Social anxiety disorder (also known as SAD and social phobia) is a form of anxiety disorder characterized by excessive fear and worry when faced with any form of social situation, and often in particular the fear or worry of being negatively judged by others.
Social anxiety is common in young children, and often develops quite normally in young childhood as a normal part of social development and functioning. Most children eventually leave their social anxiety-related problems behind, but for some the anxiety remains and can become disabling and affect day-today life. It is when this happens that the more common social anxiety becomes social anxiety disorder.
Social Anxiety Disorder Symptoms:
If you have social anxiety disorder then the primary symptom you’ll experience is a fear of any social situation. This fear will usually be based on your belief that you’re likely to be embarrassed or even humiliated, and you may imagine scenarios ahead of time where you only see the worst possible outcomes.
Many people with social anxiety disorder also develop other SAD symptoms such as blushing, sweating, trembling, palpitations, dizziness, depersonalization, and headaches.
For a more in-depth look at all the symptoms you may be experiencing, take a quick look at my in-depth anxiety symptoms page.
Social Anxiety Disorder Treatment:
If you’re affected by SAD then the typical social anxiety disorder treatments include anti anxiety drugs, cognitive behavioral therapy, and relaxation techniques.
If you’ve already exhausted these options and found little relief then I’d really strongly suggest you give my approach a try. It’s completely natural, and it’s already helped hundreds of people with all forms of anxiety disorders. Get my free mini video course, “Beat Panic Today, plus my weekly newsletter right now.
Social Anxiety Disorder Medication:
There are many anti-anxiety medications that can be prescribed if you have social anxiety disorder. The standard drugs prescribed to help anxiety, whatever the form of anxiety disorder, are anti-depressants. These will usually be in the form of SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors).
Social Anxiety Disorder In Children:
Social anxiety disorder affects children just as it affects adults. In fact, social anxiety disorder is perhaps the most common anxiety disorder suffered by children and adolescents. The number of children affected by social anxiety may be even greater than many experts once thought, with so many cases being misdiagnosed or ignored.
It’s also very common for adults with social anxiety disorder to look back on their childhoods and see clear signs of SAD that went unnoticed at the time, or were misinterpreted as something else.
Learn More About Social Anxiety Disorder:
There’s a great site you might want to check out if you’d like to take a closer look at social anxiety disorder. It’s a website run by people with SAD, so they know what they’re talking about. Check out the Social Anxiety UK website if you want to know more.
