Almost everyone alive has a fear of something whether it be heights, spiders or even clowns. Some people however have more serious issues with their fears, fears that follow them almost everywhere they go, these fears are called phobias. It is estimated that 4 to 5 percent of Americans have some type of phobia, which is an irrational fear of situations and certain objects. There are over 500 known phobias; a very common phobia is social phobia.
Those who have social phobia have a strong fear of being embarrassed, or being judged by others. Most people that have social anxiety know that they shouldn’t be as afraid as they are but, they cannot control their fear. When they are in or around public they become very self-conscious, and tend to
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think of every possible bad outcome to any situation they may find themselves in. Having social phobia usually makes a person become distant to those around them, even their friends and family. Simply walking past a group of kids laughing could cause someone with social phobia to become nervous and self-conscious. In order to avoid being judged by others they usually stay home away from events and the public. Those who have this phobia worry about certain things they have to do weeks and sometimes even months in advance. Having the fear of a situation before it ever happens is called “antiparty”. Tasks such as making a speech in front of a class or even ordering food could cause them to worry for long periods of time. When someone with social phobia finds themselves in a situation they find extremely embarrassing or scary they may have a panic attack. A panic attack is common for those who have the phobia. A panic attack is a sudden feeling of overwhelming anxiety and fear. When having an attack the heart starts to pound and breathing becomes difficult. Not all people with social phobia have panic attacks but those who do may have only one or multiple ones throughout their lives. If it is left untreated the panic attacks could lead to panic disorders and other serious problems. There are many signs and symptoms shown when someone has social phobia.
Some emotional and behavioral signs are being concerned that you’ll offend someone, intense fear or meeting strangers. Another sign is avoiding situations that could result in embarrassment or becoming the center of attention. Expecting the worst possible outcome and even fearing that others will notice that you look anxious are all signs of social phobia. Some physical symptoms may consist of a fast heartbeat, nausea and having trouble catching your breath. Avoiding normal situations such as making eye contact, dating or even initiating conversations are all signs of the phobia. Having all of these fears can dramatically affect someone’s everyday life. It could cause problems finding a job, keeping friends and it can even lead to severe depression.
Those who have social phobia either try to mentally beat the fear and some take certain medications. One way to treat social phobia is called psychotherapy, which teaches the person different ways of thinking and behaving to situations to learn new social skills. Another common treatment is anti-anxiety medication and that should not be taken for long periods of time because it could possibly cause suicidal thoughts.
Social phobia is one very common phobia that many Americans have but thankfully there are ways of treating it. There are many signs and symptoms shown when this certain phobia takes place. Those who have social phobia face many challenges in their
everyday life that others my find as simple tasks.
In general, Social Anxiety Disorder, or Social Phobia, is defined as an anxiety disorder characterized by an overwhelming amount of anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations (“Social Phobia,” 2014). These individuals have trouble with basic communication and interaction, often to the point where they can physically feel the effects of their anxiety. Profuse sweating, stomach ache, and nausea are not uncommon occurrences when a person with Social Anxiety Disorder is placed in an uncomfortable situation. There are several hypothesized causes of Social Anxiety Disorder; however, one of the most
Main Point 1: There are three main categories of phobias. The first category is Specific Phobias which are known as simple phobias. Specific phobias or simple phobias are usually fears about specific situations, living creatures, places, activities, or things. Examples of simple phobias is dentophobia (dentists), aerophobia (flying), claustrophobia (small spaces), and acrophobia (heights). The other two categories are Social Phobia and Agoraphobia. These two are known as complex phobias. The article “What is a Phobia?”, describes them as complex phobias because “they are linked to deep-rooted fear or anxiety about certain situations, incidents or circumstances, which make them more disabling than simple phobias.” Social phobia is also referred to as social anxiety disorder. Social phobia may be defined in which a person has an excessive and unreasonable fear of social situations. (Webmd.com) A person with social phobia finds being in social situations very difficult to handle with because of the lack of social skills or experiences that person may have. Going out to social events such as parties or functions may cause anxiety to a person with social phobia. There is that fear a person has of being embarrassed in public. People with this phobia may be afraid of a specific situation such as public speaking. Medicinenet.com defines “agoraphobia” as “a fear of being outside or otherwise being in a situation from which one either cannot escape or from which escaping would be difficult or humiliating.” The results of agoraphobia are anxiety and panic attacks. People with agoraphobia sometimes confine themselves inside their own home when symptoms are
Social phobias easily lead individuals to shunning situations where they feel they might be the focus of other people in the society, as they often feel unaccomplished and therefore assume that they will be the subject of the said populations (American Psychiatric Association, 2015). The fear of negative judgment imposed by other people in the society points at a situation where one ensures that they stay devoid of situations that involve socializing with other people in the society. This makes it almost impossible for individuals with these phobias to take up roles that require public participation (Randi and Irena, 2015). It ascribes to what one can view as the phobia of other people 's reaction to an individual. Fear of rejection by others is a good example of a social phobia. Social phobias can take the form of gelotophobia, which is the fear of other people laughing at an individual, or even glossophobia, which is the fear public speaking. Social phobias can easily limit an individual y ensuring that one avoids all situations that can lead to scrutiny or contact with the public. This is debilitating and can easily lead to harmful consequences that include the inability of an individual to perform their roles in the society or even the inability to take up work for fear of judgment by others (Bourne,
Social anxiety is a predominant disorder amongst numerous individuals (Moscovitch, Gavric, Senn, Satnesso, Miskovic, Schmidt, McCabe, Antony 2011). Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is defined as a fear of rejection and being negatively judged by others in social situations (Kashdan, Farmer, Adams, Mcknight, Ferssizidis, Nezelf, 2013).
