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Social Anxiety Disorder

There is a condition known as social anxiety disorder. It is also referred to as social phobia. This particular anxiety disorder is characterized when a person experiences excessive or unreasonable fear when exposed to social events or situations. This form of anxiety shows itself as intense nervousness as well as self-consciousness that comes about from the fear that the person is being watched, criticized, or judged by others.

Those who have social anxiety disorders are often afraid that they will make some kind of mistakes thus embarrassing or humiliated themselves in public. The fear they have can be made worse if they also lack social skills or have experiences in social situations. This unwarranted anxiety can then turn into a panic attack. Because of their fear, they may try to avoid social gatherings and events altogether. But there can be more, too. Some of those with this condition also suffer from what is called "anticipatory" anxiety. This is the fear of a social situation before it happens. This fear can take place days or even weeks before the date of the event.
 

Symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder

Some of those suffering from social anxiety disorder may start to feel as if there is something wrong; however, they may not recognize their feelings are a sign of this condition. Social anxiety disorder symptoms may include:
  • Increased anxiety within social situations.
  • Avoidance of social gatherings or events.
  • Physical symptoms include: sweating, confusion, blushing, pounding heart, shaking, muscle tension, nausea, diarrhea and upset stomach.
 

Treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder

Your physician may recommend various medications or they may also recommend behavior therapy. For many, both treatments are beneficial. Most of those who have this condition will not get better until they get treatment. The main goal of all phobia treatment is reduction of both anxiety and fear. Treatment often helps you to better manage reactions when they occur as well as deal with the event in a positive way.
 

Medications for Social Phobia

Many types of medications can be used for social anxiety disorder. Generally, Luvox), Paroxetine (Paxil), Sertraline (Zoloft), and Fluoxetine (Prozac).
 
Social anxiety disorder can also be treated with the serotonin and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) medication venlafaxine (Effexor). This is used generally only as a first-line drug therapy for those with social anxiety disorder.
 
Your doctor may start with a low dose in order to reduce any possible side effects. He or she will then gradually increase the dosage until they reach the full dose. This may take several weeks or months. During this time, the patient may not see any noticeable improvement.
 
Other medications used to treat social anxiety symptoms can include:
  • Various antidepressants may be used to discover which one is effective and presents with the fewest side effects.
  • Anti-Anxiety Drugs called benzodiazepines can help reduce your anxiety level. These drugs work quickly, but they can also be very habit-forming. To avoid dependency problems they are most often prescribed only for short-term use. These drugs may also cause a sedating effect on the patient.
  • Beta blockers work by restricting or blocking the stimulating action of adrenaline. They are known to cause side effects such as: reduced heart rate, tremors, blood pressure changes, heart pounding, and shaky voice control. These drugs are used only infrequently in order to control symptoms that might come about during a particular event, like giving a speech. They are not normally recommended as long-term treatment options for social anxiety disorders.
 
If your treatment does not work fast, do not give up. Your recovery may take several months and you have to be patient. Keep in mind, finding the right drug and dosage for your may require trial and error until the right one is found.
 

More information on Social Anxiety Disorder:

 
  • Social Anxiety Disorder and Social Phobia - Helpguide.com provides guide to Social Phobia.
  • Social Phobia Definition - National Institute of Mental Health.
  • American Academy of Family Physicians - Social Anxiety Disorder: A Common, Underrecognized Mental Disorder
  • Comprehensive overview of Social Anxiety Disorder - CNN.com covers symptoms, treatments and complications.
  • Social Anxiety Disorder and Alcohol Use - National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
  • Social Anxiety Disorder and The Placebo Effect - Psychology Today provides information on Social Anxiety.
  • Social Anxiety Disorder Treatment Overview - Find resources on social anxiety disorder treatment from WebMD
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