Social anxiety disorder, known also as social phobia is a condition, which characterizes with intensive fear in social situations that cause huge distress and limited ability to act in at least one part of the daily life. One of the possible diagnoses could be of a specific disorder - where just one particular situation triggers the anxiety. Another diagnose is called a generalized disorder, where the social anxiety disorder sufferers usually feel a strong, intensive, chronic fear of being judged, embarrassed or humiliated by others for their own acts.
The symptoms of social anxiety disorder can be separated in two main groups, i.e. physical and psychological symptoms. The physical symptoms observed in sufferers of social anxiety disorder are rapid breathing, blushing, sweating, dry mouth, muscle tension, shaky voice, trembling, palpitations, upset stomach - nausea, dizziness, twitching, stammering. Quite often panic attacks may be observed as well, as a result of intense fear and discomfort. It is important to know that an early diagnosis can help minimizing the symptoms and the development of additional conditions, such as depression. It is a well-known fact that some sufferers may try using an alcohol or other drugs to reduce fears at certain social situations. It is a common event for them to try a self-treatment. However, if they are not diagnosed, not treated, or both; this can lead to alcoholism or different types of drug or medication abuse.
The psychological symptoms of social anxiety disorder are - intensive anxiety for days, weeks, or months before a particular oncoming social event/situation to take place; enormous fear of being watched and judged by other people, especially by strangers; extreme anxiety in everyday social situations; fear that with their acts they will embarrass or themselves; the fear of other people noticing their anxiety and nervousness; making sure to avoid social situations to a degree where that leads to total dysfunction or disrupts life in general.
To relieve the symptoms of social phobia in many cases medication can be used, but it is not leading to full recovery from social phobia. Once you stop taking the medicine, all of the symptoms will most likely return. Medication is helping when it is used in combination with psychotherapy and other treatments that affect the roots of social anxiety disorder. Three main kinds of medication are used in the treatment of social anxiety:
1. Beta-blockers -used for relieving performance anxiety, as they are blocking the flow of adrenaline that occurs when anxious. Beta-blockers do not affect the emotional symptoms. They only control the physical symptoms such as shaking hands or voice, sweating, rapid heartbeat;
2. Antidepressants - helpful in severe cases of social anxiety disorder;
3. Benzodiazepines - these are fast acting anti-anxiety medications, but they are sedatives and are also addictive. Benzodiazepines are only prescribed only when the rest of the medications for social phobia have not worked.
Talking about relieving the symptoms of social anxiety disorder, we have to take into account all kinds of social anxiety treatments available. The psychotherapy is one that works best to achieve that goal, and would lead to the complete recovery from this horrible condition. One of the most successful among the therapy methods is the cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT changes the way of thinking about the social situations that lead to the anxiety. CBT includes learning to control the physical symptoms, changing the negative and bad thoughts that lead to the anxiety and facing situations causing the fear systematically and gradually, not to avoid them.
Different cognitive-behavioral treatment techniques are known to date, such as role-playing and social skills training, and they are applied as part of a group therapy. Group therapies for social anxiety disorder include observing, acting, mock interviews, and other exercises to aid overcoming situations that provoke anxious disorder. The term of the therapy treatment for social phobia differs from person to person. The majority of these therapies are relatively short-term, and many of the techniques learned are suitable to practice at home.
Social Anxiety Disorder
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