Social anxiety is considered as this overwhelming urge to disappear whenever you are in a crowd or with people you don’t know. Social anxiety is far from shyness. Follow this article to gain more insight about the indications of having social anxiety and how to overcome social anxiety.
Social anxiety is an anxiety disorder in which individuals struggle to converse with unfamiliar individuals and experience adverse reactions in social settings.. Social anxiety can turn out to be serious to such an extent that it begins to disrupt an individual’s life. An individual whose social anxiety is on an extreme level, will find it hard to try and go through an employee meeting.
An individual who is experiencing social anxiety will feel shaking, dazedness, discourse breathing, hypertension, and an accent in heartbeat. These are a portion of the signs that an individual is going through social anxiety. It can obstruct your day to day exercises like going grocery shopping or eating in diners.
Follow this article to learn more about the indications of having social anxiety and how to overcome social anxiety.
Table of Contents
What are the major causes of social anxiety?
No one is born with social anxiety. There are some major causes that can lead a person in that direction. Following are some major causes of social anxiety.
- Brain disorder
- Parenting style
- Life experiences
- Genetics
Brain disorder:
As per researchers, individuals who are experiencing social anxiety deal with issues in their amygdala, a part of the cerebrum that is liable for the survival reaction. At the point when an individual’s social anxiety is set off, their amygdala will work at an unusual speed and it will be difficult for the prefrontal cortex to quiet it down.
Parenting style:
As per research, an individual who experienced childhood in a severe family where his/her parents had full oversight over their lives then, at one point, could foster social anxiety when they grow up. Restricting a child’s ability to express themselves openly can lead to low self confidence and social anxiety as they mature.
Life experiences:
Life altering situations that are very upsetting play a tremendous part in the development of social anxiety in an individual. As a result of being the victim of physical, sexual, or mental abuse, a person will develop social anxiety. The outcome will be the same regardless of whether the victim is an adult or a child. In cases like these, a person’s social anxiety will be extreme and can be triggered easily.
Genetics:
Although there is no conclusive evidence that a person can inherit social anxiety from their parents, some researchers do believe that genetics play a significant role. It is trusted that if both or one of the parent’s have social anxiety, there is a likelihood that their child could foster this problem. .
What are the indications of having social anxiety?
Most of the time, shyness is confused with social anxiety. We need to comprehend that these are two totally various things. If you know somebody who acts far off and doesn’t favor crowds, you can check whether they have social tension by searching for the accompanying signs.
- Intense fear of talking to a stranger
- Physical symptoms
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Difficulty in breathing
- Muscle tension
- Dizziness
- Extreme fear when attending a social event
- Expecting worse outcome when attending a social event
- Avoid making eye contact
- Not being able to eat properly in restaurants
- Difficulty in doing things when there are people around
- Talking on phone
Intense fear of talking to a stranger:
A person who is battling with social anxiety will face intense fear when they have to talk to a stranger. They will be afraid of being ridiculed or judged. They will try not to converse with outsiders and stay away from circumstances where they need to associate with others. Once in a while this dread can be outrageous to the point that an individual finds it hard to be in a prospective employee meeting.
Physical symptoms:
Following are some physical symptoms of having social anxiety. These symptoms can vary from person to person.
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Difficulty in breathing
- Muscle tension
- Dizziness
Sweating:
One of the most widely recognized side effects is sweating. An individual who is experiencing social tension will begin sweating bountifully when they set to realize they are up in a way where individuals could connect with them.
Trembling:
Trembling is the most extreme sign of social anxiety. A person who is unable to control their anxiety will begin to shake and tremble. This will happen when an individual is having a mental breakdown. This is an indications that they need assistance and they have zero influence over their tension.
Difficulty in breathing:
When individuals with social tension must cooperate with others, they may experience breathing difficulties. Certain individuals have some control over their nervousness by taking deep breaths however when an individual is experiencing outrageous social anxiety then, it will be hard for them to control their anxiety.
Muscle tension:
It is regular for individuals who are experiencing anxiety to encounter muscle strain. The muscles between your shoulders and neck will be tense. This is an obvious indicator of having social anxiety. An individual who is experiencing social anxiety will encounter muscle pressure when they are in a get together or some place loaded up with outsiders, similar to a cafe or a supermarket.
Dizziness:
When a person is stuck in a social event, they may experience dizziness, which is another major sign of social anxiety. They won’t be able to think clearly, and this will happen because things may become too much for them to handle. They will become disoriented as a result of their mind going blank.
Extreme fear when attending a social event:
Whenever they have to attend a social event, they will be extremely scared. They will have this fear that every person there will judge them or humiliate them. This fear will not let them interact with anyone. Many people who are suffering from social anxiety avoid going out just because of this fear.
Expecting worse outcome when attending a social event:
At the point when they are compelled to go to a get together, they would anticipate the most terrible result from the occasion. An individual who is fighting with social anxiety will continually believe that individuals will ridicule them and they will hurt them. Additionally, this fear encourages low self esteem and confidence.
Avoid making eye contact:
A person who is battling with social anxiety will avoid making eye contact when they are having a conversation with someone. They will look here and there in order to find a distraction, this will help them take their mind off from the interaction.
Not being able to eat properly in restaurants:
An individual who is combating social anxiety can not appreciate spending time with their loved one’s on the off chance that they are feasting out in a cafe, they cannot eat as expected. They will have this dread that every one of the outsiders are taking a jibe at them and they are passing judgment on them. This dread won’t let them appreciate beneficial things in life.
