Social Anxiety or Phobia

Treatment

It is a persistent and overwhelming fear of social situations. 

It is much more than just "shyness". It causes intense fear over simple everyday activities, such as shopping or using the phone.

They will often worry excessively before an event and they fear doing or saying something they think will be embarrassing or humiliating, such as blushing, sweating or making a mistake. It can severely affect a person's confidence and self-esteem, interfere with relationships and impair performance at work or school.

Social anxiety disorder often starts during childhood or adolescence and tends to be more common in women. 

Common fears:

• • meeting strangers
  • talking in groups or starting conversations
  • speaking on the telephone
  • talking to authority figures
  • working
  • eating or drinking with company
  • shopping

CBT is the effective treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder.It firstly targets the negative thoughts and helps you to challenge and change them. The most common thoughts are related to a fear of criticism or judgement  by others. Also there are usually negatives thoughts about yourself being not good enough or not fitting in.

Secondly CBT looks at the behaviours that help to maintain the problem. Someone with social anxiety will avoid situations completely or they will carry out smaller safety behaviours which make them feel a bit safer but that in fact make the problem worse in the long term.

It can also be useful to examine and treat memories of harsh treatment or bullying that may have triggered the problems.

Social Anxiety Disorder can be successfully treated so you can overcome your fears.

Simon - Student