It’s common to experience anxiety in certain social settings.
For instance, giving a presentation or going on a date can make you feel butterflies in your stomach.
However, social anxiety disorder, often known as social phobia, is characterised by intense anxiety, self-consciousness, and shame brought on by the dread of being examined or adversely judged by others during routine social encounters.
Despite the fact that many people confuse the phrases, shyness and social anxiety are two different things.
It is common to feel awkward in social settings, which is known as shyness. How do you know whether it is something more serious if you have spent your entire life believing that you are just a shy person?
Even if someone is hesitant, they can frequently find the motivation to perform when necessary. However, social anxiety is a type of anxiety illness that can degrade a person’s quality of life.
You can also worry if your quiet child’s behaviour is typical or indicative of a condition as a parent.
Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is a medical disease that causes fear and worry when you’re around others in social circumstances, according to the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG).
Socially anxious people are afraid of being scrutinised or observed by others. Medications like antidepressants and talk therapy are effective treatments for this illness.
SADAG is a mental health advocate who seeks to understand, care for, and assist those who are afflicted with this sometimes misunderstood disorder.
Social skills are developed during childhood to prepare for the demands of adolescence and adulthood. Social anxiety disorder patients frequently don’t learn acceptable social behaviours.
Children with the illness may become accustomed to having social anxieties and develop an avoidance-based way of living.
Your ability to learn, succeed in your work, maintain financial independence, and maintain close relationships can all be severely harmed by social anxiety disorder. According to research, this frequently results in an isolated lifestyle, which is followed by sadness or substance misuse.
According to Cleveland Clinic, if you have social anxiety disorder, you experience anxiety or fear in some or all social situations, such as interacting with strangers, performing in front of others, taking or making phone calls, using public restrooms, asking for assistance in a restaurant, store, or other public setting, dating, responding to questions in front of others, eating in front of others, taking part in interviews or even giving a speech.
People with social anxiety disorder don’t only get a little apprehensive before speaking. For weeks or months before the speech, they can fret about it, lose sleep from worry, and experience severe anxiety symptoms such as shaking, sweating, and shortness of breath.
Clinical psychologist Dr Colinda Linde said in a SADAG statement: “It’s not that you are scared of people as such, but what it is about is that you’re incredibly self-conscious. It’s not like being shy or an introvert. The core of this is that you are very self-conscious, you don’t want anyone to be observing you.”
According to Linde, the following are some typical social anxiety disorder symptoms: blushing, shivering, shaking, thinking that you’ll embarrass or humiliate yourself, feeling self-conscious or afraid that others will judge you harshly, speaking too softly, avoiding social situations, and occasionally feeling entirely disassociated.
Anyone can have social anxiety disorder, which is a prevalent mental health problem. The majority of social anxiety disorder sufferers begin to exhibit symptoms before the age of 20.
The Cleveland Clinic’s research reveals that social anxiety is more common among women and those who were designated as female at birth (DFAB) than among men or those who were designated as male at birth (DMAB).
Disorders of social anxiety are rather frequent. The World Health Organization estimates that 5% to 10% of people worldwide suffer from social anxiety disorder.
It ranks behind substance use disorder and depression as the third most prevalent mental health problem.
The National Institute of Health (NIH) explains that social anxiety disorder can come in mild, moderate or severe forms for a person.
When in a particular setting, such as eating in public or giving a performance in front of others, some people with social anxiety only experience symptoms. In contrast, some people with social anxiety may have symptoms in many or all types of social contact.
According to WebMD, the various degrees of social anxiety generally involve the following:
Mild social anxiety: Even though a person has minor social anxiety, they may nevertheless engage in or tolerate social events despite experiencing its physical and psychological symptoms.
Additionally, they might only exhibit symptoms in particular social settings.
Moderate social anxiety: A person who has mild social anxiety may exhibit physical and psychological symptoms, yet they may nevertheless engage in some social activities while avoiding others.
Severe social anxiety: In social situations, a person with acute social anxiety may have more severe symptoms of the condition, such as a panic attack. As a result, those who suffer from severe social anxiety typically steer clear of social situations at all costs.
Extreme social anxiety often manifests as symptoms in a variety of social settings. When confronted with these circumstances, anticipatory worry is fairly prevalent.
Throughout your life, you may have social anxiety at various levels. No matter what variety of social anxiety you experience, it’s critical to get help because it has a negative impact on your quality of life.