If there are any indications that a person is suffering from social anxiety disorder or a phobia about socializing and interacting with other people, then it is best to seek medical advise immediately. The sooner a problem is addressed, the better it will be for everyone, especially the person involved. Even if it turns out that he does not have this social disorder, steps can be taken to confront his issues.
A doctor will usually require medical history to help him in his evaluation, as well as performing a physical examination. There are several tests he can do, including blood and urine tests to find out if there is anything physically wrong like hyperthyroidism.
When social anxiety disorder has been established, treatment should start as soon as possible. The doctor will refer the patient to a psychologist or a psychiatrist since they are most qualified to deal with this kind of condition.
A battery of assessment tests and interviews will follow to help the psychiatrist evaluate the extent of the social phobia. This will include trying to establish the cause, environment, reactions, and intensity of every incident.
There are several approaches to treating anxiety problems. Some people elect to do it the traditional way which is through Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT). This treatment is combined with the use of drugs to help the patient control his actions and reactions.
Essentially, CBT will try to provide the patient with a pattern of rationalizing thoughts as well as confronting the trigger situations slowly. A psychiatrist will try to desensitize the assumed problem for the patient, and let him see the other side of the coin. Counseling is an important part of treatment, and communication is encouraged to bring out the fears so that they can be addressed properly.
The most common medications prescribed by a doctor would be antidepressants, beta blockers, and tranquilizers. In many cases, the doctor will prescribe the mildest drug initially to test reaction as well as side effects. There is no “better” drug, it is usually a case-to-case basis. What may work wonders for one patient may not work at all for another.
Of all the possible medications that can be prescribed, benzodiazepines tend to create a dependency that is difficult to deal with. There can be traumatic effects if after taking it regularly, the patient suddenly stops.
Other people prefer to deal with the problem through alternative ways like hypnosis. With hypnosis, there is the presumption that a past incident may have happened to cause the social anxiety disorder.
The third treatment is called Supportive Therapy which can also be given simultaneously with CBT. Supportive therapy involves educating the patient, his family members and even friends about social anxiety disorder. The entire family is encouraged to support him by going through family therapy. Then, as an added measure, the patient is enrolled in a group therapy with other patients suffering from similar conditions. During these group therapy sessions, breathing and relaxation exercises are taught, as well a group counseling and one-on-one sessions with a trained therapist.
There are remedies to social anxiety disorder, and it is usually the first step which is the hardest to take, and that is, recognizing that there is a problem to begin with.