What is social anxiety disorder?

Also known as a social phobia, social anxiety disorder is when you fear facing people, especially people you do not know and are not comfortable with. It goes beyond mere nervousness because being shy or nervous is a normal reaction to being in a new situation. Social anxiety disorder is a medical condition that requires treatment and therapy.

Sweaty palms, inability to concentrate and focus, stuttering, mumbling, breaking out, nausea, dizziness - all these are signs that you have a phobia. You do not have social anxiety disorder if, on your own, you manage to find a way to deal with the situation, and eventually can perform well in front of people.

You must have heard about the worn-out advice of imagining people in their underwear to calm down the nerves racking your body before a speech. Even the best of performers experience some form of anxiety before facing an audience, but being able to deal with it, and calm yourself down, and perform is a solid sign that you do not have social anxiety disorder.

The problem people with social anxiety disorder have to face everyday stops them from achieving recognition and any form of accolade. They would rather work on their own, or be at the back office than face people and have to answer their questions. It is not a desirable situation to be in, but the good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way.

Any mental problem can be dealt with if a person is willing to be treated and acknowledges that he has a problem. Without that first step, there is going to be a hard and traumatic road ahead.

Social anxiety disorder can disrupt just about any situation - from the bus ride to school or work, or speaking in class or in an office meeting. If the extent of the disorder is highly unusual, a person can start to retreat into himself, become more depressed, and even suicidal.

It also gets compounded by the fact that people who are unassertive and tend to hide in the shadows gets teased and laughed at by their peers, and even their superiors.

In the United States, there are more people suffering from social anxiety disorder than ever before. We are living in a place that is insensitive in many ways to people who suffer from social stress.

Most common emotions that a person with social anxiety disorder will experience is loneliness that could lead to depression and even anger. It gets even more aggravated if this person feels that he has no one to talk to, and starts to isolate himself more and more.

Understanding with compassion the reasons why a person suffers from social phobia is the first step to helping them. Without compassion, it is easy to get annoyed and irritated with their behavior. This is why it is always best to seek the help of medical experts in dealing with people who have social anxiety disorder.