Understanding Social Anxiety: Causes, Symptoms, and Management

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Social Anxiety

by Alike Medical Team ∙ Updated on June 13, 2023

Additional names

This group contains additional names: - Social Phobia

General

Social anxiety disorder (SAD), also known as social phobia, is a long-term and tremendous fear of social situations. This anxiety can lead to impaired ability to function in everyday situations. The anxiety for many people with SAD is triggered by the perceived or actual scrutiny from others. They may fear from being judged by others in social situations, being embarrassed or humiliated, accidentally offending someone or being the center of attention

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Signs & symptoms

In opposed of being shy, people that suffers from SAD worry from social situations before, during and after them. They may feel anxious from many situations they have to start conversations, meet new people or even speak on the phone. They might avoid many social activities. They may avoid doing things when others are watching and they will feel constantly judged or criticized by others. In these situations they might feel sick, sweat and have palpitations. They can also report having panic attacks, which are sudden periods of intense fear that last usually a few minutes.

Diagnosis

According to DSM-5 in order to diagnose social anxiety, a patient should meet the following criteria: - Marked fear or anxiety about one or more social situations in which the individual is exposed to possible scrutiny by others. Examples include social interactions (e.g., having a conversation, meeting unfamiliar people), being observed (e.g., eating or drinking), and performing in front of others (e.g., giving a speech). Note: In children, the anxiety must occur in peer settings and not just during interactions with adults. The individual fears that he or she will act in a way or show anxiety symptoms that will be negatively evaluated (i.e., will be humiliating or embarrassing; will lead to rejection or offend others) - The fear or anxiety is out of proportion to the actual threat posed by the social situation and to the sociocultural context. - The social situations almost always provoke fear or anxiety. Note: In children, the fear or anxiety may be expressed by crying, tantrums, freezing, clinging, shrinking, or failing to speak in social situations - The social situations are avoided or endured with intense fear or anxiety.. - The fear, anxiety, or avoidance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. - The fear, anxiety, or avoidance is persistent, typically lasting for 6 months or more. - The fear, anxiety, or avoidance is not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or another medical condition. - The fear, anxiety, or avoidance is not better explained by the symptoms of another mental disorder, such as panic disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, or autism spectrum disorder. - If another medical condition (e.g., Parkinson’s disease, obesity, disfigurement from burns or injury) is present, the fear, anxiety, or avoidance is clearly unrelated or is excessive

Treatment

Treatment for anxiety disorder usually combines psychotherapy such a cognitive- behavioral therapy (CBT) and medication, typically antidepressants (SSRI's).

Note

☝ We provide information on prescription and over-the-counter medicines, diagnosis, procedures and lab tests. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

National Institutes of Health ∙ World Health Organization ∙ MedlinePluse ∙ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

☝ All information has been reviewed by certified physicians from Alike

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