Psych 1

Revealed! Social Anxiety Treatment

Social anxiety or Social phobia is an acute feeling of discomfort or shyness experienced in public places or during social occasions. Social anxiety can range from a slight fear of public speaking or shyness to an almost debilitating feeling of distress which can impair the ability to function properly in some areas of life. It can be detrimental for a person’s professional as well as personal life. With almost 13.3% of the population suffering from social anxiety, it is by no means a rare disorder. To a large extent, this phobia can be attributed to peer pressure.

The symptoms of Social anxiety include sweating, trembling, excessive blushing, stammering, nausea, palpitation. In cases of excessive fear the sufferer may also experience a panic attack. If not checked in time social anxiety may lead to depression however early diagnosis and treatment have proved to be effective in reducing the intensity of the symptoms. Some patients tend to self treat themselves with the consumption of alcohol or drugs which may lead to alcohol and substance abuse. Social anxiety may be diagnosed as a specific disorder when only certain situations provoke fear or it can be a more generalized disorder which may include an intense fear of negative public perceptions.

The treatment for social anxiety includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy CBT and anti depressants. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy whether conducted in groups or individually is known to be every effective in treating social anxiety. CBT includes a two pronged approach: behavioral and cognitive. With these approaches the therapist tries to change the thought patterns that cause anxiety and the physical reactions to stressful situations.

Through the cognitive aspect of the treatment the therapist asks the patient to challenge his perceptions. For instance if a person is shy of speaking in public because he thinks that everybody looks at him and is just waiting to make fun of him; the therapist may ask the patient to prove this perception to be real with the help of an example. The behavioral component assists the patients to tackle his physical reactions. Once the patient is shown that his/ her thought process is unrealistic and incorrect; he/ she is then gradually exposed to the situation that is feared at least two or three times a week. This is done to encourage the patients to act differently and observe the behavior of the people around him/her. CBT will also include anxiety management training which incorporates deep breathing and muscle relaxation techniques.

Alternatively social skills training and interpersonal therapy also help in overcoming social anxiety. The different types of medication that may be prescribed to deal with social anxiety include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, benzodiazepines for short term and quick relief and beta blockers. However most drugs are known to have some side effects and so their usage should be limited