Social phobia or social anxiety disorder

Have you been avoiding social gatherings because of your fear of being “on the spot”? Do you avoid eating in restaurants because you fear others may be watching and judging you? Do you avoid eye-contact with people and wonder what they’re thinking about you? Do you deliberately hang-back in conversations with others through fear of having to speak and making a “fool” of yourself? Maybe your life has been curtailed by anxiety attacks when in social situations. What would your life be like if you felt confident enough to enjoy parties, dining out or joining in conversations whenever you wished? What freedom would that bring for you?

   What is it?

Social phobia is also known as social anxiety disorder which is an overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in social situations. It is the fear of being judged and evaluated negatively by other people, leading to feelings of inadequacy, embarrassment, humiliation and depression.

Social anxiety can also be limited to one type of social situation – for example, eating socially, having to speak socially, etc. This condition can be very debilitating and people find it difficult to make or maintain friendships because of it.

This type of condition is very typical and reports suggest that 8% - 10% of the adult population in the UK suffer from social anxiety. It is suggested that social anxiety is the third largest psychological problem in the world today.

   The symptoms

We all have times when we feel a little apprehensive about new or uncertain situations – perhaps meeting a new crowd of people, going for a job interview or starting a new job. However, social anxiety is not slight shyness or apprehension in these situations. It is an intense anxiety which includes negative internal thoughts such as “am I going to blush”, “am I going to stammer” along with physical symptoms so strong sometimes that they produce anxiety or panic attacks.

The emotional feelings are one of rejection, panic, inferiority and intense and obsessive worry, sometimes days in advance of the dreaded task ahead, such as a phone call to be made, or a party to attend.

For the social phobic, situations such as dinner parties, going to the gym, shopping, meeting people or eating out can produce such negative feelings that they avoid those situations.

   What causes it?

Social anxiety starts in childhood or early adolescence, either from a memory of humiliation or embarrassment (often repressed) or the modelling of our role models such as parents. People who suffer from social anxiety often have feelings of low self-esteem and lack self-confidence, usually stemming from formative years.

   How to overcome social anxiety
 
Angela’s experience with social anxiety is that it responds to the same treatments as phobias, allowing the client to gain confidence and move on in their lives. Hypnotherapy and EMDR Therapy in particular not only address the root causes of this condition but changes the behaviour in social situations so that the client no longer feels “on the spot” or fearful in social settings but relaxed and confident around other people and in social gatherings. The result is a happier, more confident and outgoing person.