What Is Social Anxiety?

Hello… In our latest post today we ask the question “What Is Social Anxiety?” Or “Social Anxiety Disorder” as it is sometimes called.

Well… social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is a more common problem than you think. With nearly 15 million American adults struggling with this mental health condition daily, it’s important to learn more about social anxiety and how to overcome it.

After all, effective treatment can help you to improve your quality of life and maintain meaningful relationships with others. This informative blog post will help you gain insight into this type of anxiety. So that you can be your best self and get back to living life fully and with enjoyment!

So What Is Social Anxiety?

Being anxious in a social situation is when someone has an intense fear of judgment by others, and the negative consequences it may bring. Interaction with others will leave those who suffer from this disorder feeling overwhelmingly shy or like they have lost control over themselves.

There is no specific cause for why someone develops this mental illness. Still, it often happens at an early age. And so it makes it difficult for sufferers to be diagnosed or get help, because parents often brush off the child’s anxious behavior as normal or say they’re just shy.

In addition, some factors increase one’s chances of developing this disorder. Such as genetic predisposition, personality traits such as neuroticism and introversion, and adverse childhood experiences.

5 Causes Of Social Anxiety

It can be difficult for people suffering from this kind of anxiety to do what they want to do. Like meeting new people or trying new activities. The dread that comes over them in those moments before a social event is just too much for them.

To help curb this fear and try living a fuller life, there are five specific causes that you should identify first. These causes all have steps you can take as well that will help you get past these challenges and live your best life while avoiding social anxiety altogether:

• Low self-esteem can cause people to feel like they’re not good enough and worry about how others might judge them. The answer is simple for anyone with low self-esteem: show yourself some love! Be kinder by treating yourself nicely throughout the day and making time for activities that make you happy.
• Worrying about what other people think may make someone anxious around strangers because they don’t know what their reaction might be or if they’ll ever see them again.
• Remembering everyone has their fears and worries helps put this into perspective when it’s your turn to speak up or step out of your comfort zone.

5 Ways To Overcome Social Anxiety

Social anxiety can make you feel uncomfortable in social situations. It is hard to have a conversation or even want to talk when feeling this way. Although anxiety like this is difficult, there are ways you can overcome it. One thing that can help you is understanding what social anxiety really is.

Social anxiety is an intense fear of embarrassing yourself in front of others by doing something silly or stupid, such as being afraid or awkward, scrutinizing, etc. Next time you’re feeling anxious in a social situation, try one of these five strategies:

• Look for common ground with the person you’re talking with.
• Fake confidence.
• Know your ‘outs.’
• Look for exits.
• Practice in low-stress environments.

Many things might contribute to being anxious socially, including personality traits and certain life events. If you think your social anxiety may be related to past experiences, please consult a professional therapist who can help determine if treatment would be beneficial.

Conclusion

If you think you may have social anxiety, research the topic. This includes seeking out treatment providers in your area or researching information online. Awareness is important in mental health issues like this because the more you know about it, the easier it will be for you to overcome the condition.

Don’t forget that there’s nothing wrong with feeling anxious about something. Fear is a normal emotion and very adaptive in certain situations where danger may be present. So experiencing occasional anxiety (particularly in new situations) isn’t necessarily cause for concern on its own.