Social
Phobia
(Social Anxiety Disorder)
Social
Phobia is characterized by an intense fear of situations,
usually social or performance situations, where embarrassment
may occur. Individuals with the disorder are acutely
aware of the physical signs of their anxiety and fear
that others will notice, judge them, and think poorly
of them. This fear often results in extreme anxiety
in anticipation of an activity, a Panic Attack when
faced with an activity, or in the avoidance of an activity
altogether. Adults usually recognize that their fears
are unfounded or excessive, but suffer them nonetheless.
Symptoms
of Social Phobia manifest themselves physically and
can include:
-
palpitations
-
tremors
-
sweating
-
diarrhea
-
confusion
-
blushing
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Blushing when in social situations is particularly common
and often causes the sufferer further embarrassment.
People
with Social Phobia tend to be sensitive to criticism and
rejection, have difficulty asserting themselves, and suffer
from low self-esteem. The most common fears associated
with the disorder are a fear of speaking in public or
to strangers, a fear of meeting new people, and performance
fears (activities that may potentially be embarrassing),
such as writing, eating or drinking in public. Sufferers
usually fear more than one type of social setting.
Onset
of the disorder is usually in mid to late adolescence,
but children have also been diagnosed with Social Phobia.
Children with the disorder (See "Children
& Adolescents") are prone to excessive shyness,
clinging behavior, tantrums and even mutism. There is
usually a marked decline in school performance and the
child will often try to avoid going to school or taking
part in age appropriate social activities. Their fears
are centered on peer settings rather than social activities
involving adults, with whom they may feel more comfortable.
For a child to be diagnosed with Social Phobia, symptoms
must persist for at least six months.
Take
a Social Phobia Self-Test
Anxiety
Disorders Association of America
8730 Georgia Avenue, Suite 600
Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
Main # (240) 485-1001
Fax # (240) 485-1035
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All Rights Reserved.
