People with social anxiety may usually experience extreme distress in some of these situations: when they are being introduced to other people, being teased or criticized, being the center of attention, meeting important people or authoritative people, being watched while doing something, having to announce something in a public situation, embarrassing easily, or making eye contact. Social anxiety may be selective, though. A person may have an extreme fear of one occasion, such as public speaking, but be perfectly comfortable in any other situation. Others may have several phobias.
There are also emotional and physical symptoms that may follow some of these situations. The emotional feelings may be anxiety, intense fear, nervousness, or automatic negative thinking cycles. The physical symptoms are panic-like attacks, faintness, shortness of breath, heart palpations, profuse sweating, dry throat and mouth, trembling, blushing, racing heart, or muscle twitches. However, the most common feature, is constant, intense anxiety.
Two types of treatment may be used to help patients suffering from social anxiety and social phobia. A certain type of therapy can be used, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and it has proved to be effective in most cases. Medication is also useful in treatment. Antidepressants, such as MAOI's, in conjunction with cognitive-behavioral therapy, is the most beneficial. But research has shown that if the two treatments are not used together, success is only temporary. Also, treatment must include a therapist and an active behavioral therapy group. The most important steps in defeating social anxiety disorder is understanding and becoming aware of the problem, and committing to go through all treatments, including therapy.
In my opinion, this is probably one of the worst mental disorders that someone can have, because it is so misunderstood and misdiagnosed. What makes the situation even more difficult is the fact that the disorder does not just come and go like other disorders, a person is faced with it everyday of their life, everytime they have to go out anywhere or are put in a situation where people are involved. They have to deal with this all the time, until they are treated. Unfortunately, most people do not know that they are afflicted with it, and, without some kind of formal education, knowledge, or treatment, social anxiety continues to ruin their lives. And if they finally do try to seek help, chances are that they will not find. This is the reality for over 15 million Americans, but yet there is very little being done in the way of trying to help them realize that they are not just shy or introverted, they really have a problem. Hopefully, one day, this disorder will be researched and understood more.
