We all are prone to some degree of anxiousness, but when it starts to get out of hand and uncontrollable, then that condition becomes known as social anxiety disorder.
A person can actually live his entire life with this condition, and not know it. This is because it is possible to avoid situations where one has to appear before an audience, or talk in front of a small group of people simply by being innovative.
As adults, one can find a job working alone, or in a company that provides him with limited access to social events and situations. In fact, many people will just assume that he is shy and an introvert, and leave him alone. Family members too can fall into that trap and assume that he is a loner.
To understand social anxiety disorder, you must realize that there are three levels, and, depending on the level one finds himself in, everyday life can be completely tolerable, and may not need continuous treatment and medication at all.
The first level is Performance Anxiety. This is when a person has a phobia about speaking, acting, singing, or just being in front of a group of people. This is not the same as plain nervousness. It is more like anxiety that can be seen through physical signs of profuse sweating, rapid heartbeat, stuttering, and nausea.
Having this degree of social anxiety disorder is easy to circumvent by avoiding situations that require one to be in front of other people. If diagnosed with this level of social anxiety disorder, simple counseling and proper guidance can help ease the situation. Doctors usually do not even recommend medication for people with social anxiety disorder in this level.
The second level of social anxiety disorder is the Generalized Social Anxiety Disorder. This level is the most common, and it targets people who fear any kind of confrontation such as being in a gathering or social setting that requires conversation, however casual, or in an office meeting or conference. We can see signs of this kind of social phobia in our everyday lives, and most often do nothing to help that person, mainly because it is considered normal to fear facing a superior or a group of happy, boisterous people. Many people simply attribute people who show this kind of phobia as shy.
The third level of social anxiety disorder is called Avoidant Personality Disorder. This is the most serious kind of social phobia. Most often it starts at an early age, and gradually worsens, especially if not detected by a parent or guardian. Teenagers who have a difficult time facing others – whether peers or older people – will tend to shut themselves out from anyone.
It can get a little difficult to think that a teenager is suffering from this condition because teenagers are usually moody, emotional, and hard to talk to.
If it continues up to adulthood, this person may have a difficult time finding long lasting relationships, much more marriage.
All three levels can be treated and people with this condition and live a normal life without fear of any social activity. Aside from counseling, there are drugs and therapy that can be implemented.