Health Stress and Anxiety

Archive for April, 2008

Social phobia is another name for social anxiety disorder. Social phobia affects over 15 million Americans each year, making it the third largest psychological problem in the United States. As many people as there are affected by social phobia, it is still very misunderstood by mental health care professionals such as doctors, therapists and psychologists. Patients suffering from social phobia are misdiagnosed approximately 90% of the time. Often they are mistakenly labeled as manic-depressive, panic disordered, schizophrenic or clinically depressed.

Social phobia is not a disorder that is discussed a lot on television on in the media; so many sufferers don’t realize just how common their problem is in the world. Rather, they feel there is something wrong with just them so they don’t seek treatment. Without knowledge of social phobia and proper treatment, the condition can get worse over time. Another thing that makes social phobia so difficult is that it does not come and go as a symptom of some diseases, but it is with you every day of your life.

Some of the different circumstances that may bring on an attack of social phobia include being the center of attention; meeting new people, being watched or observed while you’re doing something; looking someone in the eye, embarrassing easily, being criticized or teased. Most people that suffer from social phobia also experience physical symptoms like sweating, palpitating, blushing, dry throat and many more.

Cognitive-behavior therapy has been quite successful in the treatment for social phobia. Most people that suffer from social phobia realize that they have no valid reason to feel the way they do, but they still can’t seem to help themselves. It is this acknowledgement of their condition with makes the therapy work better towards helping the patient recover and lead a normal life. Many health professionals will also prescribe medication such as antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs, which are quite helpful when used with the cognitive-behavior therapy.

Social anxiety affects thousands of people each year interfering with their daily lives. There are, however, ways of overcoming social anxiety if you are one of the many that have this disorder to deal with. Some people see a therapist or psychologist for help with overcoming social anxiety. Therapists will often use a variety of methods such as cognitive-behavior therapy and possible medications to take along with the therapy.

There are also many natural herbs and supplements known to help with overcoming social anxiety. The positive thing about these supplements is that they are not addictive and will not cause some of the side effects you see in many prescription medications. There are still many people that choose to try to deal with their social anxiety on their own without the help of a doctor or therapist. If you are one of these people, there are some tips that may be helpful in overcoming social anxiety.

One of the first ways you can help your social anxiety is by changing your attitude. There are two very effective ways of changing your attitude that will help in overcoming social anxiety. One way is to change any expectations you have on yourself that may be unrealistic. When you set goals for yourself, you need to make sure they are goals that you can meet. The second way is to change your distorted views that others are criticizing or judging you if you’re not perfect. It’s important that you realize that it’s ok to make a mistake occasionally and it’s no reason to stress out.

Another way to help yourself with self-confidence is by starting small and taking baby steps. If you suffer from social anxiety, you hate the idea of speaking to others or being in a crowd. When you see your neighbor or someone you know, smile and say hello to them. It may not seem like a lot, but it’s a start. If you’re at work or school, make a comment about the work to someone near you. It doesn’t have to be a long discussion, but just a simple comment. The next day, make a similar comment to the same person or perhaps include a second person in the conversation. Continue this until you are actually talking with a small crowd and they are talking back to you.

Don’t be afraid to speak up if someone makes a comment that you disagree with. Make eye contact as you speak, keeping an alert posture. You may want to read up on current events or watch the local news. If someone brings up a current event, you can add to the conversation, secure with the knowledge that you know what you’re talking about. Always be a good listener while others are talking. Don’t be afraid to give compliments to those you are talking to.

When you’re alone, always try to practice this on your own. If you considered calling a hotline dealing with social anxiety, speaking with them may help make you more comfortable.