Difficulty in doing things when there are people around:
They might be good at something, but once they are surrounded by others, they won’t be able to concentrate on what they need to do. They will have the impression that everyone is watching them, and if they make a mistake, people will start to make fun of them. This dread won’t allow them to zero in on their assignment.
Talking on phone:
It will also be difficult for someone who has severe social anxiety to have a proper conversation on their phone. They will stammer a great deal and their response won’t come out as a result of their anxiety.
What are the different types of social anxiety?
We all understand that a person battling with social anxiety will face the same symptoms as others, but there will be a difference in intensity of these symptoms based on what type of social anxiety they have. Following are the different types of social anxiety.
- Mild social anxiety
- Moderate social anxiety
- Extreme social anxiety
Mild social anxiety:
Think of mild social anxiety as the first stage of this anxiety disorder. A person who is battling with mild social anxiety will be able to control their anxiety and they will not let the symptoms interfere with their daily routine. The symptoms will be there but the intensity will be low and controllable.
Moderate social anxiety:
A person who is suffering from moderate social anxiety will experience both physical symptoms as well as psychological symptoms. The intensity is a little higher than mild social anxiety but it can be controlled. Individuals with moderate social anxiety tend to avoid overwhelming situations but may feel more at ease in specific scenarios like dining out, job interviews, or shopping.
Extreme social anxiety:
A person who is battling with extreme social anxiety will not be able to control their anxiety at all. Think of it as the last stage, both psychological symptoms and physical symptoms are high in intensity. They will not be able to enjoy anything in their life, they will constantly have this fear that people are judging them or someone will humiliate them.
How to overcome social anxiety?
If you are tired of social anxiety interfering in your life then, you can try the following steps to overcome your social anxiety.
- Know your triggers
- Talk to a therapist
- Take baby steps
- Challenge your negative thoughts
- Role play
- Practice kindness
- Learn relaxation techniques
- Be gentle with yourself
- Act confident
- Try to go out more
Know your triggers:
It is paramount for you to know your triggers. Understand what are the situations that are overwhelming for you. Know about the things that triggered your anxiety last time. This will help you in the future, you will be able to avoid that situation instead of isolating yourself.
Talk to therapist:
A person who is dealing with social anxiety, no matter what type they have been diagnosed with, must consult a therapist. Taking therapy will help them recognize their triggers, understand their anxiety in a deep way, and come up with little exercises for you. You will be able to share your thoughts and feelings with your therapist, something you are not able to do with everyone because of your anxiety and fear of being judged.
Take baby steps:
Do not force yourself into situations that can trigger your anxiety. It is not a wise thing to force yourself into situations where things can be overwhelming for you. Take baby steps so it does not feel overwhelming to you. Take one step at a time. If you find it hard to go out in public places then, you can start on a small level, like going out for a walk or going to a mart.
Challenge your negative thoughts:
Whenever you try to go outside, your mind will be clouded with negative thoughts and fears. This is a symptom of having social anxiety. To counter that, when something like this takes place, take your negative thoughts as a challenge and try to prove them wrong by taking a step forward. Try to not let the fear consume you.
Role play:
You can try to role play before you make a move. Think about the conversation you might have with the person you are about to interact with, practice your answers and think about their replies as well. This will help you when you finally face the situation. Your answers will be smooth and you will be able to get through the conversation without triggering your anxiety.
Practice kindness:
Because of their fear, people who suffer from social anxiety frequently give the impression of being rude. While you can’t completely alter what other people think of you, you can try to make them understand your situation. Assuming you know somebody who thinks you are being impolite to them by not conversing with them then, at that point, you can calmly enlighten them concerning what is going on. This will assist them with grasping a couple of things about you.
Learn relaxation techniques:
To effectively manage anxiety, acquiring relaxation techniques is essential. Consider practicing deep breathing exercises when you notice slow and irregular breathing patterns. Exploring techniques like aromatherapy, jujitsu, and meditation can also help divert your attention from triggering stimuli.
Be gentle with yourself:
You are not required to put yourself in circumstances with which you are uncomfortable. Take things one step at a time and don’t ever feel bad about your anxiety. Feeling terrible with yourself is simply going to bring down your confidence and fearlessness. You actually should deal with yourself first before you push ahead.
Act confident:
When you go out, it is important for you to get rid of those negative thoughts. Be confident in who you are and know that nobody will make fun of you or look down on you. Be confident in who you are, resist allowing your negative thoughts to prevail.
Try to go out more:
We are all aware that for some with social anxiety, going out like a normal person can be overwhelming. To defeat this, you can approach slowly and carefully. Attempt basic things like taking a stroll in your area, this will give you certainty to go out for shopping and even to go out to get togethers.
Conclusion:
Managing social anxiety can be demanding for an individual. Particularly when they are trying to manage extreme social anxiety. Which cannot be controlled. Your body will begin to tremble, you will begin to sweat, your heart rate will increase, your breathing will become more labored, you will feel muscle tension, your blood pressure will increase, and you may also experience nausea and fainting.
Social anxiety will start interfering in your daily routine and it will make things tough for you. You will be under fear that everyone around you is talking about you, judging you, or making fun of you. To overcome this fear, you need to understand your triggers and consult a therapist. Talking to a therapist can open so many avenues for you, making the entire process a little easy for you.
