Anxiety Disorders

You’re afraid to walk down the street because you feel that everyone is looking at you. Or you are afraid to stand in line because you feel that you are too close to others for comfort. You sweat every time you think about making a call because you are afraid of the interaction you will have with the other person. It gets so bad that you hardly leave the house anymore. All these are called social phobias or social anxiety. They are acquired as we grow from infancy.

A social phobia or anxiety can be described as an intense fear of social interaction because you’re worried about how that interaction will turn out. Few of us have been spared a social phobia. Even the bravest of the brave would worry about having to give a lecture to a class full of geniuses for instance. This is healthy, and in most cases is overcome. It’s healthy because it is what pushes you to make sure that whatever you will say is up to scratch. It is much like the fear that makes you run from danger – if you didn’t feel fear, you wouldn’t run, and therefore you would be harmed.

When it comes to social phobia though, the reaction that’s experienced is on a much deeper level, and can spill over to harmless interactions like phone calls or saying hello to a neighbour or a colleague. Each time you are faced with the situation, your social phobia causes you deep anxiety and you feel it’s out of control. You will have physical manifestations, like palpitations, sweating, shallow and faster breathing, and blushing.

Social phobia is not to be confused with agoraphobia, although, in a sense some social phobia can stem from agoraphobia or the other way around. Agoraphobia causes abnormal fear of public places, such that when the person is out in the open, like in the street or the store, they cannot function properly. This is why they feel afraid to leave the house. Social phobia and anxiety is more than just this, and extends to social interactions of all kinds. You feel threatened by talking to another person, or the fact that they may be looking at you or hearing you. Sometimes, something like an email or a text message, especially from someone in authority, will trigger a reaction.

If you want to understand the kind of phobia that you feel, it’s important that you first understand common phobias so that you can eliminate them. For instance, fear of heights or enclosed places is a common phobia, but if you look into it, you will understand the point at which it becomes excessive and may become a problem – like if someone is afraid to climb something that’s one metre off the floor. Similarly for social phobias; it’s ok to worry about meeting a bunch of strangers, but if you find that you’re completely immobile because of it, you may need to seek help.

Once you understand the common phobias and the limits that are defined for them, you will know if you ought to be diagnosed. There is treatment for the anxiety that comes with social phobias; medications that will help control your reaction as well as therapy that helps you control the fear. Don’t hesitate to seek professional help, because what otherwise seemed like a mild problem could turn out to have repercussions later.

It’s also important that you work on your mental state, so that you can overcome some of the boundaries that hold you back. Use relaxation techniques, and when a situation s