Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)

Social anxiety disorder (SAD), also referred to as social phobia, is defined as the extreme fear of being scrutinized and judged by others in social and performance situations. For most individuals, it has been known to wreak havoc within the lives of those who suffer from it (Anxiety and Depression Association of America [ADAA], 2017). There are some that suffer from symptoms so extreme, that SAD interferes with and disrupts their everyday life (ADAA, 2017). Those who have been diagnosed with this disorder may have few to no social or romantic relationships, thus making them feel powerless, alone, and in some instances, ashamed. On average, these symptoms emerge at thirteen years old and about 15 million adults suffer from social anxiety disorder

(ADAA, 2017). Thirty-six percent of those people have reported experiencing symptoms for ten or more years before they seek any type of help. Those who suffer from this disorder recognize that their fear is excessive and unreasonable but still feel powerless against their anxiety; they are petrified that they will somehow, in some way, shape, or form embarrass or humiliate themselves (ADAA, 2017).
When faced with challenging social situations, individuals who suffer from social anxiety disorder, they tend to shift their attention toward their anxiety. Stefan Hofmann considers SAD to be “a common, distressing, and persistent mental illness. Individuals tend to observe themselves negatively as a social object, overvalue the negative consequences of social encounters, contemplate that they have little control over their emotional response, and envision their social skills as inadequate to effectively cope with the social situation” (Hoffman, 2007). Individuals suffering from social anxiety tend to revert to maladaptive coping strategies, including avoidance and safety behaviors, creating and overanalyzing situations that may or may not exist; which lead to further social apprehension in order to avoid social mishaps in the future.