What is a social phobia? Nearly 15-million people in America suffer from a social phobia, a serious mental health disorder. This problem creates anxiety, fear, stress and similar negative feelings during or even thinking about certain social activities and occasions. This mental disorder can impact your life in a number of ways. You might be frightened to visit a public place due to an irrational belief that people are watching your every move. A social phobia may also make you scared to talk with people on the telephone, or of speaking publicly in a social setting.
People with social fears may use drugs, alcohol or any other substances to eliminate these inhibitive feelings, however, these signs and symptoms won’t disappear without correct therapy and treatment. Instead, the social fear can be become aggravated by the substance abuse, making a precise diagnosis and treatment method more difficult to identify. This problem makes social occasions and places a nightmare of sorts, and may create incredible anxiety and stress over required social interactions. Social fear is often wrongly diagnosed, and doctors frequently misunderstand it. The incorrect diagnosis is frequently schizophrenia, depression, manic depression, personality disorders or stress attacks.
Social phobias can be devastating to daily existence and normal life, which makes the individual unable to communicate with other people or leave home in the case of a severe disorder. Individuals with social phobia may be judged incorrectly, and can feel very insecure or insufficient in social situations. Massive feelings of panic and anxiety are felt by even thinking about a social interaction or event. Even though many disorders have signs and symptoms which fluctuate, social phobia will not disappear unless it receives treatment.
Substance abuse may cause social fear to increase, and when a co-occurring disorder is discovered, treatment must focus on both disorders to achieve success. The signs and symptoms of the condition, the social situation or setting that triggers the stress and negative feelings can vary between different people. What this means is that treatment should be personalized to every individual. Methods of treating social phobia may include numerous techniques, particularly cognitive behavior therapy. Temporary therapy can also be effective, and can offer quicker results than years of counseling.
