Throughout history, people's experience of anxiety in social environments has attracted the attention of researchers. However, the definition of "social anxiety", as this type of anxiety is called, was first defined as intense anxiety experienced by people in situations where they think they are being watched carefully by others or when they have to perform (Marks and Gelder 1966).
Anxiety disorder, psychological disorders. It is located between. This problem, which affects approximately 18% of the society, can reach the level of disease when it increases. Social Anxiety is included in the Anxiety Disorders and is often referred to as "Social Phobia" by the society. As Social Anxiety Disorder approaches the disease level, it begins to reduce the quality of life.
Anxiety, which is basically known as anxiety, is a stimulus that signals the body's challenge to survive in dangerous and extraordinary situations. Normal level anxiety is an emotion that every living creature needs to survive. But when cognition reaches the disease level, unnecessary or non-existent thoughts send wrong signals to the body, causing us to feel extraordinary anxiety even in ordinary situations. As a result, conditions such as heart rate, increased breathing, and muscle tension occur. While experiencing this in places where real anxiety is felt does not make the person anxious, these sensations make the person very uncomfortable in places where extraordinary anxiety is felt.
As its name suggests, Social Anxiety Disorder; It is a condition of extreme fear and anxiety in social environments. When people with this disorder enter a new environment, they have difficulty talking to people, meeting people, that is, participating in any social environment. Social Anxiety is a different condition than shyness. The most striking point here is that the person knows that this thought is irrational and absurd and cannot find enough strength to overcome it.
Social Anxiety usually begins in childhood or adolescence, and these people are generally perceived by others as shy, introverted, They are seen as quiet, withdrawn, distant and uninterested. In fact, this may be the exact opposite for someone suffering from Social Anxiety. Here the person is not shy He's just worried about what he might experience. They fear situations where they have to perform an action in front of others and try to avoid them as much as possible.
According to the Social Anxiety scale; Situations in which social phobics identified in the Liebowitz Social Phobia Scale may experience anxiety and avoidance behavior are as follows:
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Getting up and speaking in a meeting without prior preparation
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The audience to act, demonstrate, or speak in front of someone
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To attract attention
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Trying to meet someone for the purpose of establishing a romantic or sexual relationship
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Presenting prepared verbal information to a group
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Entering a room while others are inside
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Talking to someone more competent than himself
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Returning a purchased item to the store to get the money back
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Very good Expressing disagreement or displeasure to someone you don't know
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Working while being observed
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Talking face to face with someone you don't know very well
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Going to a party
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Looking directly into the eyes of someone you don't know very well
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Eating in public places
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Writing while being observed
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Talking on the phone with a person you don't know very well
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Welcoming guests at home
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Participating in a small group activity
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Drinking in public places
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Using public phones
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Talking to strangers
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Against intense pressure from the salesperson to put
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Urinating in a public toilet
What are the Symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)?
In Social Anxiety Disorder, physical symptoms occur when the feared situation is encountered. These are;
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Face redness,
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Sweating,
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Dry mouth. ,
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Acceleration in heart rhythm,
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Breathlessness,
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Nefe stenosis,
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Discomfort in the gastrointestinal tract,
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Feeling of dizziness or fainting,
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Muscle tension,
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Speech difficulty,
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Tremor.
In addition to these, there may be some avoided situations. These are;
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Asking questions
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Speaking in public
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Shopping
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Using public toilets
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Talking on the phone
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Eating in public Situations such as these may occur.
When faced with these situations, the person usually feels "inadequacy, being disliked, not being deemed worthy of being loved, making mistakes, being afraid of not being perfect, feeling flawed, feeling weak". thoughts accompany. As a result of these thoughts, avoidance occurs.
What Causes Social Anxiety (Social Phobia)?
Social Anxiety There may not be a single reason for having the disorder. Although the cause of Social Anxiety is not fully known, some estimates, based on research to date, agree that it is influenced by genetics, biological and environmental factors. The negative experiences that a person has experienced along with his heredity have paved the way for the formation of this disorder. For environmental factors, family life, upbringing, experiences from early childhood, and overprotective caregiving may contribute to this disorder.
Generally, people with social phobia in their close circle are slightly more likely to suffer from this disorder. If there is a predisposition to this situation and the person's environment is compatible with it, the infrastructure for Social Phobia is ready. Upbringing style and environment are very important factors in this sense. People who have been extremely shy since childhood have a higher risk of developing Social Anxiety in the future. In addition, the person's financial situation, social status, education level, and relationship status are also important factors affecting this disorder.
How is Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia) Diagnosed?
Background for diagnosis of social anxiety disorder There is no definitive analysis. Diagnosis is made based on what the person tells us, with some scales made by psychologists and psychiatrists, a detailed past experience and today's knowledge. For this, it may be sufficient to describe in detail the symptoms your doctor asks you and the problems you are experiencing.
How is Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia) Treated?
Social anxiety disorder is a disorder that can often be cured with the right treatment. There are many types of treatments available for social anxiety disorder. Treatment needs and results vary from person to person. It is necessary to provide professional guidance according to the person's needs. While only one type of treatment is sufficient for some people, some people may need more than one.
The most effective treatment for social anxiety disorder is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Sometimes, if the person's symptoms are disturbing, medication may be needed. With medication and therapy support, the person can achieve faster and more effective results.
Research has proven that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the most effective method in the treatment of Social Anxiety Disorders. Treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder usually proceeds with the exposure technique and is beneficial. If the person can fulfill the tasks given by the therapist to the letter, he can get rid of this situation permanently. The program implemented by the therapist progresses from simple to difficult. The probability of the disorder recurring after cognitive behavioral therapy is quite low.
In the Cognitive part of the treatment, the ability to recognize situations such as anxiety, worry and fear, and the ability to cope with these situations are taught, and the person becomes able to do these things on his own after the treatment. In the behavioral part of the treatment, anxiety-provoking factors are addressed. By confronting the behaviors that are the result of the person's cognitive thoughts, it is possible to systematically change and get rid of them. Although these situations may be difficult for the person at first, as the emotions the person initially experiences begin to ease, thanks to reinforcement, avoidance behaviors also fade away. In addition, there are some relaxation options that a person can use to relax in case of possible anxiety. Breastfeeding exercises are taught.
Group therapy is also a very useful and effective form of therapy in overcoming Social Anxiety Disorder. When a person feels that he is not alone with group therapy, he becomes stronger in terms of courage, and group therapy can be considered among the right choices since it will be a crowded and new environment for the person with this disorder.
The other method used in general anxiety treatments is medication. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are generally used as drug treatment and they make it much easier for the person to combat all these. Drug treatment usually starts to show benefits after 3-4 weeks and should be used for at least 6 months. When the person considers that these problems no longer cause problems for him/her, the treatment is completed by taking the opinions of a psychologist and a psychiatrist.
If you are experiencing problems due to the above symptoms and conditions, this disorder can be treated as soon as possible. I recommend that you get help from experts in the field.
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