More Than Just Shyness

Social Anxiety Disorder - Causes and Solution

Are you afraid of being judged by others? Are you self-conscious in everyday social situations? Do you avoid meeting new people due to fear or anxiety? If you have been feeling this way for at least 6 months and these feelings make it hard for you to do everyday tasks—such as talking to people at work or school—you may have social anxiety disorder.

Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, can be a chronic mental health condition, but learning coping skills in psychotherapy and taking medications can help you gain confidence and improve your ability to interact with others. I'm here to break it down for you.

So picture yourself in the following scenario: You are required to be in a setting with other people, such as a party or a presentation. You start to feel extremely anxious rather than happy or relaxed. Your mind seems to wander, your heart may race, and your hands may start to perspire. You start visualizing all kinds of bad things happening to you in your thoughts because you're afraid of what people will think of you. This is a social anxiety disorder or SAD. It occurs when you experience a severe dread of being scrutinized, ashamed, or humiliated in public. And it's not just a little amount of shyness; it's like when you're with people, your nervousness is at its highest.

A variety of factors can contribute to social anxiety disorder. It can run in families, so if someone in your family has experienced anxiety, you may be more likely to as well. No one knows for sure why some family members have it while others don't. A structure in the brain called the amygdala (uh-MIG-duh-luh) may play a role in controlling the fear response. People who have an overactive amygdala may have a heightened fear response, causing increased anxiety in social situations. Additionally, life experiences matter. Social anxiety disorder may be a learned behavior; some people may develop significant anxiety after an unpleasant or embarrassing social situation. Also, there may be an association between social anxiety disorder and parents who either model anxious behavior in social situations or are more controlling or overprotective of their children.

But guess what? There's good news. Social anxiety disorder is something you can work on and manage.

• Therapy is one remedy. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a sort of therapy that has been shown to be quite effective. It's similar to teaching your brain to perceive social situations differently. You can learn skills from a therapist to combat your anxious thoughts and gradually face your concerns in a controlled manner. This can eventually lessen the dread of social situations.

• Another thing to remember is that you're not alone. A lot of people go through this, and there's no shame in seeking help. Talking to a mental health professional, like a therapist or counselor, can be a game-changer. They're there to support you and give you tools to cope with social anxiety.

• It's also important to take care of yourself. In fact, maintaining your physical health through regular exercise, sound sleep, and a healthy diet can benefit your mental health as well.

Therefore, keep in mind that there is assistance available if you find that social circumstances cause you to feel extremely worried. With the correct help, you can completely overcome social anxiety and thrive, and you deserve to feel secure and at ease in your own skin.

Although anxiety is part of life, never let it control you.

Quote from Brazilian lyricist Paulo Coelho

Thank you for reading. If you have any topic you want me to discuss, you can reply to this newsletter. Don’t forget to share it with your friends and family if you find it beneficial.

P.S. Sorry, this newsletter is coming late. I have had a lot to deal with over the past few weeks. I hope I remain consistent from now on. See you. Ciao!