Psych 101: Moving Through – and Recovering from – Social Anxiety
Social anxiety
has only recently begun to enter our public consciousness. Although studies rank it as the third largest psychological disorder in the U.S. following depression and alcoholism, it still goes largely unrecognized by doctors, psychiatrists, social workers and therapists. That it is now emerging more in the sphere of public debate may be a cause for relief for those who have long struggled with this affliction in solitude. Social anxiety can build for such people a world filled with loneliness, financial struggle, insecurity and confusion.
The specific manifestations of this disorder will vary from person to person, but the underlying factor is a powerful fear of social situations. People with social anxiety will automatically judge themselves, analyzing their words, expressions and body language, and feel distinctly self-conscious and even inferior whenever they interact with others. This can create many negative repercussions. It can limit our friendships and make romantic fulfillment impossible. It can impact upon us financially if our anxiety makes it difficult to work in social environments and interact with co-workers and superiors. It can make our world very small. Indeed, under its influence we may only really feel comfortable when we’re alone.
People
can be triggered by different situations. Some dread being the center of attention, while others try to avoid interacting with strangers or even passing them on the sidewalk. Some people can’t help but feel that they’re being watched. Others feel distinctly uneasy at times, believing that other people are secretly criticizing and teasing them – even if, on a rational level, they know that this really cannot be true. This kind of self-awareness distinguishes social anxiety disorder from paranoia and other kinds of delusions wherein sufferers fully believe in their distorted perceptions of reality.
It is this conflict between conscious thoughts and deeper beliefs and feelings that really drives social anxiety. Our desires for contact, for interaction and for intimacy are undercut by underlying convictions that we have about ourselves and the world at large. Recovering from social anxiety involves becoming aware of these deeper beliefs. Then we can examine them in the light of day and choose to discard them. If they remain unconscious, however, they will continue to generate unreasoning fear for us whenever we are obliged to function in any kind of a social environment.
Such beliefs
will vary widely from person to person. You might be deeply convinced of your own unworthiness. You might believe that human nature itself is highly suspect. You might be convinced that people in positions of authority will always abuse their power, and this will make your social anxiety especially acute whenever you have to interact with superiors at work. Understanding these underlying beliefs, and seeing how they influence the ways in which you think and feel, can rob your anxiety of its power.
This can be a difficult learning process to navigate alone. Fortunately, there are many forms of help available – and more continue to emerge as this disorder is acknowledged by science and medical practice. Some of the forms of therapy that can help you to grapple with the core beliefs that fuel your social anxiety include hypnotherapy, depth psychology, dream work and especially cognitive work that is aimed specifically at people who suffer from this disorder.
Well done @carlidos! Social anxiety still goes indeed unrecognized and as you know, if one doesn't "name" the beast one can never be cured. I am following you
Social anxiety is well known in high school and college as well. Exactly it's really coo mom amongst most young adults. Getting help is not fully out there because most see it as being social awkward and it seems normal enough.