Social anxiety treatment begins when an individual recognizes and acknowledges that he or she is suffering from the condition. To know if you have social anxiety, take this simple social anxiety test and answer truthfully.
Do you currently suffer from, or have you recently experienced, the following:
- Fear of social situations in which you are exposed to unfamiliar people or possible scrutiny by others
- In social situations, fear you will act in a way (or show anxiety symptoms) that will cause embarrassment
- Exposure to a feared social situation provokes anxiety and/or panic
- You recognize your social fear to be excessive or unreasonable
- Avoidance or dread of feared social situation
- Fear of social or performance situations interferes with your normal routine
If you experience several of the above, you may be suffering from social anxiety, also called social phobia.
Social anxiety, or social phobia, is a very common form of anxiety. Social anxiety often begins in childhood, and has a tendency to worsen over time without treatment. In many cases, social anxiety can be uncomfortable enough that it leads to panic attacks. Many individuals need to interact with others due to their job duties, their school work, their parenting activities, and so on. In such cases, the presence of social anxiety can create great pressure and dread. Other times, individuals suffering from social anxiety find themselves withdrawing from more and more areas of their lives over time.
Treatment for social anxiety needs to be evaluated on a personal, case-to-case basis because each and every individual suffering from it is unique, with specific triggers or hurdles to overcome. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. Social anxiety therapy also requires patience not only from people seeking treatment, but also from those who are closely involved with them. Family, friends, and loved ones can provide support and guidance, but the expectations of an instant cure may be unrealistic, and these expectations may also hamper the treatment process.
Help for social anxiety can take the form of different approaches. Sometimes, talk therapy methods such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) are sufficient to overcome negative habits of thinking, feeling, and doing in social situations. Other times, a combination of medication and counseling may be the best choice. To be certain that you are getting the best treatment possible, a social anxiety therapist or a social anxiety psychologist will be assigned to your case. Often times, there may be a combination of issues behind the anxiety such as depression or family issues that need to be addressed and resolved as well.
Schedule a consultation and take control of your life.