Social Anxiety Disorder - Types, Symptoms, Causes & Treatments

Social Anxiety Disorder, or SAD, is a common mental disorder that affects around 2-5% of adults during their lifetime. Individuals with SAD usually face uncomfortable situations while interacting in a social environment.

Moreover, the rate of occurrence of SAD in pre-adolescence (around the age of 10) is approximately 3.5%, whereas this figure jumps to 14% by adolescence. Also, around 70–80% of those with SAD have anxiety, mood, and drug use disorders as a co-occurrence. Read along to learn all about this disorder, its types, causes, treatment methods and more.

The term "social anxiety disorder" (sometimes referred to as "social phobia") describes a severe fear or worry about social situations. Individuals who have it try to limit their social interactions. Additionally, they also experience anxiety when they make an effort to interact with others.

However, the primary concerns include being negatively judged, observed, or having to interact with others. In some cases, if the anxiety is extremely severe, it can result in a panic attack. Moreover, this can be embarrassing and frightening for them as well.

A social anxiety disorder sufferer may experience mild, moderate, or severe symptoms. Regardless, various degrees of social anxiety often consist of:

• Mild Social Anxiety: Even though a person has minor social anxiety, they may engage in or tolerate social events despite experiencing physical and psychological symptoms. Additionally, these individuals might only exhibit symptoms in particular social settings.
• Moderate Social Anxiety: A person with mild social anxiety may exhibit physical and psychological symptoms, yet they may engage in some social activities while avoiding others.
• Extreme Social Anxiety: In social situations, a person with acute social anxiety may have severe symptoms such as a panic attack. As a result, those who suffer from severe social anxiety typically stay away from social situations. Also, extreme social anxiety often manifests as symptoms in various social settings.

Physical Symptoms

Physical symptoms such as –

• Difficulty speaking
• Nausea
• Blushing
• Trembling or shaking
• Sweating
• A rigid body stance
• Feeling as if their mind goes blank
• Rapid heart rate
• Dizziness or lightheadedness

Psychological Symptoms

Apart from those, psychological symptoms include –

• Embarrassment and the desire to avoid doing something embarrassing
• Avoiding social situations or, if you must, blending into the background
• Requiring alcohol to assist you in navigating a social scenario
• Extreme anxiety before, during, and following a social event
• Missing work or school as a result of anxiety
• Fear that others may realise that you're anxious or stressed out
• Everyone experiences anxiety from time to time, but those with social anxiety constantly worry about being perceived negatively by others or humiliated in front of them.

Avoiding Social Interactions

In a few instances, they are likely to avoid social interactions, such as –

• Job interviews
• Asking a question
• Speaking on the phone
• Using public restrooms
• Shopping
• Dining in public

The causes of social anxiety disorder are still unknown to researchers and medical practitioners. Additionally, they are unsure of why some family members get social anxiety disorder, and others do not.

Nevertheless, as fear and anxiety involve many different brain functions, social anxiety disorder is challenging to investigate. Hence, researchers are also examining the possible links between stress and the environment with social anxiety.

Although it can affect people of all ages, social anxiety disorder often develops during a person's adolescence or teenage years. Compared to men, women are more likely to have the condition.

Regardless, a few risk factors include –

• Complicated Life Events: Anxiety disorders may be more likely to develop in stressful or traumatic situations, such as abuse, violence, the death of a loved one, or a protracted illness. Also, a history of rejection, humiliation, or bullying may raise the risk.
• Genetics: There might be a genetic component to anxiety problems since they often run in families.
• Parenting: According to a study, overprotective parenting may make kids more likely to have social anxiety.

To rule out any physical reasons for social anxiety disorder, a doctor may inquire about the patient's medical history and perform a physical examination. After that, they might suggest they consult a mental health expert.

A mental health professional will then ask the patient about their symptoms, including when, how frequently, and when they first began.

