If you suffer from social phobia, you tend to think
that other people are very competent in public and
that you are not. Small mistakes you make may seem
to you much more exaggerated than they really are.
Blushing itself may seem painfully embarrassing, and
you feel as though all eyes are focused on you. You
may be afraid of being with people other than those
closest to you. Or your fear may be more specific,
such as feeling anxious about giving a speech,
talking to a boss or other authority figure, or
dating. The most common social phobia is a fear of
public speaking. Sometimes social phobia involves a
general fear of social situations such as parties.
More rarely it may involve a fear of using a public
restroom, eating out, talking on the phone, or
writing in the presence of other people, such as
when signing a check.
Although this disorder is often thought of as
shyness, the two are not the same. Shy people can be
very uneasy around others, but they don't experience
the extreme anxiety in anticipating a social
situation, and they don't necessarily avoid
circumstances that make them feel self-conscious. In
contrast, people with social phobia aren't
necessarily shy at all. They can be completely at
ease with people most of the time, but particular
situations, such as walking down an aisle in public
or making a speech, can give them intense anxiety.
Social phobia disrupts normal life, interfering with
career or social relationships. For example, a
worker can turn down a job promotion because he
can't give public presentations. The dread of a
social event can begin weeks in advance, and
symptoms can be quite debilitating.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
People with social phobia aren't
necessarily shy at all. They can be
completely at ease with people most
of the time, but in particular
situations, they feel intense anxiety.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
People with social phobia are aware that their
feelings are irrational. Still, they experience a
great deal of dread before facing the feared
situation, and they may go out of their way to avoid
it. Even if they manage to confront what they fear,
they usually feel very anxious beforehand and are
intensely uncomfortable throughout. Afterwards, the
unpleasant feelings may linger, as they worry about
how they may have been judged or what others may
have thought or observed about them.
About 80 percent of people who suffer from social
phobia find relief from their symptoms when treated
with cognitive-behavioral therapy or medications or
a combination of the two. Therapy may involve
learning to view social events differently; being
exposed to a seemingly threatening social situation
in such a way that it becomes easier to face; and
learning anxiety-reducing techniques, social skills,
and relaxation techniques.
The medications that have proven effective include
antidepressants called MAO inhibitors. People with a
specific form of social phobia called performance
phobia have been helped by drugs called
beta-blockers. For example, musicians or others with
this anxiety may be prescribed a beta-blocker for
use on the day of a performance.
Page
1
| 2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6
| 7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11
|
|
