http://www.socialanxietydisorder.net/coping/life-with-social-anxiety.html
socialanxietydisorder.net

Without doing research first, a person would probably deduce that shyness is the same as social anxiety disorder; the two are worlds away from each other. People with social anxiety want to have friends and lead normal lives, but they fear rejection or embarrassment in particular social situations.

This article will look at different social situations and give you an insight into what the socially anxious person feels in those situations. We will look at social anxiety in the classroom, dating, and eating in public.

Social Anxiety Disorder in the Classroom

We all know it is important to ask for help in a classroom setting if you have concerns, a question, or do not understand something. For a person with social anxiety disorder, the fear of “asking a stupid question” might be enough to keep them from asking at all. In some other cases, they might not ask a teacher for help because they fear that the educator will think they are “dumb” or “stupid.” In some cases this will lead to poor grades for the social anxiety sufferer.

Individuals with social anxiety disorder are often overlooked or “invisible” in the classroom. They will appear to be uninterested by teachers because they fail to ask for help when their grades continue to fall. Sometimes the fear that comes along with social anxiety is so great that many will choose to drop out of school.

Dating With Social Anxiety

Did you know social phobia sufferers are far less likely to get married or even date for that matter? Dating is one of the social interactions that people with social anxiety disorder fear. It is the fear of rejection that will keep people from dating. Statements such as “I won’t or don’t know what to say” or “He or She won’t like me” are common from those who suffer from this debilitating anxiety disorder. Men with social anxiety will tend to have worst end as far as dating goes because of social norms, because it is usually expected that a male will approach a female to initiate courting.
Eating and Writing in Public

Most people eat out at restaurants, but for the person with social anxiety it is a dreaded experience. A person with social phobia will fear that when they’re eating out that other people will think he or she is not following proper eating manners. If with social anxiety does choose to “eat out” they will endure it with extreme distress.

Lastly, we look at sufferers who fear writing in public. Signing forms or other documents in public is a trivial act to most people. For those with social anxiety, blushing, sweating, and trembling are all too common physical symptoms that occur when trying to write something in front of others. The person with social phobia will think the person in front of them or behind him or her is criticizing their penmanship. Sometimes the person who suffers from social anxiety will think the person watching him or her thinks the sufferer is taking too much time to write or sign something.

Social anxiety disorder can limit a person socially, financially, and academically. If you’re an anxiety sufferer and want to stop the cycle of fear, then check out our article on finding help for social anxiety.

http://www.socialanxietyinstitute.org/diff.html
socialanxietyinstitute.org
Thomas A. Richards, Ph.D.

The distinction between social anxiety and panic disorder is probably the most misunderstood subject concerning anxiety disorders. Many clinicians and therapists have not been adequately trained to understand or diagnose anxiety disorders in general — and the clear-cut distinction between these two anxiety disorders is often  misunderstood.

Even normally reliable and scientific sources fail to make correct distinctions between these anxiety disorders.

Confusing the picture even more is that many people with any type of anxiety disorder are typically misdiagnosed as being “depressed”. This occurs because most people with an anxiety disorder, including panic disorder and social anxiety, are  naturally “depressed” over their anxiety and the significant impairment it causes in their daily lives.

Technically, it may be more accurate to diagnose people with anxiety disorders as “dysthymic”. The main point, however, is that it is the anxiety that causes the depression (dysthymia) and not the other way around. Once the anxiety shrinks and is overcome, the depression goes away with it.

PANIC DISORDER

People with panic believe very strongly that the “panic attack” they experienced means that something is physically wrong with them.

For example, many people with panic disorder fear that they are having a heart attack, that they’re about to lose control, or that they’re going crazy. Other people with panic believe that because they can’t catch their breath that they’re suffocating, or that the dizziness, lightheadedness, and “unreal” feeling they experience means they have a terrible undiagnosed illness.

For example, the person with a tightness around the head fears they have a brain tumor. The person with muscle spasms fears they’re coming down with a muscular disease. Heart palpitations and/or skipped heartbeats “prove” that there’s something wrong with the heart.

People with panic disorder can be checked, rechecked, and repeatedly use the hospital emergency rooms before it ever becomes clear to them that they are legitimately suffering from anxiety, and not a physical, medical condition.

