The essence of the concept of social phobia
The condition is aggravated by performing activities in public, such as speaking in front of an audience or working in a team.
Social anxiety and phobia do fall under the umbrella of anxiety disorders. Although it is likely that these diseases are rare, they do occur in ten percent of the population. Often, disorders are not recognized because victims avoid trigger situations and are afraid to seek help and receive treatment.
To determine the level of social phobia on the anxiety scale, take the online test just below.
Causes of social phobia
The causes of social phobia are also related to genetics. Numerous studies conducted since the sixties have shown that phobias are more common among relatives within the same family. It is also assumed that educational processes or psychological trauma lead to the emergence of a phobia. Especially when unpleasant experiences were obtained in social situations, this may be accompanied by a generalized reaction in the form of a phobia.
· Cruel attitude of parents and use of physical punishment.
· Anxious parents who constantly changed the requirements for their child, criticized or humiliated him.
· Bad experience of communicating with people around you.
· Problems communicating with the opposite sex.
· The presence of obvious physical disabilities that were ridiculed by peers in childhood.
The most famous study in this regard was carried out by Kendler and colleagues (Neal, Kessler, Heath and Eaves) in 1992. Also, the essence, causes and consequences of social fear are described in the book by Olga Razmakhova and Nicky Wodwood. Psychologists have also developed tests to identify the state on the social anxiety scale.
In most cases, the causes of the disease should be looked for at an early age - before 1 year. People with social anxiety disorders are more likely than healthy people to live alone, have a low level of education and be in a poor financial situation. Research into the causes of social anxiety disorder spans a wide range of theories and fields, from neuroscience to sociology.
The causes of the development of neurosis are:
- deficit in childhood of adequate assessment, praise and consent from parents;
- placing high demands on the child;
- bullying in children's groups;
- conflict situations in the environment or family;
- antisocial lifestyle of parents;
- unsuccessful first sexual experience;
- concomitant somatic diseases;
- genetic predisposition.
According to recent research, hereditary predisposition plays an important role in the occurrence of neurosis in combination with social factors and environmental phenomena. It has been proven that the risk of developing a condition of social pathological anxiety increases by 2-3 times if any of the immediate family suffered from such a disorder.
Overprotectiveness or excessive criticism of children in the family increases the risk of developing anxiety by 10 times. Often it is parents who, with insults uttered in a fit of anger and resentment (“You are a rag,” “Who needs you with your character”), instill fear and self-doubt in the child.
There is evidence of the existence of behavioral inhibition in newborns. This is a pathological ability of the functioning of the nervous system, in which the child concentrates on himself and his experiences and begins to fear society. About 15-20% of people have this trait at birth, which increases the risk of developing an anxiety disorder later in life.
Past negative socialization experiences can trigger the development of social phobia in individuals with excessive sensitivity. These are suspicious people, highly suggestible, disliking others, fixated on themselves. In half of those suffering from anxiety disorder, a clear link was found between psychological trauma (humiliating or painful situations) and worsening symptoms of the disease. Not only personal, but also social experience is of great importance: observing the failures of other people makes the development of social phobia more likely.
Social anxiety has a cumulative effect: difficulties in finding a common language with the team, rejection or rejection by peers, long years of psychological abuse. Shy teenagers and anxious adults especially emphasized in their own stories that situations of rejection from acquaintances often arose in their lives.
Why does fear of society arise and social phobia is born?
An individual begins to be afraid and stops trusting others when:
- bullied by classmates (for poverty, special appearance, obesity, poor academic performance). Social phobia often affects children with burns, people who stutter, and people with disabilities;
- cold, cruel parents refuse to see the child’s problems - they ignore, take the side of “enemies”, demand the impossible;
- fear of others is instilled by overprotective parents who seek to protect their child from the “cruel world”;
- unsociability of loved ones is also a potential culprit of social phobia. If parents hate inviting guests and have few friends, then the child is deprived of the opportunity to gain the necessary communication experience. The baby’s social skills remain undeveloped, and social phobia gradually develops.
Fear of others begins at 12–15 years of age. Sometimes social phobia strikes later - at the age of 16–20 years. Fear of society comes with puberty. The teenager begins to think critically. A growing individual has new responsibilities and his social circle expands. This causes a lot of stress, a desire to hide, to belong to oneself again. The teenager begins to avoid others. He gradually realizes: “I am afraid of people.” Social phobia appears.
Fear of others and shyness are similar, but different phenomena. Shyness often affects children aged 6–11 years (especially from disadvantaged families). But in adolescence it goes away. Introversion and social phobia are also different things. Those who prefer solitude are rarely afraid of others.
Treatment methods
Therapy begins with easing symptoms. In severe cases, this can be done with the use of medications such as antidepressants or sedatives. Milder forms of social phobia are worked through with a psychologist in group or individual therapy.
An effective way to overcome social phobia is behavioral therapy. It begins when the victim realizes that his fear is unfounded and will treat the accompanying mental disorders. It is also useful to learn relaxation techniques so that a person can learn to control the situation and cope with their irrational fear.
Many people try to cure social phobia on their own, which is associated with great difficulties and aggravates the course of the disease. If you notice symptoms that resemble an anxiety disorder, you should consult a psychiatrist or psychotherapist. It is these specialists who will be able to help a person with the problem that has arisen.
