Social phobia, also called social anxiety disorder, is a psychological disorder in which the person feels very anxious in normal social situations such as talking or eating in public places, entering crowded places, going to a party or having an interview. employment, for example.
In this disorder the person is insecure and worried about his performance or what they might think of him, so he avoids situations in which he can be judged by other people. There are two main types of this phobia:
- Generalized social phobia: the person fears almost all social situations, such as talking, dating, going out in public places, talking, eating, writing in public, among others; Performance or restricted social phobia: the person is afraid of some specific social situations that depend on their performance, such as speaking to many people or performing on stage, for example.
This type of phobia can be cured if the treatment is properly performed and, therefore, it is advisable to consult a psychologist or a psychiatrist.
Main symptoms
Symptoms of social phobia include:
- Palpitations; Shortness of breath; Dizziness; Sweat; Blurred vision; Tremors; Stammering or difficulties in speaking; Red face; Nausea and vomiting; Forgetting what to say or do.
The onset of social phobia is uncertain and gradual, making it difficult for the patient to identify when the problem started. However, most of the time it occurs in childhood or adolescence.
What Causes Phobia
The causes of social phobia can be related to:
- Previous traumatizing experience in public; Fear of social exposure; Critical; Rejection; Low self-esteem; Overprotective parents; Few social opportunities.
These situations diminish the person's confidence and produce a strong insecurity, causing one to doubt his own abilities to perform any function in public.
How the treatment is done
Treatment for social phobia is usually guided by a psychologist and is started with cognitive behavioral therapy, in which the person learns to control the symptoms of anxiety, to challenge the thoughts that make him anxious, replacing them with adequate and positive thoughts, to face real life situations to overcome their fears and to practice their social skills in a group.
However, when therapy is not enough, the psychologist can refer the person to a psychiatrist, where anxiolytic or antidepressant drugs can be prescribed, which will help to obtain better results. However, the ideal is always to try therapy with the psychologist before opting for the use of medications.