The central point is that people with panic fear that they have a physical, medical disease.  Otherwise, what else could explain the suddenness and awfulness of that first panic attack? How could the mind have something to do with the horrible swirling emotions and feelings that overload the person during this traumatic and emotional attack?

A great many people who experience their first panic attack find their way to the hospital emergency room or go directly to their physician’s office. They feel their life is in danger and they legitimately want a diagnosis to explain it.

When doctors report that they can find nothing wrong with the person medically, it only heightens the person’s anxiety. After all, something must be wrong  or else how do you explain the horrific sensations and emotions they went through during the panic attack?

Unfortunately, many people are never told that they are experiencing anxiety, and that a panic attack could be the culprit.

Sometimes, especially when the panic attacks occur frequently and in many diverse places, the person feels more and more restricted as to where they can go and still be safe. When a person feels their “safety zone” is a limited area around their house, and they fear they’ll have panic attacks as a result of getting too far away from this protection and safety, they may become agoraphobic.  That is, they will typically stay in their homes, avoiding the outside world, for fear of having a panic attack.

People with panic disorder are generally sociable people, and they do not avoid social encounters or social relationships because of fear.  The reason for avoidance is fear of having a panic attack in public, where they feel vulnerable and unsafe.

SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER (Social Phobia)

People with social anxiety disorder do not believe that their anxiety is related to a medical or physical illness or disease. This type of anxiety occurs in most social situations, especially when the person feels on display or is the center of attention.

The socially-anxious person has extremely high anxiety when they’re put into a position to make small talk with others or interact in a group. The anxiety becomes worse when the person fears that they are going to be singled out, ridiculed, criticized, embarrassed, or belittled.

People with social anxiety find it to be a terrifying experience to interact with unfamiliar people, give any type of public presentation, or even be publicly noticed. For example, the office may be planning a birthday party for the socially-anxious person — and instead of this being a pleasant and happy experience — it will cause great anticipatory fear and dread — because they will be on display…..in front of all those people…and then they fear they will do something to make a fool of themselves.

The person with social anxiety is sometimes viewed as “quiet”, “shy”, “introverted”, or “backward”. They are continually concerned that other people will notice their anxiety and they will be humiliated and embarrassed as a result.

Most people with social anxiety disorder hold down jobs that are well beneath their capabilities and capacities because they fear job interviews, working in a position where there is too much public contact, and being promoted to a position where they would have to supervise other people.

When socially-anxious people isolate themselves as much as possible and are somehow enabled to stay at home and not work, their social contact can drift down to the immediate family or to absolutely no one at all.

Once a person avoids almost all social and public interactions we say the person has a severe case of social anxiety disorder, or an avoidant type of social anxiety disorder. As you would expect, people with social anxiety disorder have an elevated rate of relationship, occupational, and academic difficulties, as well as potential substance abuse problems.

To escape the constant anxiety, many people with an anxiety disorder (both panic and social anxiety) turn to alcohol and substance/drug abuse.

SYNOPSIS: DIFFERENCES

People with panic disorder experience a horrible anxiety attack accompanied by many physical symptoms that are originally interpreted as a physical, medical problem. Socially-anxious people experience horrible anxiety in social situations that lead them to stay away from other people because of the anxiety it causes. They see anxiety as a “fear” and do not believe it is caused by a physical, medical condition.

Panic and agoraphobic people are many times very social. In fact, the majority of panic people enjoy the company of talking and being with other people. This is nowhere more apparent than in a therapy group  with other people who have panic and/or agoraphobia. The room is alive, active, open, friendly, and sometimes even noisy.

Contrast this picture with the life of socially-anxious people. Even though they are lonely and would like to be with other people and enjoy their company, the heightened anxiety this would cause overpowers the loneliness. Thus, the socially-anxious person stays alone. In a therapy group meeting of socially-anxious people, the room is fairly subdued, particularly during the first few sessions. Individuals are afraid of talking, drawing attention to themselves, and risking anticipated embarrassment.

