Social Anxiety

Ok so here's the deal: Social situations terrify me, I'm scared of asking people for help- especially strangers and I avoid going to parties like the plague.

At first I thought that I was just being my weird little self but then it hit me. Social Anxiety Disorder.

It's quite common for people to get nervous about things. Some people find the idea of public speaking worrying or are scared to talk to somebody in an authoritative position. You can often put these fears down to shyness or a lack of confidence. Yet to others fears of social interactions may be more acute and they are known to be suffering from  Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) or Social Phobia.



So what exactly is SAD?

The Social Anxiety Research Clinic defines SAD as:

Social anxiety can be a normal part of life. It involves feeling tense, nervous or uncomfortable in situations with others, due to fear of what they may think of you. When social anxiety is very distressing or interferes with activities, however, it may be considered "Social Anxiety Disorder." People with Social Anxiety Disorder may find it difficult to make new friends, to participate in group activities, or to date, and they may find career opportunities limited by their anxiety.

Sufferers may experience fears and/or dread when faced with social situations. Even the most mundane things such as answering the phone, working, shopping or even just leaving the house can be distressing. Furthermore sufferers of Social Anxiety have the tendency to over think and analyse especially when it comes to relationships. They (or should I say we) are very sensitive to criticism (this works wonders when you are job hunting and may send you into a spiral of despair.)  and have an acute fear of rejection.

Whilst many of these tendencies may be very common in adolescence for sufferers of SAD these continue into later life and as we continue to avoid stressful situations may isolate ourselves thus leading to feelings of loneliness and depression.

SAD is a mental illness yet it is not all 'just in your head' as physical symptoms may include rapid breathing, trembling, sweating and even in extreme cases panic attacks.

These images perfectly reflect how social anxiety can impact 'normal' interactions.

                                       

If you or anyone you know suffers from Social anxiety please visit these websites. Here and here