The Symptoms of Social Phobia

Article by Denise Douglass

The symptoms of social phobia (also known as Social Anxiety Disorder)

The fear of being judged.

In essence, social phobia is a fear of being judged. 

If you suffer from social phobia / social anxiety, this fear becomes your own worst enemy.

The symptoms of social phobia (social anxiety).

• dry mouth
• blushing
• feeling sick
• shaking
• feeling weak
• shy bladder (inability to urinate in public toilets)
• stammering
• diarrhoea
• stuttering
• sweating
• having palpitations.

...Ultimately, it can cause a full-blown anxiety attack or panic attack.

Social anxiety also shares many similar symptoms with general anxiety.

Social situations

The fear of social phobia is based around social / public situations, and these can range from anything such as nights out, to going shopping, meeting people, going to work, parties, entertainment situations, or even a complete inability to use public toilets (shy bladder), as well as many other situations where people come into some kind of contact with others.

Avoidance

Indeed, they may arrange their whole life to avoid situations where social interactions may occur. 

This can include avoiding using / answering the telephone, or typing / writing something down in front of others, avoiding signing their name, or indeed anything that could possibly put them at the centre of attention, or 'on the spot'.

Low self confidence and self esteem.

Often, when a person has social anxiety, their self esteem is low, they are lacking in confidence, they are sometimes not even able to hold eye contact. 

There is usually an intense dislike of being introduced to people, often anxiety over eating / drinking in public - the very things that most people enjoy, such as having dinner in a lovely restaurant, can bring dread to someone with social phobia.

Social phobia in the workplace.

Social phobia may also manifest itself as the avoidance of situations involving confrontations with colleagues, especially when involving figures of authority, such as supervisors and managers.

This can dramatically increase the effects of the social phobia / social anxiety, bringing with it the attendant dread and unease.

Other effects of social phobia.

Parties can be stressful and because of this, the need to have a drink beforehand, to "loosen up a bit", and relax enough to release those social inhibitions, becomes of prime importance to the sufferer.

Over time, this social phobic condition may go on to develop into depressive illnesses, or because the sufferers end up avoiding so many social places, they may go on to develop agoraphobia.

Some people with social phobia, or social anxiety disorder, may use drugs, alcohol, or tranquillisers as crutches, and sometimes become addicted to them.

Fear of Public Speaking / Stage Fright / Performance-Related Fear

It's interesting to note, that fear of public speaking (or stage fright) is also a form of social phobia (social anxiety), and yet the individuals concerned may lead perfectly normal lives, with no problems or anxiety at all over socialising, or eating in front of others, etc.

Yet, when the person in question has to stand in front of others, and give a talk, demonstration or performance, then the social anxiety can come out full force, and they too might feel sick, shaky, stammer, their mouth dry over, or their heart will start to race. 

Actors, singers, sales people, musicians, teachers, etc, can all suffer from this debilitating "stage fright" form of social anxiety, as well as people giving presentations, talks or wedding speeches.

But, whatever the profession, or reason for giving the speech, and however this condition affects them, this can be a very demoralising and debilitating situation to be in.

Article by Denise Douglass

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