Contrary to popular conception, people with social anxiety disorder do not develop agoraphobia. Agoraphobia results from the fear of panic attacks, not from the fear of social interactions. Likewise, people with panic disorder do not develop avoidant personality disorder. Avoidant personality disorder results from social anxiety as people continue to cut themselves off from most of the world because of the fear of social interactions and other people, not from the fear and dread of having a panic attack.

(Note: We, as a therapeutic and research community, are light years behind where we should be concerning the anxiety disorders. It is still prevalent within our own professional communities to dismiss the anxiety disorders as unimportant and not be able to make the clear-cut clinical distinctions that are apparent to those who specialize in this area.)

Also, contrary to current psychiatric/psychological nomenclature, people with social anxiety do not have “panic attacks”. They experience extreme anxiety in social settings where they fear they will have to perform or be on display. It is not uncommon for socially-anxious people to use the terminology “I panicked”. Again, however, the distinction here is that the person is not talking about the sensations leading to a physical pain or condition. They are referring to a very high level of anxiety and the adrenaline rush that accompanies it.

It is possible for a person to have concurrent symptoms from both of these anxiety disorders, although one or the other will usually be more prevalent.  For example, a person with panic may also be socially-anxious concerning several different life situations, such as fear of public speaking and fear of being assertive. It is also possible for a person with one of the anxiety disorders to develop another disorder at a different period during the lifespan. People may also simultaneously suffer from several of the other anxiety problems, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress, and/or generalized anxiety disorder.

It appears from the latest epidemiological data that social anxiety disorder is the most common of the anxiety disorders.

Lending credence to this data is that many socially-anxious people find it extremely difficult to seek help – going to therapy is a social event where the person is dealing with an authority figure on a 1:1 basis. Just the thought of this can create high levels of anxiety, and hold the person back from seeking help (even though they want it desperately).

Panic disorder with and without agoraphobia seems to be the second most common anxiety disorder.

The anxiety disorders as a whole continue to be the disorders that plague and afflict the largest number of people on the planet…..

The anxiety disorders as a whole continue to be the area in which the LEAST amount of research and clinical experience is available…..

The general public continues to hear more about the obscure psychological disorders that seem bizarre and strange, thus commanding a greater deal of media attention…..

And because of this mis-focus, people with anxiety disorders continue to be the losers…..

Please read our other pages on the anxiety disorders. And remember…each and every anxiety disorder is both treatable and can be conquered. No one needs to live their life with an ongoing anxiety disorder. Help IS available, but please seek out help carefully from professionals who have experience in treating anxiety disorders.

At present, the best help seems to exist in anxiety clinics whose practice focuses solely on these disorders. Ask questions of anyone you may potentially visit. Make sure they fully understand the problem that you want help to overcome. Don’t let anyone tell you that panic, agoraphobia, social anxiety, or avoidant personality disorder cannot be overcome.

There are many of us who have suffered through the pain of an anxiety disorder first hand, and can vouch for the fact that it is possible that you can overcome anxiety, too. An experienced and knowledgeable therapist and a motivated client is all that is needed to gently move ahead and conquer the worst of your fears.

http://www.social-anxiety-shyness-info.com/art/sad/anxiety-attack-symptoms.htm
social-anxiety-shyness-info.com
Ruy Miranda

What is Social Anxiety Disorder / Social Phobia –

The Social Anxiety Disorder, a.k.a. Social Anxiety, Social Phobia, and Social Phobia Disorder, is a mental disorder that is expressed through anxiety attack symptoms (and signs) during social contacts and performance . The intensity of the anxiety in such situations and the common occurrence over a period of months points to this diagnosis. In some cases it is difficult to differentiate it from intense Shyness.

The anxiety attack symptoms vary and range from sudden and intense anxiety symptoms to those of panic. Between the two extremes, there is a gradation. They also vary from circumscribed situations to generalized social situations. This last one is known as Generalized Social Anxiety Disorder.

– Sudden and Intense Anxiety – In this extreme, there are physiological symptoms of fear: a fast-beating heart, quick breathing, chest oppression, tremor in the extremities, sweating, dry mouth. In parallel, there are psychological symptoms: difficulty in thinking in an orderly fashion and the expectation of being offended.

– Panic Attacks – In this extreme, there are more markedly sharp symptoms of fear, especially those of a psychological nature: total incapacity to think, except for the urgency to get away from the location one is in, space and time disorientation, and temporary loss of the notion of self.

