Social Phobia

Also known as social anxiety disorder, social phobia is associated with severe discomfort and fear of social situations. The fear is usually obsessive and excessive and in extreme cases also life-debilitating. Self-consciousness and anxiety usually arises due to the fear of being criticized, judged or closely watched. There is a constant fear in the person suffering from this condition that he or she will look bad in public by making mistakes. Patients are scared of being humiliated due to lack of experience in social interactions and lack of social skills.

Causes Of Social Anxiety Disorder

Causes that lead to social phobia symptoms include false beliefs about social situations, distorted thinking and obsessive avoidance of public events. Usually these signs lead to the commencement of some type of phobia treatment. Patients usually have a negative opinion of others and find it difficult coping with day to day events such as attending work or school or even maintaining good relationships. They require immediate medical attention and social phobia treatment to alleviate symptoms. People suffering from social anxiety disorder never speak in public and avoid various situations that could lead to a panic attack. Some of the situations include drinking or eating in front of others, interacting with people which may include going to parties or going on dates, being the centre of attraction, working or even writing in front of others, talking on the phone, using public toilets and giving reports or asking questions in groups. In some patients, social phobia can be caused by depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder and other mental illnesses.

Social Phobia Symptoms

People suffering from social anxiety disorder usually know that something is terribly wrong with them. Treatment of bipolar disorder can lead to some types of social phobias as well. They however find it difficult identifying what the problem is and recognizing that their symptoms are a sign of illness. Some of the common symptoms of social anxiety disorder include compulsive avoidance of social events, intense anxiety in relation to social situations and physical symptoms such as diarrhea, upset stomach, muscle tension, blushing, shaking, confusion, sweating and pounding heart. This disorder affects children too who suffer from symptoms such as throwing a tantrum, clinging to parents and crying. It is important to visit a psychiatrist and start social phobia treatment as early as possible.

Importance Of Diagnosing Social Phobia At The Earliest

Diagnosing social anxiety disorder at the earliest is imperative for managing this condition. Doctor will start the evaluation process by asking about your medical history. This will be followed up with a physical exam. To ensure that physical illnesses are not causing social phobia symptoms, doctors may ask patients to conduct a few diagnostic tests. After ruling out physical illnesses, doctors may probably refer patients to a psychologist or psychiatrist. Mental health professionals are adept at offering the best social phobia treatment as they are trained to assess and treat mental illnesses. They will evaluate patients for anxiety disorder using various assessment tools. Diagnosis depends entirely on the duration and intensity of symptoms and the extent to which they debilitate normal functioning. After determining whether the symptoms do point to social anxiety disorder, doctors will start the appropriate treatment regime.