Is it Shyness or Social Anxiety Disorder?
Some people are intensely shy and feel intensely uncomfortable in many social situations. Although you may put this down to your shyness you could in fact be suffering from Social Anxiety Disorder. This is a condition that has only been recognized in recent years although it is believed to affect many thousands of people around the world
Nearly everyone experiences some form of uneasiness in unfamiliar social circumstances. Everything from the fear of using the wrong knife and fork,
through to a belief that you will disgrace yourself in some way. In modern life a great deal of emphasis is placed on the way a person socializes both professionally and in private life.
It is important to differentiate between normal shyness and Social Anxiety Disorder. They are not the same thing. Whilst a shy person may feel unease and lack the confidence to become involved in conversations the effects for a sufferer of Social Anxiety Disorder can be physically debilitating.
The symptoms are similar to any other form of panic or anxiety attack, palpitations, sweating, inability to speak coherently, nausea, dizziness and possibly hyperventilation. The early indications of a problem such as this usually appear during childhood or adolescents but can the symptoms can grow in intensity as we become older.
There is no particular group, age or gender that is more prone to Social
Anxiety Disorder than others although more women than men tend to seek treatment for the disorder. This could be that women are more prone to suffer this complaint or it might be that a woman is more likely to go and seek professional help than a man.
A good socializer will often find it easier to climb the corporate ladder and have a full social and personal life. If you feel that you are being held back because of your fear of social occasions then you should consider seeking professional medical advice.
There are treatments available which will help you overcome your fear and dread of social occasions. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy can be useful in the treatment. It involves working with an analyst who will get the patient to think about themself, the world and other people and how what they do affects their thoughts and feelings. This can help to change the way you think and remove many deep seated fears and worries.
If you think that you or someone you know is suffering from Social Anxiety Disorder seek medical help and get the life that you deserve.
