REPORT

 

 

Topic: “SOCIAL PHOBIA”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                        

                                                

                                                                                                     Prepared by

                                                                                     Iryna Bartoshynska

 

 

 

2022

CONTENT

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION_______________________________________________3

 I. WHAT IS SOCIAL PHOBIA?

        1. Why Do Some People Develop Social Phobia? __________________4

        2. What Fears Are Involved? __________________________________6

 II. TREATMENT AND HELP FOR SOCIAL PHOBIA.

        1. Overcoming Social Phobia.__________________________________8

        2. Therapy for social anxiety disorder. __________________________12

CONCLUSIONS_______________________________________________14

BIBLIOGRAPHY______________________________________________15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                  

                                     INTRODUCTION

 

          It's natural to feel self-conscious, nervous, or shy in front of others at times. Anyone can have a racing heart, sweaty palms, or fluttering stomach when trying out for chorus, asking someone on a first date, or giving a class presentation.

      Most people manage to get through these moments when they need to. But for some, the anxiety that goes with feeling shy or self-conscious can be extreme. It can seem so unbearable that they might feel too nervous to give answers in class, be unable to make eye contact with classmates in the hallway, or avoid chatting with others at the lunch table.

       When people feel so self-conscious and anxious that it prevents them from speaking up or socializing most of the time, it's probably more than shyness. It may be an anxiety condition called social phobia.

Although it may feel like you’re the only one with this problem, social anxiety or social phobia is actually quite common. Many people struggle with these fears. But the situations that trigger the symptoms of social anxiety disorder can be different.

        Some people experience anxiety in most social and performance situations, a condition known as generalized social anxiety disorder. For other people with social phobia, anxiety is connected with specific social situations, such as speaking to strangers, eating at restaurants, or going to parties.

      Aim of this report:  to give extra information about social phobia, to describe reasons of this phobia, to give solutions.

      Tasks: to open the topic of the report, to make it clear for understanding, to give instructions for overcoming this disease.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  I.      1. Why Do Some People Develop Social Phobia?

 

          Social anxiety disorder (SAD), also known as social phobia, is the most common anxiety disorder. “It is characterized by intense fear in one or more social situations, causing considerable distress and impaired ability to function in at least some parts of daily life” [5].

         Extreme feelings of shyness and self-consciousness build into a powerful fear. As a result, “a person feels uncomfortable participating in everyday social situations” [6].

         People with social phobia can usually interact easily with family and a few close friends. But meeting new people, talking in a group, or speaking in public can cause their extreme shyness to kick in.

       With social phobia, a person's extreme shyness, self-consciousness, and fears of embarrassment get in the way of life. Instead of enjoying social activities, people with social phobia might dread them — and avoid some of them altogether.

          Kids, teens, and adults can have social phobia. Most of the time, it starts when a person is young. Like other anxiety-based problems, social phobia develops because of a combination of three factors:

•                     A person's biological makeup. Social phobia could be partly due to the genes and temperament a person inherits. Inherited genetic traits from parents and other relatives can influence how the brain senses and regulates anxiety, shyness, nervousness, and stress reactions. Likewise, some people are born with a shy temperament and tend to be cautious and sensitive in new situations and prefer what's familiar.

Most people who develop social phobia have always had a shy temperament.
Not everyone with a shy temperament develops social phobia (in fact, most don't). It's the same with genes. But people who inherit these traits do have an increased chance of developing social phobia.

 

•                     Behaviors learned from role models (especially parents). 

A person's naturally shy temperament can be influenced by what he or she learns from role models. If parents or others react by overprotecting a child who is shy, the child won't have a chance to get used to new situations and new people.

             “Over time, shyness can build into social phobia”[7].
Shy parents might also unintentionally set an example by avoiding certain social interactions. A shy child who watches this learns that socializing is uncomfortable, distressing, and something to avoid.

•                     Life events and experiences. If people born with a cautious nature have stressful experiences, it can make them even more cautious and shy. Feeing pressured to interact in ways they don't feel ready for, being criticized or humiliated, or having other fears and worries can make it more likely for a shy or fearful person to develop social anxiety.

