Social Anxiety
Social anxiety is the fear of social situations that involve interaction with other people. This anxiety is associated with the fear of being judged or rejected by others. Those with social anxiety are perceived as being withdrawn, shy, quiet, nervous, disinterested, and unfriendly by others. Although those with social anxiety do want to make friends and engage in social events, their fear and anxiety prevent them from doing this.
Symptoms and Signs of Social Anxiety Disorder include persistent:
- Fear of situations where you may be judged
- Worrying about humiliating or embarrassing yourself
- Intense worry and fear of talking to or interacting with strangers
- Fearing that physical symptoms will cause you to be embarrassed including sweating, shaking, blushing or shaky voice
- Fearing that others will notice you are anxious
- Avoiding talking to others or doing things that may result in embarrassment
- Enduring social situations with intense anxiety and fear
- Avoiding being the center of attention
- High anticipatory anxiety when you may have to interact with others
- Spending a lot of time after a social situation analyzing your performance to identify the flaws in your interactions
- Expecting the worst possible consequences due to your behavior in social situations
- A lot of time and effort goes into avoiding social situations and anticipating fear and anxiety when one has to go into a social situation.
One also experiences a number of physical symptoms associated with social anxiety including:
- Fast heartbeat
- Trembling
- Blushing
- Upset stomach and/or nausea
- Trouble catching breath
- Light-headedness or dizziness
- Blank mind
- Muscle tension
Social anxiety has a number of negative consequences on one’s life. The anxiety can interfere with school, work, relationships, and enjoyment of life. Social anxiety is related to negative self-talk, low self-esteem, poor social skills, isolation, unemployment or poor academic achievement, substance abuse, suicide, or suicide attempts.
Above is some helpful information to help you better understand this disorder. We do not recommend self diagnosing! If you would like to speak with a professional simply click here to Schedule an Appointment Now!
If you are in crisis and need immediate assistance you can reach Long Island Crisis Center 24/7 at 516.679.1111 or National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1.800.273.TALK