Specific Phobia

It is natural for people to feel a little nervous before giving an important speech or before attending an interview. Social phobia is something much more than just feeling nervous. It is a compulsive, obsessive disorder that makes people avoid triggering situations like plague. This happens usually because sufferers are constantly in the fear of embarrassing themselves.

About Social Anxiety Disorder

Intense fear of unfamiliar or even familiar social situations that may or may not cause embarrassment and humiliation is the cause of this disorder. Also relationship stress with your significant other or family. Patients suffering from this disorder usually display a variety of social phobia symptoms and try their best to avoid any such situations. Patients have a deep-rooted fear of being embarrassed, judged, scrutinized or rejected in public. The fear is about not measuring up to the skills and talents of others. Sufferers cannot stop feeling anxious even though they realize that their fears are totally irrational. If the obsession for social avoidance becomes compulsive, it is time to reach out for social phobia treatment.

Situations That May Trigger This Condition

This condition is quite common today and there are many people trying to deal with their fear complex also found in a bipolar disorder diagnosis. They go to any lengths to avoid situations that may trigger the symptoms. Generalized social anxiety disorder can be defined as one where the sufferer experiences anxiety under any performance or social conditions. Some people experience social phobia only under specific situations like going to parties, eating out at restaurants or speaking to strangers. One of the most common phobias is to perform or speak in front of an audience.

Common Social Phobia Symptoms

A feeling of nervousness in social settings or before performances or interviews does not necessarily mean you are suffering from social anxiety disorder. Only when social avoidance becomes obsessive and life-debilitating, there is cause for concern. When this disorder causes tremendous stress and disrupts normal routine, it is time to reach out for social phobia treatment.

Emotional symptoms of social anxiety disorder include worrying intensely for a prolonged period of time before a specific social event or situation, excessive anxiety and self-consciousness in normal day to day social situations, fear of others noticing your nervousness, fear of humiliation or embarrassment in public and fear of being judged or criticized by people.

Physical symptoms of social phobia include nausea, upset stomach, shortness of breath, blushing or red faced, dizziness, hot flashes, sweating, tightness in chest, racing heart, shaking and trembling.
Behavioral Social Phobia Symptoms

Some of the behavioral social phobia symptoms include reaching out for alcohol to soothe nerves before a social situation, clinging on to a person, maybe a friend, in all places, trying to escape embarrassment or notice by hiding in the background and so on.

Social Anxiety Disorder Treatment

This disorder is all about anxiety related to negative beliefs and thoughts. One of the best social phobia treatment options is to use therapy to reduce these overwhelming symptoms. Visualization and relaxation techniques can also be used to minimize social symptoms of this disorder.