What Is Social Phobia? Why Do I Feel Anxious Around Other People?

You’re about to walk into a party to hang out with all of your friends. You’re excited to see them. But the second you walk inside, instead of greeting them with. Hugs and smiles, you can’t help but look down at your feet. Your heart starts pounding—you can’t ignore the urge to rush to the bathroom.

“Everyone’s making fun of me.” “I’m sure they hate my outfit.” “I don’t know why I did my hair like this.” “Why did I even come here?”

You spend 10 minutes in the bathroom just working up the courage to leave. Finally, you make it outside and with a quick wave to your friends as well as a lame excuse for leaving, you hop back in your car and head home.

This is a brief look at what it can be like to suffer with social phobia, or social anxiety. The main feature of social phobia is this intense fear of social situations, in which the individual assumes they will be negatively perceived by others. As you can see above, the effects of social anxiety can make what should be a simple (or fun) task difficult. The good news is that there is treatment out there for those who suffer with social phobia, including therapy and counseling for social anxiety.

Do I Have Social Anxiety? What Are the Symptoms?

The following are symptoms, as well as diagnostic criteria for social anxiety, as set forth by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). One must present a combination of the following to be diagnosed with social phobia:

•  The individual has an intense fear of social situations that may involve being scrutinized or observed by others.
• He or she worries that others will take notice of this fear or anxiety and make fun of them for it, which may lead to rejection.
• Social situations always make the individual grow fearful; in children, this fear is expressed through cries, clinging, and tantrums.
• Social situations are avoided at all cost.
• The fear is excessive, especially compared to the actual threat of the social situation at hand.
• The fear causes severe stress or impairment in important areas of functioning.
• The fear (or avoidance) is not due to the physiological effects of a different medical condition or substance or another mental disorder.

It should be noted that a lot of people get nervous around other people on occasion—for example, many of us have anxiety about giving a presentation or public speaking. This, however, does not necessarily mean that we have social anxiety or social phobia.

Who Is at Risk for Developing Social Phobia?

Social anxiety sometimes occurs in those who have a history of shyness. It could be triggered by a traumatic or embarrassing life event or even a life-changing decision like getting married or starting a new job. It may hang in the balance, disappearing when the individual conquers a fear, but returning when the individual is challenged yet again.

Presentation can differ among age groups: older adults experience social anxiety at a lesser level, but fear a greater multitude of situations; younger individuals, on the other hand, report greater levels of social anxiety but in very specific instances. Also, adolescents more consistently experience fear and avoidance than younger children. Now, there are several additional factors that may affect susceptibility to developing social anxiety. These factors raise concern and possibly your risk level:

1.  The individual has a history of fearing the scrutiny of others.

2.  He or she was neglected as a child.

3.  The phobia runs in the individual’s family.

Treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder: Counseling and Medication

Many individuals who suffer with anxiety disorders don’t seek treatment due to shame or feeling as if they can just deal with it on their own. However, treatment is available and effective. Consider:

•  Counseling:Working through an individual’s fears with a therapist can be effective, as it’s important to identify these fears and figure out what may provoke them.
•  Medication: There are many anxiety-reducing medications out there such as antidepressants. Your psychiatrist or therapist can help you find the right fit!

If you think that you might have social anxiety, talk to your healthcare provider or find a counselor near you who can help. Don’t worry: You are not alone and there is help available.