Social Anxiety: More than just Shyness
Social Anxiety (sometimes referred to as Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) when symptoms meet clinical thresholds) is a mental health condition characterized by an intense fear of being judged by others. This fear can affect school, work, and relationships and often leads to a cycle of avoidance of meeting or engaging with others. Social Anxiety can affect people at any age, but often first presents in childhood or adolescence. Many parents shrug it off as their child being ‘just shy’ and believe that it is something the child will eventually grow out of. However, social anxiety can lead to an inability to develop appropriate social skills and bring on other co-occuring mental health issues. Indeed, being shy can look similar to social anxiety, but there are two key differences to look out for:
1. Fear of Judgement from Others vs Heightened Awareness of Judgement from Others
Shy people are hyper-aware that others’ have perceptions and opinions of them. They may be more sensitive to these opinions and seem to care more than others. In contrast, people with social anxiety have an intense fear of being scrutinized or negatively evaluated by others, causing unwanted physical anxiety sensations (e.g. heart palpitations, intense breathing, sweating, upset stomach) when put in these situations.
2. Significant Patterns of Avoidance vs Preferring to be Alone or in Small Groups
Shy people are more likely to choose activities that involve small groups of people that are known to them or they may prefer to be alone. They may also feel a sense of uneasiness when meeting new people. In contrast, people with social anxiety have a very difficult time with social engagements or participating in social events, such as class activities, business meetings, or small talk with strangers. They will likely develop significant patterns of avoidance in their life, such as ordering food only from apps or exclusively using the self-checkout, school avoidance or refusal, having family members speak on their behalf in most situations, or cancelling plans often because of fear of being in situations where people will judge them.
Social Anxiety Disorder is estimated to be present in about 8 percent of the population, but only about 50% of people who are diagnosed receive help. On top of that, people who do receive help wait an average of 15 years from onset of symptoms to do so. Untreated social anxiety has been linked to significant isolation, depression and substance use later in life, lending support to the importance of earlier intervention (source 1).
The good news is that social anxiety is highly treatable with Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) with exposure principles. In this type of therapy, clients learn to re-organize their unhelpful thought patterns, test their fears, and gradually expose themselves to the feared situations, essentially testing their thoughts against reality. Clients also learn body relaxation strategies to manage and reduce the uncomfortable physical sensations of anxiety. If you think that you or your loved one may be struggling with social anxiety, Brookhaven Psychotherapy clinicians are heavily trained in CBT practices and are happy to consult with you.
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