Social anxiety disorder: symptoms, causes and how to treat it

Definition of social anxiety disorder

What is that social anxiety disorder ?

Even so, it is still not certain how much influence genetics or heredity has on this mental illness.

2. Brain structure

A brain structure called the amygdala plays a role in controlling your response to your fear. If the amygdala in the brain is overactive, the response to fear will increase. This can cause excessive anxiety.

3. Environment

Social anxiety disorder is a condition that may occur as a result of facing an unpleasant or embarrassing experience before.

Add more, social anxiety disorder also can occur due to wrong parenting style. When parents instill self-worry and are too controlling and overprotective to their children, this can be a cause of social anxiety disorder.

Risk factors for social anxiety disorder

There are several factors within you that may increase your risk of developing social anxiety disorder, including:

1. Family medical history

As previously mentioned, the risk of experiencing social anxiety disorder increases if you have family members with this condition.

Especially if family members who suffer from this condition are their closest people, such as biological parents and siblings.

2. Bad experience

No one wants to repeat the bad experiences that have happened to him. Experiences such as major family problems, trauma, and physical or verbal abuse can increase your risk of developing social anxiety disorder.

This also applies if you have experienced bullying or bullying as a child or teenager, as well as rejection, humiliation, and teased and made public ridicule at that time. These events can be so traumatic as to cause you to experience this condition.

3. Character

A person has the same character, temperament or self-characteristics since he was a child. Character or temperament can be in the form of a child who has been shy since childhood, has been quiet since childhood, and so on.

This character that you have since childhood can increase your potential to experience this anxiety disorder.

4. Social or work demands

Symptoms of this anxiety disorder have usually been seen since you were in school or as a teenager. Even so, this condition can arise due to social or work demands that you just experienced in adulthood.

For example, meeting lots of new people, giving speeches in front of large audiences, and making important presentations at work can be the beginning of your anxiety disorder.

Complications of social anxiety disorder

If this condition is left unresolved, daily life will be increasingly disrupted. Moreover, anxiety disorders can hinder activities at school, at work, and your relationships with other people.

In fact, you may not be able to enjoy life. In addition, you may experience the following:

• Not confident.
• Cannot be assertive in various situations.
• Often criticize yourself.
• Too sensitive to any criticism given by others.
• Lack of social skills.
• Often alone and unable to build good relationships with other people.
• Doesn't have any achievements.
• Use of illegal drugs or drink alcohol to excess.
• Attempted suicide.

Diagnosis & treatment of social anxiety disorder

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

How social anxiety disorder diagnosed?

Your doctor will likely find out if you have any other medical conditions that could be the cause of your social anxiety disorder.

Some of the things the doctor will do usually include:

• Physical tests to help your doctor analyze any medical conditions or use of certain medications that may be triggers for anxiety symptoms.
• The doctor will ask about what symptoms you feel, how often they appear, and under what conditions you feel these symptoms.
• Ask you to fill out a questionnaire about the various symptoms of social phobia.

What are the treatment options for social anxiety disorder ?

There are several treatment methods that can be used to treat this social anxiety disorder, including:

1. Psychotherapy

One type of psychotherapy that can be undergone by people who experience this condition is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or cognitive and behavioral therapy.

This therapy is very useful for patients with social anxiety disorder. The reason is, this therapy helps patients to form ways of thinking, behaving, and reacting to various social situations that previously made patients feel afraid and anxious.

In addition, by participating in CBT, patients can learn and practice various social skills together with other people. Since CBT is done in groups or together with other people, this therapy will be very helpful.

2. Support group

Not a few people have experienced it social anxiety disorder feel comfortable to follow support group . According to the National Institute of Mental Health, having this group can help patients receive an honest assessment of themselves.

This means that you can slowly accept and learn that the bad thoughts and judgments you give yourself are not true.

You can also learn how other people with the same condition deal with social situations that were previously feared.

3. Use of drugs

There are several types of drug classes that can be the main choice when doing treatment for this condition. As an example, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as paroxetine and sertraline.

Not only that, the doctor can also recommend you to take a class drug serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI), such as venlafaxine (Effexor XR).

However, there are other types of medications your doctor may recommend to reduce symptoms of social anxiety disorder, such as:

• Other antidepressant drugs.
• Anti-anxiety drugs, such as benzodiazepines.
• Drugs beta-blockers.

Prevention of social anxiety disorder

Actually, you cannot be sure what kind of conditions can cause it social anxiety disorder experienced. Therefore, you may take these precautionary steps to reduce the impact of the symptoms that may appear if you feel anxious, such as:

• Seek help immediately, because the longer it will be more difficult to overcome.
• Start a journal or diary to help you understand what events might cause stress and anxiety.
• Sort and choose the positive thing you want to think about. This means focusing on the things that make you feel happy.
• Avoid using drugs, alcohol, and smoking.