Social phobia has been commonly seen in many people. No matter how common it is, one cannot deny the fact that living with social phobia is much more difficult than one could imagine.
What makes it even worse is that people suffering from social phobia are too reluctant to even talk to a therapist. Social phobia with time starts controlling your life. You are too scared to step out, meet people, or even join an office.
What is Social Phobia?
Social phobia or social anxiety is a mental health condition in which if a person interacts socially, they start getting anxiety.
From everyday social interactions to workplace interactions or family get together, all of them cause irrational anxiety and fear in such people.
“Go out, you’ll start feeling more confident and less scared”
Symptoms of Social Phobia
The symptoms of social phobia include:
- Emotional/ behavioral symptoms: Fear of being judged, worried about humiliation, and intense fear of conversing with strangers. Anxiety can be seen on the face, and a person’s voice may tremble, or the body may shiver while interacting.
- Physical symptoms: Some physical changes and signs of social anxiety can be seen in people. These include blushing, trembling, sweating, dizziness, fast heartbeat, or going blank.
- Social symptoms: People with social phobia will prevent interacting with strangers. Such people avoid parties or gatherings. At an extreme level, people may even avoid schools or workplaces. Relationships do not work for such people.
All these are some common signs seen in people with social phobia.
Social Phobia Treatment
Social phobia is quite common, and it can be easily cured. With some lifestyle changes and therapy, one can easily overcome social phobia.
Here we have discussed 5 social phobia cures, these include:
- Social phobia therapy
The best way to cure social anxiety is to get professional therapy. CBT/ cognitive behavioral therapy is used to treat social phobia. The number of therapy sessions may vary from person to person.
Therapy will help you gain confidence and learn skills to manage your symptoms. Your therapist will work with you to help you identify the cause of your phobia. Once you spot your fears, the therapist will help you overcome them.
Different activities are designed by therapists to help people to come out of their social anxieties.
- Take baby steps
As you try to step out and socialize, you don’t have to directly land to a party full of strangers. When you gather the will and decide to fight your social phobia, start with small steps.
For instance, you can start going out for a walk alone or with a companion. As you go out, you’ll start feeling more confident and less scared.
Going out or socializing should not be a stressful event. Instead, you should learn to ease out as you socialize. Try to be in the moment instead of letting fears and thoughts fill your mind.
- Talk about your anxiety issues
What most people do is try to control their anxiety. People with social phobia believe that no one will understand their condition, and it is better for them to suffer alone. It is not the case, reach out for help if you feel anxious about socializing.
If you feel uncomfortable interacting verbally, you may text people or send a voice mail. There are options for everything; you don’t have to feel anxious about discussing your fears.
A person who loves you will support you and won’t judge you. If you are uncomfortable socializing, say so.
- Medications
If you feel your social phobia is increasing with time, you should consult a doctor. Social anxiety can even start interfering with your daily activities. You might not feel like attending school or the office, and soon you’ll end up in a loop. It is better to get it diagnosed and treated on time.
Several different types of medication help improve symptoms of social anxiety. Your doctor might prescribe you meds, and you’ll soon see your symptoms vanish.
- Social Skills Training
Social skills training is a special kind of drill given to people to teach them how to deal with social events.
The training can include exercises such as modeling, rehearsals, public speaking, or stage plays.
Role-playing is arranged to help people with social phobia learn about behaviors to decrease anxiety in social events.
If you are too shy or scared of facing people, interacting with them, or attending events, then you might require social skills training.
Conclusion
Social phobia is not something only you are suffering from, a lot of people suffer from social anxiety, and you can reach out for help anytime. We know it gets quite uncomfortable and fearful to reach out for help initially. However, it will help you over the long term. You will soon be living an ordinary life without social anxiety.