Diagnosis of social phobia is complicated by the similarity of the clinical picture with panic disorder and the fact that patients, when visiting a doctor, most often complain of comorbid disorders (dependence on psychoactive substances, mood swings). Among patients who do not receive drug treatment, people with mild and practically invisible phobias that do not affect daily activities predominate.
Such social phobes, experiencing some discomfort, do not consider it necessary to seek help from a psychiatrist. In the absence of drug treatment, patients with subclinical anxiety may experience chronicity of the process, development of symptoms of depression, decreased mood, and worsening of somatic diseases.
The choice of the optimal treatment regimen is determined by the type of anxiety disorder and severity (determined using the Spielberg and Hamilton scales). A mild form (total score below 20 points) requires only psychotherapy. Patients with a long history of the disease and acute forms of the disease require medications. Combined therapy methods are recommended for people with concomitant personality disorders, alcohol and other types of addictions.
A combination of medications, psychological assistance and restorative procedures will help the patient overcome the disease as quickly as possible. A psychotherapist will teach a social phobia person adequate self-perception, self-control, and how to deal with negative thoughts and feelings. Cognitive behavioral psychotherapy helps a person calmly experience stressful situations and stop being anxious. When diagnosed with social phobia, meditation and hypnosis are effective.
The development of new interests and values should not contradict the basic life principles of the patient. An effective way to help a patient is to combine group psychotherapy with exposure. There is a step-by-step elimination of fear through daily training under the supervision of a psychotherapist. Gradual adaptation to situations that previously caused anxiety in a person develops.
Role-playing games and therapeutic auto-training help restore communication skills in patients who have avoided social contacts for a long time. Behavioral methods of psychotherapy promote the formation of self-esteem and allow you to interpret the reactions of others to the actions of the patient.
Effective treatment of social phobia must be carried out over a long period of time. It is important not only to reduce anxiety, but also to increase stress resistance and activate individual anxiogenic mechanisms. Medicines occupy an important place in the treatment of social phobia and are the main method of helping with decompensation of an anxiety disorder, as well as when the patient refuses psychotraining. Medicines help overcome symptoms such as anxiety, sleep disturbances, obsessive thoughts and fears.
But if you try to fight a phobia, then it is quite possible to overcome it!
The treatment regimen for phobia is quite simple. First, the patient must be explained that the situation does not pose a real danger. Secondly, with the help of special tasks that are selected individually, a person is taught to face a frightening situation and stay in it. Over time, the patient reacts less effectively to the imagined threat.
So, if circumstances arise that cause you uncontrollable fear:
- Try to find strength within yourself (Remember that you can handle this!) and ask yourself: “What is the worst that can happen in this situation?”
- Having answered this question (Remember: “You will not die”), accept this option and try to come to terms with it.
- After this, you will calm down and feel relaxed and will be able to think soberly.
- Now try to find ways to avoid the worst that you previously assumed for yourself in your thoughts, and find other ways out of this situation in order to improve it.
Unfortunately, patients with social phobias rarely resort to qualified help from professionals. This is due to the fact that the fear of contact with a doctor itself is insurmountable, and social prejudice towards psychotherapeutic and psychiatric help today exists in modern society.
Don't be afraid! Your relatives, friends, loved ones and even complete strangers will help you take the first step towards recovery. Just look around, ask for help and...
Life exists without fear!
Consequences of social fear
Social phobes know that situations that cause fear and panic are not actually dangerous, but they cannot cope with their emotions on their own. Fear itself ultimately motivates you to avoid situations that cause negative feelings. Especially when it comes to school or exam anxiety, which is also a social phobia.
Common side effects of social phobia are depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder or addiction. Therefore, some patients develop alcohol dependence, drug addiction, and gambling addiction. Psychoactive substances dull excitement and anxiety attacks.
In the worst case scenario, people with a phobia isolate themselves and no longer maintain social contacts, which causes serious negative consequences.
Frequent symptoms
Social phobia is quite easy to define. This can be done even without consulting a doctor. The fact that a person has a more serious problem than excessive shyness can be determined by the following symptoms that appear during contact with people:
- sweaty palms;
- trembling in hands;
- facial redness;
- cardiopalmus;
- state of stupor;
- slurred tongue;
- manifestation of stuttering.
All of these signs of social phobia are physical. They are associated with anxiety and can manifest themselves even in those who are not prone to phobias. For example, before public speaking, especially if you have little experience in this.
But the symptoms are not only physical. There are also cognitive ones:
- obsessive desire to always look perfect;
- worries about your words, performances, appearance;
- panic attacks when communicating with people;
- negative attitude towards oneself.
Such conditions lead to the fact that every contact is accompanied by stress, which accumulates and only aggravates the situation.
Unfortunately, loved ones do not always notice manifestations of such behavior. Then you should be wary if a person constantly asks how he looks, whether he said the right thing and worries before and after each meeting with the company. Then behavioral effects arise, caused by feelings from the past meeting. They appear as follows:
- insomnia;
- nervous movements of body parts;
- walking around the room aimlessly;
- frequent urination;
- vulnerability.
Constant tension has a very bad effect on a person’s well-being. Every future meeting seems like a test, because the body remembers how it ends for it. As a result, behavioral symptoms begin to occur during direct contact. For example, social phobes are often afraid to look into the eyes of their interlocutor, because they subconsciously feel that they are being judged or underestimated, and this is difficult for a person dependent on other people’s opinions.
