What
is Social Anxiety Disorder?
Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is a form of anxiety that
occurs in certain social situations.
For some people, this anxiety is related to very
specific situations, such as public speaking or eating in public. Other people
may experience social anxiety in more general situations, when meeting new
people, or when they need to be assertive and feel judged, by contributing in
meetings or hosting a party.
What
are the symptoms of SAD?
When facing a feared situation, people with SAD may feel
extremely anxious or experience panic attacks. People with SAD may end up
avoiding social situations to avoid these responses.
Typically, those with SAD are concerned about:
Doing
something embarrassing
Thinking
others will think badly of you
Thinking
others will notice how nervous or anxious you are
Who gets SAD?
SAD most commonly develops in teenagers and rarely
develops in people over 25. Nearly 5 in 100 people develop SAD every year.
Some factors that may influence a person experiencing
SAD are:
Biological
and psychological vulnerability to being anxious about social evaluation
Exposure
to stressful social or performance situations
Unpleasant
childhood experiences (e.g. conflict between parents, death of someone,
poverty).
Treatment
for Social Anxiety Disorder
There are effective treatments
available for SAD. For most, psychological treatments are effective. Social
skills training and assertiveness training can also be useful. In very severe
cases treatment may also include medication taken under the guidance of a
medical practitioner.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is an effective
structured psychological treatment for SAD.
CBT for SAD helps you to learn how
to face feared social situations, change any unhelpful thoughts, beliefs and
behaviours that contribute to and maintain social anxiety. It also teaches techniques
include ways of reducing social anxiety like breathing and relaxation training.
Where
can I receive treatment for Social Anxiety?
There are a number of ways you can
access psychological treatment for social anxiety and you can choose a way that
works best for you. This can be in-person with a mental health professional, or
online with the support of a program.
By registering, you can access Mental
Health Online’s free and comprehensive social anxiety assessment and treatment.
You may like to do this by yourself in our self-guided option, but you can also
opt for our free therapist-assisted program via email, chat, or video.
Explore
other treatment options
For further information about
treatment options and assistance:
Visit
your GP
Explore
other online therapies at Head to Health
Find a Psychologist through the Australian Psychological Society’s referral service
Contact
your local community health centre