HOME ALONE? YOU MAY HAVE SOCIAL ANXIETY

You’re always in a corner alone at a party. You prefer being alone to being in a group. It’s not uncommon, and there are ways to make it better.

The feeling of discomfort associated with embarrassing or uncomfortable social situations is familiar to many people. However, some experience these feelings on a consistent basis. In this case, those feelings are identified by the mental health community as some form of social anxiety, aptly named social anxiety disorder or SAD.

People who suffer from social anxiety are afraid of being judged by others, making it difficult to have genuine social interactions. The fear usually sparks from their expectations of rejection, embarrassment, or humiliation. The assumptions are usually unfounded. Not surprisingly, people who suffer from SAD do not take criticism well, which intensifies their feelings of insecurity. It is interesting to note that every healthy child goes through a phase of social anxiety, but this is a normal stage of development for the human brain. Nonetheless, social anxiety in adults can be overwhelming and affect every aspect of their lives.

When the effect of social anxiety in adults is strong enough to impair their ability to function in society, it is classified as SAD. However, this is only one of many different forms of anxiety disorders, and one of the most prevalent in the United States—affecting an estimated 12 percent of the population. Unfortunately, social anxiety disorder doesn’t simply impact a person psychologically; the physical effects associated with an uncomfortable social interaction are plentiful and vary from cold sweats to constant, uncontrollable blushing, and even nausea. Many people attempt to self-medicate with substances like marijuana, alcohol, cocaine, or other things that give false confidence. This may lead to other mental health issues and further damage to brain functions.

Social anxiety is commonly associated with unnaturally low levels of serotonin, an essential neurotransmitter, which many mental health professionals believe is responsible for happiness. Increasing serotonin levels potentially can reduce the symptoms of SAD. These levels can be artificially increased by taking prescribed medication or over-thecounter products, such as 5-HTP, a chemical in the body that can help increase serotonin production. This chemical is found in the vitamin aisle of any major drugstore. The main alternative treatment is therapy, more specifically, cognitive behavioral therapy. Both treatment methods are significantly effective in reducing social anxiety symptoms over time. In severe cases, antidepressants may need to be prescribed by a doctor.

SAD wasn’t regarded with much interest by the American Psychological Association until the turn of the millennium. Nonetheless, the understanding of this mental disorder has increased tremendously. Armed with new scientific information, psychologists may be able to reduce—and, in some cases, eliminate—the symptoms of SAD in a perpetually growing number of patients.

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