Of all the types of panic and anxiety disorders, one of the most common types are anxiety disorders. Also known s social phobia, this disorder affects millions of people worldwide.
A social anxiety disorder is defined as "the fear of being embarrassed in public. From public speaking, party going, talking to strangers", and the likes, if you feel like your world gets smaller when you are put in these situations, then you might be suffering from this type of anxiety problem.
With this disorder, you may feel as if the people around you will think something bad about you, thus making you feel very uncomfortable and anxious. Symptoms and Signs of Anxiety Disorder A person suffering from social anxiety has a tremendous social phobia; whether it is at small parties or big gatherings, they let these fears interfere with their normal routines in life.
Some of the common signs of having these disorders include intense fear and worry for days or even months prior to a social event, too much self-consciousness in almost every daily social situation, fear of being noticed by the public that you are nervous, or avoiding social functions to a point where you withdraw from social life all together.
Aside from the psychological symptoms, social anxiety disorder also has physical symptoms. These include pounding of the heart or tightening of the chest, shaky voice, hot flashes and sweating, rapid breathing, nausea, upset stomach, dry mouth, muscle tension, shaking and trembling, dizziness, blushing, twitching, and clammy hands. Although most cases of social anxiety disorder often involve adults, there are also some instances where children suffer from a social phobia.
If you notice your child feeling aloof or is often by themself and not playing with other kids, or when reading in front of the class, then he/she may have social anxiety disorder. Overcoming Social Anxiety Disorder Medications and professional help are often the treatment for social phobia but not necessarily the best treatment. However changing your lifestyle can also help you overcome your fear in public.
If you are fond of tea, coffee, energy drinks, caffeinated sodas or chocolates, then it's about time to minimize your intake because caffeine is closely linked to being a stimulant that increases social anxiety syndromes. Try also to avoid drinking too much alcohol as well. If you are a chain smoker, you need to reduce your smoking habits as nicotine is considered a very powerful stimulant. Also, having proper sleep helps reduce anxiety attacks.
Medications for Social Anxiety Syndrome Aside from practicing a healthy lifestyle, there are various medications designed for the treatment of social anxiety. Beta blockers are one of them. These are ideal for people with performance anxiety because the medicine helps control the physical symptoms of the attack like sweating or shaking hands. For severe cases of the disorder, anti depressants are the answers.
The most common ones include Zoloft, Paxil and Effexor, all of these are approved by the USFDA. Benzodiazepines on the other hand are just as effective as anti depressants, unfortunately they are addictive. Thus, these medications are only prescribed when no other treatment for social anxiety works anymore. Social anxiety disorders can be devastating when not properly treated. Hopefully I helped shed some light on social anxiety and the best ways to treat them.
No comments:
Post a Comment