The sudden appearance and short duration justify the name attack. The irrational perception of a threat, during the attacks, justifies the name phobia.

The term “symptoms” is improper for what is being described here, but it has been consecrated by use. The descriptions of “symptoms” here include signs, and they are two distinct things. The symptoms are subjective (examples: pain, apprehension). The signs are objective and can be measured (examples: fever, heart beat acceleration). We have signs and symptoms in the so-called Anxiety Attack Symptoms.

Causes of Anxiety Attacks in Social Anxiety

The name Social Phobia/Anxiety suggests that the causes of anxiety attacks are found in social situations. The main causes are :

* being with unfamiliar people;

* being the target or thinking that one is the target of evaluation by others.

– Being with unfamiliar people – This can be quick, such as when the person is introduced to someone, or longer, as in participating in a drawn-out meeting . The contact with strangers is a decisive factor. Yet, in certain situations, the person may actually be exposed to known acquaintances, or non relatives, such as at a long party.

The term “exposed” is appropriate because the person thinks that she is being exposed and observed. What she thinks goes through other people’s minds, upon being introduced or being in a social setting, is very similar to what happens in Shyness: depreciation, criticism, rejection. The attack may also be triggered by closer individuals: when these people play some practical joke on or make fun of the person.

On the other hand, the person wishes to be helped, takes the initiative of searching for a professional, yet hangs up the phone upon hearing an unknown voice.

– Being the target or thinking that one is the target of evaluation by others– The phobia attack can be triggered by any performance situation. It can be a situation objectively simple, such as filling out a form in front of someone or eating a sandwich in a cafeteria or to urinate in the presence of others. It can also be a more complex situation, such as taking part in a work meeting or explaining a report or being in direct contact with a superior. Performance anxiety can be very high in any of these situations.

The simple anticipation of any of these situations can also trigger the symptoms. “Just the thought” of being in any of these situations is enough to trigger an attack.

You probably have already seen, and if not you will see, some expressions of anxiety in social situations described as forms of Shyness or Social Anxiety. These expressions are known as Fear of Public Speaking, Stage Fright, and Performance Anxiety. Although they are considered as mild forms of anxiety, similar to Shyness, and are not classified as mental disorders, which is to say they do not have the characteristics of Social Anxiety Disorder. They can in fact be mild. However in some individuals they can assume debilitating characteristics and influence the course of people’s lives, and in these cases we have a disorder. In short , Fear of Public Speaking, Stage Fright, and Performance Anxiety may be Shyness or Social Anxiety Disorder.

Example: An actor or actress suffers a strong bout of anxiety prior to walking onto the stage and has diarrhea, among other psychosomatic manifestations; but as soon as he or she begins to perform, the anxiety disappears. In this case, we are looking at an expression that is closer to Shyness than to Social Anxiety. In a different situation, let’s image that the actor or actress continues to feel anxiety during the performance and that this impairs his or her ability to act to the point that he or she abandons an acting career. In this case, we are faced with an expression of Social Anxiety, subtype Stage Fright.

Consequently, the expressions of Fear of Public Speaking, Stage Fright, and Performance Anxiety may be listed as manifestations of Shyness or Social Anxiety; the difference will be in the intensity and duration of the anxiety attack symptoms, as well as in their repercussions on the life of the person.

Social Phobias, Social Anxiety, Social Anxiety Disorder

Denomination – You may have noticed that I use several names, and this is pursuant to defined objectives. One of them is to demonstrate that, in practice, different names are used for the same clinical condition. Thus, this disorder is also known as:
*Social Phobia/Phobias,
*Social Phobia Disorder,
*Social Anxiety/Anxieties
*Social Anxiety Disorder

However, the tendency is to consolidate the expression “Social Anxiety Disorder.”

Names for different clinical conditions:
*Specific Social Phobia (reference to crisis-triggering situations – example: public speaking phobia),
*Specific Social Anxiety,
*Generalized Social Phobia (it occurs in many social situations),
*Generalized Social Anxiety,
*Anxiety Attack in Social Situation,
*Social Anxiety Disorders.

As described, in all of them are present the anxiety attack symptoms.