When Socialising is Stressful… Social Anxiety
Whilst social situations offer the opportunity to interact and enjoy other people’s company, they can also bring the possibility of embarrassment and scrutiny. For some, the fear of negative evaluation by others can be so intense that it interferes with social relationships and may lead people to avoid socialising altogether.
It’s important to understand that social anxiety is much more than shyness or nervousness when speaking in public – social anxiety disorder causes intense, overwhelming distress over everyday activities. For example, someone experiencing social anxiety may feel so anxious during a conversation with their boss that they are unable to speak. Often, these anxiety-provoking situations are accompanied by physical sensations such as an increased heart rate, blushing, excessive sweating, trembling and difficulty swallowing.
What is Social Anxiety?
To really break it down, social anxiety is a persistent fear of being judged, embarrassed or humiliated in social situations. It can occur in both large and small gatherings; from meeting new people and attending parties to answering questions in class or speaking up in meetings. People with social anxiety often overestimate how critically others view them and may spend days or weeks worrying about upcoming interactions. This can affect relationships, work, and study, and over time, limit confidence and quality of life.
In this day and age, social media has also intensified these worries. Comparing ourselves to others online or worrying about how we are perceived in photos and comments can heighten feelings of inadequacy, similar to how it contributes to body image concerns. This constant self-evaluation can make it even harder for those struggling with social anxiety to feel comfortable expressing themselves, both online and in real life.
Here are Some Key Signs and Symptoms of Social Anxiety
The signs of social anxiety can appear in many forms, both physical and emotional. Common symptoms include excessive self-consciousness, fear of being the centre of attention, difficulty making eye contact, and overthinking social interactions before and after they occur. Physically, people may experience sweating, shaking, a rapid heartbeat, nausea or even panic attacks in social settings.
Avoidance is another key sign; many people go out of their way to avoid conversations, events or anything that might cause embarrassment. While this can bring temporary relief, it ultimately reinforces anxiety in the long term. If these feelings and behaviours are interfering with your daily life, it’s worth speaking to a professional social anxiety psychologist in the Sutherland Shire, who can help you understand and manage your symptoms.
Why do some people experience social anxiety and others don’t?
We don’t know exactly what causes social anxiety disorder, and it is likely to include a combination of factors such as past experiences, the environment (the way we are brought up) and genetics (the way we are born). Theories of social anxiety suggest that socially anxious individuals have particular beliefs and assumptions about themselves and their social environment.
These include:
- Excessively high standards about how to perform in social situations
- Beliefs about the negative consequences of inadequate performance
- Other negative beliefs about themselves
More recently, people have been relying heavily on social media forums like Facebook, Instagram and Tik Tok to compensate for avoiding face-to-face social interaction. While these avoidance tactics may seem like a solution, they only prevent the person from learning the skills needed to cope with everyday social situations.
How Therapy Can Help
Working with a psychologist can make an enormous difference for those living with social anxiety (the same goes for people living with OCD, PTSD, emotion regulation issues, anger management problems and similar negative thought patterns). Evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) help people recognise unhelpful thought patterns, challenge negative self-beliefs, and gradually build confidence in social situations. Therapy also provides a safe, supportive environment to learn practical coping tools and improve communication skills.
At Life and Mind Psychology, our team of compassionate clinicians can help you regain control over your social fears and reconnect with the people and activities that matter most to you. If you’re ready to take the first step towards feeling more confident in social settings, contact our experienced social anxiety psychologists in the Sutherland Shire today.