Social Anxiety: Article Analysis

“Is a 17-item Likert-type self-report instrument assessing fear, avoidance, and physiological symptoms associated with social phobia”

Anxiety is one of the most well-known disorders across the globe, but it comes in many different forms effecting numerous types of people. Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), also known as social phobia, is one of the main run-offs of anxiety that exists in the world today. It is absolutely normal to feel a little nervous or anxious before trying something new; however, Social Anxiety impels the individual diagnosed to feel distress and agitation in most, if not all, social situations that they partake in because they are afraid of the possible embarrassment that may come from it (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013).

Social anxiety is a prevalent and common disorder amongst society. Social anxiety disorder is expressed as a fear in public and social situations for an individual (Kashdan, Farmer, Adams, Mcknight, Ferssizidis, Nezelf 2013). A person with social anxiety fears that a social appearance, outcome, or situation will lead a to negative response to their surrounding audience (Kashdan, Farmer, Adams, Mcknight, Ferssizidis, Nezelf 2013). However there are numerous treatments for social anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most efficacious treatments that a patient may receive (Hambrick, Weeks, Harb, & Heimberg, 2003. Cognitive behavioral therapy has numerous techniques that can be used on patients. The result of using cognitive

Social Phobia, also called social anxiety disorder (SAD), is one of the most common, but misconstrued mental health problems in society. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), over 15 million adults suffer from the disorder. First appearing in the DSM-III as Social Phobia, and later in the DSM-IV as Social Anxiety Disorder, this newly established disorder denotes afflicting stress and anxiety associated with social situations (Zakri 677). According to James W. Jefferson, two forms of Social phobia exist: specific and generalized. Specific social phobia indicates anxiety limited to few performance situations, while generalized indicates anxiety in all social situations (Jefferson). Many people often interchangeably link this disorder to shyness––a personality trait. However, although they have striking similarities, the two are divergent. To begin with, SAD has an extensive etiology ranging from multiple factors. Furthermore, symptoms of various aspects accompany SAD. Moreover, SAD has detrimental impacts affecting quality of life. Lastly, SAD has numerous methods of treatment. Social Phobia is prevalent in both women and men beginning at the onset of puberty (ADAA).

Social Anxiety Disorder or social phobia, is the third largest mental health care problem in the world. (Stein, 2010) National statistical surveys carried out in 2002 in the United Kingdom suggest that the prevalence rates for social phobias among young people in the UK were around 4%. (National Statistics, 2002)

To begin with, social anxiety is clearly shown in those who are addicted to the screen. Jeffery Green on NaturalBlaze.com states "By not developing the ability to interact with others face-to-face, future adult relationships for the children will be impeded. Employment, romance, friendships and simple social etiquette will be limited and awkward if a child never develops normal social skills." The statement is blunt and it deserves to be, social do affect our everyday lives, like "Employment, romance, friendships and simple social etiquette...". Without social skills life will be much more challenging, they cant get jobs as easily, they don't marry (a problem that is happening in Japan), and the lack of social etiquette will make them seem like "they are out of their minds".

     Social anxiety is the fear of social situations and the interaction with other people that can automatically bring on feelings of self-consciousness, judgement, evaluation, and inferiority. Put differently social anxiety is the fear and anxiety of being judged and evaluated negatively by other people, leading to feelings of inadequacy, embarrassment, humiliation, and depression. If a person usually becomes anxious in social situations, but seems fine when they are by them selves, then social anxiety may be the problem.

This is part of the reason why the article “8 Fascinating Facts About Anxiety” is catchy and does its job of grabbing readers, with little regard for displaying the research findings. The overly simplistic article talks about anxiety without defining it, but it becomes clear to the reader that the author is intending us to assume they mean clinical anxiety because of the way it focuses on the abnormality of anxiety. The combination of a normal emotion with that of a real debilitating disorder is part of the reason mental illnesses are not taken seriously (PsyBlog: Understand Your Mind Home, n.d.).

Although, all anxiety disorders essentially overlap each other still they can be differentiated by examining closely the symptoms of anxiety, and situations which are feared, including the exploration of cognition.

