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Social phobia or social anxiety disorder is the constant fear of being criticized or evaluated by other people.
People who suffer from social phobia or social anxiety disorder (SAD) are excessively self-conscious to the point where they feel that everyone around them is looking at them and judging them harshly.
They become nervous, anxious and afraid of the world around them. For those with social phobia, everyday social situations like parties can become highly intimidating ordeals.
The key to the social anxiety disorder problem is that people with social anxiety want to be liked. They want very much to be seen as witty, dynamic and sociable.
They want to fit in. However their anxiety about not performing well in public is so strong that it tends to cripple their best efforts.
They freeze when they meet new people, particularly if they want these people to like them, for instance because they feel attracted to them or because they look up to them.
People suffering from social phobia are afraid that their anxiety will be noticeable and this fear causes the anxiety to grow and turn into a vicious cycle.
Social anxiety/social phobia usually develops early and without adequate treatment can be a chronic, unrelenting torturous condition. However, with suitable care, it is possible to overcome social phobia altogether.
Anxiety Attacks Versus Panic Attacks
There are some differences between anxiety and panic attacks. While books are written on this topic, this lesson will attempt to summarize some basics here for a brief overview.
Anxiety Attacks
An anxiety attack, sometimes referred to as a panic attack, is an unforeseen periods or incidents where there is a sudden fright or fear of intense proportions.
These attacks focus on fears that are most often not rational; however the person with the disorder believes he or she is in terrible danger or at extreme risk.
Most often these anxiety attacks occur all of a sudden; i.e. they are not planned nor do they come with any type of warning mechanism built in for advance action.
Results are that the person suffering the attack will feel about to faint or near death’s door.
People who suffer anxiety attacks report the following symptoms, listed in no particular order:
* Discomfort or pain in the chest
* Vertigo or Dizziness
* Upset stomach / Nausea
* Loss of Control, Loss of Mental Stability Stress
* Cold or hot flashes
* Heart palpitations or near heart attack
* Shallow breathing
* Shakes / Trembling
Anxiety disorder is characterized as having anxiety feelings that are “always there / all inclusive,” make people want to isolate themselves from society and hamper everyday activities with others.
Panic Attacks
On the other hand, a panic attack does not carry with it that “always there” association like an anxiety attack might.
In fact, panic episodes generally burst forth, peaking after roughly10 minutes or so, then ending after about 25 minutes.
During a panic attack, 4 of the symptoms listed below (in no particular order) generally make an appearance:
Shallow breathing, even to the point of suffocation sensation…
Increased heart rates
Tightness of chest
Shakes / Trembling / Sweating
Choking sensation
Upset Stomach / Nausea
Vertigo maybe be asociated with fear of flying
Surreal feelings
Loss of Control, especially of mental faculties
Death coming on
Numbing
Cold or hot flashes
The Difference between anxiety and panic
The main difference between anxiety attacks and panic attacks is in the duration of the attack and how intense it is for the person with the affliction.
While anxiety attacks are less hi-stress, they tend to last longer than the power-packed panic stressors. Of course there is much more written on both disorders to help people learn how to deal with them in depth.