A few diagnostic criteria for social anxiety disorder include the following –

• Having a continuous dread of being noticed by others in one or more social situations (such as conversations, social interactions, being observed, or performing in front of others).
• Concern about acting in a way that other people may see negatively or that could cause rejection or offence (such as a fear of seeming anxious or of doing something embarrassing).
• Avoiding circumstances that could make you feel anxious. 
• Experiencing symptoms that last for six months or longer, cause great distress, or have a negative impact on one's work, relationships, or other important areas.

Social anxiety disorder can benefit from various treatments, and the effectiveness of therapy will differ from person to person. Some patients only require one kind of treatment, while others can require a combination.

Your primary care physician may recommend therapy or refer you to a psychologist or mental health professional. Nevertheless, a few of the treatments for social anxiety disorder include –

Counselling Therapy

Talking is a part of counselling, whether it's one-on-one or in a group. Also, there are in-person and online counselling options.

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): CBT educates you on new coping mechanisms for anxiety, such as switching out negative ideas with optimistic ones.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): In the ACT, people discover how to be more present and determine how to lead a value-based life despite unpleasant feelings by using mindfulness, acceptance, and behavioural methods.
• Group Therapy or a Support Group: This aids in developing social skills and methods for interacting with others in social situations. Also, working in a group will enable you to role-play workable answers and show you that you're not alone.
• Exposure Therapy: A healthcare expert will assist you in this therapy so that you may gradually confront social situations rather than avoid them.

Medications

People with social anxiety disorder can control their symptoms with various medications. In this regard, the three primary categories are beta-blockers, antidepressants, and antianxiety medicines.

• Beta-blockers: Beta-blockers can reduce anxiety symptoms, such as sweating, trembling, and an accelerated heartbeat. They do this by preventing adrenaline's stimulating effects. Doctors typically prescribe these medications for certain circumstances, such as having to deliver a presentation rather than for ongoing care.
• Antidepressants: You can also treat the symptoms of social anxiety disorder with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which are often used as antidepressants. However, they could take weeks or months to start working. A few examples of antidepressants include sertraline, paroxetine, fluoxetine, etc.
• Antianxiety Medications: Anti Anxiety drugs work immediately to lessen anxiety symptoms. Still, doctors often only advise using them temporarily because they can lead to dependence. One popular kind of antianxiety medication is called benzodiazepines. Additionally, examples of this kind include clonazepam and alprazolam.

Home Remedies

Although an individual must follow a doctor's instructions, a few home remedies can also support the recovery journey. A few home remedies that a patient can follow include –

• Breathing exercises
• Exercises to help manage stress
• Meditation and mindfulness
• Maintaining a proper sleep routine
• Avoiding caffeine and other similar stimulants
• Proper knowledge about anxiety
• Understanding the signs and knowing when to seek help
• Finding a person for open conversation, such as a therapist, friend, or family member
• Eating a balanced diet and getting regular exercise to enhance your overall well-being

If you exhibit any social anxiety disorder symptoms or indicators, speak with your healthcare practitioner. Also, getting therapy for social anxiety is essential to feel better and performing to your greatest ability.

Furthermore, if you have already received a diagnosis of social anxiety disorder, make sure to visit your doctor routinely. Besides this, you can also contact your healthcare provider if your symptoms are worsening, worrying you, or you believe your treatment isn't working. Also, avoid consuming drugs on your own without consulting a healthcare professional.

There isn't much you can do to prevent social anxiety. However, you can receive treatment to help control, lessen, or relieve symptoms. Without therapy, it is very challenging to get over social anxiety. It is important to understand that SAD is a medical condition, and similar to other conditions, this also requires medical treatment.

Also, you can develop your social skills in settings where you must interact with others, like the workplace. You can also learn to adjust, for example, by staying at a party for a shorter period of time.

Finally, it should be noted that social anxiety disorder can lead to other forms of anxiety and depression. Additionally, it could also result in drug use. Hence, getting support from a mental health professional is essential if you have SAD symptoms.