Fear is a common emotion exhibited by people who stutter (PWS). The fear of negative evaluation is commonly displayed by PWS (Fjola, 1246); when this fear is significantly excessive, the PWS may meet the criteria for a clinical diagnosis of social anxiety (Brundage, Winters, & Beilby, p. 499). Social anxiety frequently causes PWS to isolate themselves from social interactions, and, when in situations, to utilize safety behaviors to prevent stuttering and reduce anxiety. Safety behaviors consequently maintain social anxiety in PWS rather than exacerbate the disorder (Lowe et al., 2017, pp. 1246-1247). More is known regarding the development of social anxiety is adults who stutter (AWS) than the information pertaining to children who stutter (CWS) and their fear of negative evaluation which results in social anxiety (Iverach, Menzies, O’Brian, Packman, & Onslow, 2011, p. 228). The difference in available information may be due to the thought that social anxiety is a short-term effect in CWS but a life-long effect in AWS (Iverach, Jones, McLellan, Lyneham, Menzies, Onslow, & Rapee, 2016, p. 15).

Social anxiety is “a feeling of discomfort, fear, or worry that is centered on our interactions with other people and involves a concern with being judged negatively, evaluated, or looked down upon by others” (Social Anxiety Support, 2014). Social anxiety can affect anyone. Individuals with social anxiety tend to prefer to keep to themselves because they are afraid others will judge them negatively and have a hard time interacting socially.

The Social anxiety Association classifies social anxiety as the fear of interacting with other and social situations. Social anxiety causes fear and anxiety in most if not all aspects of ones lives. Social anxiety is the fear of being negatively judge or evaluated by others. It is a chronic disease that it does not go away on its own, only direct cognitive-behavioral therapy can help people overcome their social anxiety. There are a few situations that can trigger social anxiety such as being introduced to

My whole body began to shake before I even stood up. I knew I was next and all I wanted to do was hide under a rock until the school year was over. The teacher called my name, forcing me to stand up and push my chair in behind me. I watched my feet drag me towards the front of the class and I couldn’t tell myself to turn around. There I was, in front of twenty or more judgemental teenagers, I couldn’t breathe. I didn’t bother to look anywhere except the floor and my messy notecard as I shakily read each word. By that time my hands were sweating, my heart was beating out of my chest, and I didn’t know how much longer I’d last. I could hear faint chuckles, someone moving their paper, and whispering which made it intensify in my head. The noises became overpowering and I couldn’t hear anything except that. I was only up there for a good three to five minutes. It wouldn’t have been hard for anyone else who is an extrovert. Except I wasn’t only an introvert but I also had social anxiety. To this day, I still have it, and it’s ruined my life.

None of us are strangers to the feeling of anxiety, after all we are all humans. Nervousness, worries, and unease over situations are a common thing for everyone. It might be public speaking, meeting a new person, or being surrounded by a crowd of strangers. These events aren’t exactly thrilling to everyone but most of us get over it. However, when these uncomfortable feelings morphs into fear to an illness is when life starts becoming a nightmare. How can one live a normal life when even walking in public seems to bring up feelings of intense fear? This is especially in the case of those with social anxiety, a social phobia, in which sufferers describe their condition as intense and persistent often taking over their social life and professional life due to fear of rejection and disappointment. For people with social anxiety, activities that induces feelings of anxiety even for normal people, will be extremely stressful for them, completely overwhelming to the point of leading to a panic attack. Common symptoms include inhibition of speech, frequent slips of tongue, difficult breathing, and nausea (U.Penn). In extreme cases, it feels as if you are under surveillance at all times. When this occurs during childhood, without proper care, it can have lasting devastating consequence and effect that may continue into adult life. Those that live with this mental disorder, wishes to rid themselves of such liability by seeking help through therapies. Unfortunately, not everyone

Feeling anxious before giving a speech or presenting a project is normal, but when that anxiety carries over into being nervous before going to a casual party or meeting up with friends, that is when it might be more than just nerves. Social anxiety is one of the most common forms of anxiety. About fifteen million adults in America suffer from social anxiety, with the typical onset age being thirteen (Social Anxiety Disorder). Overcoming social anxiety takes tremendous efforts and can take many years. There are many different methods people have tried using to overcome their fears. Two common ones people use are learning to control their breath and cognitive-behavioral therapy. With persistence and determination, people can learn to deal with their social anxiety the healthy way, or better yet, overcome it completely.