Having anxiety is common and a part of everyday life however; there is a huge difference between a fear and a social phobia or anxiety disorder. The difference and important distinction psychoanalysts make between a fear and a phobia is “a true phobia must be inconsistent with the conscious learning experience of the individual” (Karon 1). Patients with true phobias “do not respond to cognitive therapy but do respond well to psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic therapy” (Karon 2). Social phobia is a serious anxiety disorder that should not be taken lightly or mistaken as a fear you will simply grow out of the older you get. Social phobia has the power to destroy lives and can prevent people from living and enjoying their life to the fullest. Social phobia is a disabling condition that often starts between the ages of early childhood and late adolescence. The origins of social phobia can be linked to “traumatic social experiences and social isolation” (Hudson118-120). Social phobia is treatable however; research and statics show that not many seek help.
According to DSM V, Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), is defined as a persistent fear of one or more social or performance situations in which the person is exposed to unfamiliar people or to possible scrutiny by others. The individual fears that he or she will act in a way (or show anxiety symptoms) that will be embarrassing and humiliating (DSM V, 2014).
Social anxiety goes from not being able to socialize with people in a class to never leaving home due to the anxiety that is causes. Markway’s article states that there are three categories involved with social anxiety; mental distress, physical distress, and how avoidance affects someone socially. Mentally, it is exhausting to talk to people for to people and have that constant anxiety about the way they talk and act. People with social anxiety often think about how they can humiliate and embarrass themselves in front of others. This drives someone to fear that they may do something wrong at any given moments and may be rejected altogether (“Markway”, 2013).
Phobias have been in existence for many years. As humans we fear things that are life threatening and unnatural. Someone who has an irrational fear of something is considered a phobia, which is an extreme illogical fear or dislike of something. Fear is a very common emotion which distinguishes from phobia regarding the severe distress someone with a phobia goes through. Fear is a rationalized and instinctive emotion that comes in response to a threatening situation. The reaction caused by fear can be managed. Phobias can hinder someone’s life. People who struggle with phobias constantly avoid the object of fear, and will do anything required not to see it. It’s hard to directly to clearly figure out the cause regarding
Social anxiety disorder can also be defined as social phobia. It is the fear of social situations that involve interaction with other people. It can also be described as the fear of negatively being judged causing one to feel ashamed and being socially rejected. Social Anxiety was first mentioned as the term social phobia and was discovered in the 1900’s. Although the exact amount of people who are diagnosed with this disorder still remains undetermined, it has been said that about 9,ooo- 15,0000 people will show symptoms of the disorder during some point of their lifetime.
Social anxiety disorder is also known as social phobia. It is defined as the fear of social situations that involve interaction with other people. It is the fear and anxiety of being judged and evaluated negatively by other people or behaving in a way that might cause embarrassment or ridicule. This leads to feelings of inadequacy, self-consciousness, and depression. The person with social anxiety disorder may believe that all eyes are on him at all times. Social anxiety disorder is the third largest mental health case issue in the world, and it can effect 7% of the population (15 million Americans) at any given time.
Social Phobia/Social Anxiety Association. (2002). Fact sheet. Retrieved November 11, 2002, from the World Wide Web: http://www.socialphobia.org/fact.html
Social anxiety is a common personality disorder, it is caused by excessive and unreasonable fear of social situations. This type of anxiety is triggered by the fear of being judged by others, based off of who they are or how they behave. People who suffer from social anxiety tend to experience distorted thinking, leading to fake accusations about the outcome
Social anxiety disorder is otherwise called social phobia. It is characterized as the fear of association with other individuals. It is the fear and uneasiness of being judged and evaluated adversely by other individuals or acting in a manner that may cause humiliation or disparagement. This prompts sentiments of deficiency, hesitance, and dejection. The individual with social anxiety issue may accept that everyone's eyes are on him or her at all times. Social anxiety disorder is the third biggest mental disorder case issue on the planet, and it can impact 7% of the populace (15 million Americans) at any given time. Social anxiety is more advanced than shyness. Everyone has felt anxious or embarrassed at one time or another. For example, meeting new people or giving a public speech can make anyone nervous. But people with social phobia worry about these and other things for weeks before they happen.
The term social phobia is described by the presence of anxiety or tendency to experience excessive fear while social interaction is present. Social avoidance is also described as a combination of syndromes performing in a person perceived as embarrassment. The anxiety in the individuals experiencing this type of phobia is cause by the tendency of exaggeration in self-evaluations , having a negative perception of themselves based of their own negative judge. The tendency of being self-critical is lead by fear during social interaction or even during intrapersonal situations. The anticipation of anxiety and fear is often part of a vicious cycle in which persons experience a physical symptom such as blushing, palpitations , sweating, avoiding eye contact and trembling (Heimberg, 1995). However, some persons with social phobia report no physical symptoms of anxiety only self-consciousness and fear.
What is Social anxiety? Social anxiety disorder, or social phobia, is an anxiety disorder that makes a person afraid of social interactions and large groups of people. A person with social anxiety will be afraid of public speaking and being in large or even small groups. Social anxiety has many physical symptoms. Some symptoms of social anxiety are stomach aches, nausea, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, dry mouth, and headache. These symptoms are very similar to other anxiety disorders, and make the sufferer feel even worse and worsen their anxiety. These physical symptoms can be treated with over the counter medication and rest, but they will not stop the anxiety and negative thoughts. Negative thoughts arise from thinking that other people are judging them in a negative way, not being able to communicate, being lonely, and usually get worse the more time the disorder is untreated.