorder) is quite critical. Early medical assistance will diminish the potential emotional damage that the presence of this disorder may trigger. This can also prevent the individual from experiencing further unpleasant (and possibly severe) clinical complications (such as depression). Various therapy options that have proven their effectiveness against this medical disorder are already available. The most common treatment trials that are employed in the fight against this clinical condition (Social Anxiety Disorder) include medication therapy, “talk therapy”, or, in some cases, a combination of the prior two.

The most common “talk” therapy that is employed in the fight against this disorder is known as Cognitive-behavioral therapy (commonly abbreviated as CBT). Patients who undergo this type of therapy learn that they should change their reactions to the circumstances that are known to trigger an attack of their Social Anxiety Disorder. The patient has to confront his or her fears, their negative feelings concerning any type of activities, and so on. Controlled, gradual exposure to the situation that provokes an anxiety attack is also a common technique that is employed in such circumstances.

Another component of the well known “talk” therapy is social skills training. This treatment option requires several meetings with a professional health care provider in which the individual discusses and rehearses the circumstances that trigger anxiety symptoms. Individuals who are suffering from Social Anxiety Disorder and who undergo this therapy option learn how to make proper eye contact, how to respond to criticism, how to react to requests, how to greet other individuals, and so on. Almost all patients are encouraged to keep diaries that record their improvement.

The most common types of drugs that may be prescribed to a patient who is suffering from this illness include beta blockers, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (commonly abbreviated as SSRIs), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (commonly abbreviated as MAOIs), benzodiazepines, and so on. Although all of these medicines have proven to be quite effective in dealing with this medical illness (Social Anxiety Disorder), certain medical products are only recommended in some clinical cases. The use of benzodiazepines and of monoamine oxidase inhibitors is known to require through monitoring of the patient’s medical condition. The intake of b-blockers (beta blockers) is known to be able to keep the patient’s symptoms under control – they are especially effective against pounding heart beat, anxiety symptoms, and so on. The use of SSRIs is more and more common by day, as a therapy with such medicines is known to trigger fewer adverse manifestations that the other medical products that may be employed in the therapy against Social Anxiety Disorder. Although their effects against this condition are still being studied, they are considered a promising, effective therapy option.