        “People who constantly receive critical or disapproving reactions may grow to expect that others will judge them negatively” [6]. Being teased or bullied will make people who are already shy likely to retreat into their shells even more. They'll be scared of making a mistake or disappointing someone, and will be more sensitive to criticism. The good news is that the effect of these negative experiences can be turned around with some focused slow-but-steady effort. Fear can be learned. And it can also be unlearned, too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                           

                                 2. What Fears Are Involved?

         Like other phobias, social phobia is a fear reaction to something that isn't actually dangerous — although the body and mind react as if the danger is real. This means that someone feels physical sensations of fear, like a faster heartbeat and breathing. These are part of the body's fight-flight response. They're caused by a rush of adrenaline and other chemicals that prepare the body to either fight or make a quick getaway.

         “This biological mechanism kicks in when we feel afraid” [4]. It's a built-in nervous system response that alerts us to danger so we can protect ourselves. With social phobia, this response gets activated too frequently, too strongly, and in situations where it's out of place. Because the physical sensations that go with the response are real — and sometimes quite strong — the danger seems real, too. So the person will react by freezing up, and will feel unable to interact.

       As the body experiences these physical sensations, the mind goes through emotions like feeling afraid or nervous.

       “People with social phobia tend to interpret these sensations and emotions in a way that leads them to avoid the situation ("Uh-oh, my heart's pounding, this must be dangerous — I'd better not do it!")” [3]. Someone else might interpret the same physical sensations of nervousness a different way ("OK, that's just my heart beating fast. It's me getting nervous because it's almost my turn to speak. It happens every time. No big deal.").

       With social phobia, a person's fears and concerns are focused on their social performance — whether it's a major class presentation or small talk at the lockers.

       People with social phobia tend to feel self-conscious and uncomfortable about being noticed or judged by others. They're more sensitive to fears that they'll be embarrassed, look foolish, make a mistake, or be criticized or laughed at. No one wants to experience these things. But most people don't really spend much time worrying about it.

 

 

      “With social phobia, thoughts and fears about what others think get exaggerated in someone's mind” [6]. The person starts to focus on the embarrassing things that could happen, instead of the good things. This makes a situation seem much worse than it is, and influences a person to avoid it.   Some of the ways social phobia can affect someone's life include:

•                     Feeling lonely or disappointed over missed opportunities for friendship and fun. Social phobia might prevent someone from chatting with friends in the lunchroom, joining an after-school club, going to a party, or asking someone on a date.
•                     Not getting the most out of school. Social phobia might keep a person from volunteering an answer in class, reading aloud, or giving a presentation. Someone with social phobia might feel too nervous to ask a question in class or go to a teacher for help.
•                     Missing a chance to share their talents and learn new skills. Social phobia might prevent someone from auditioning for the school play, being in the talent show, trying out for a team, or joining in a service project. Social phobia not only prevents people from trying new things. It also prevents them from making the normal, everyday mistakes that help people improve their skills still further.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    II.                    1. Overcoming Social Phobia.

         People with social phobia can learn to manage fear, develop confidence and coping skills, and stop avoiding things that make them anxious. But it's not always easy. Overcoming social phobia means getting up the courage it takes to go beyond what's comfortable, little by little. Here's who can support and guide people in overcoming social phobia: “therapists can help people recognize the physical sensations caused by fight-flight and teach them to interpret these sensations more accurately” [7]; family or friends are especially important for people who are dealing with social phobia. The right support from a few key people can help those with social phobia gather the courage to go outside their comfort zone and try something new.

       The best treatment approach for social anxiety disorder varies from person to person. You may find that self-help strategies are enough to ease your social anxiety symptoms. But if you’ve tried the techniques above and you’re still struggling with disabling anxiety, you may need professional help as well.

      Self-treatment 1: Challenge negative thoughts. Social anxiety sufferers have negative thoughts and beliefs that contribute to their anxiety. If a person have social anxiety disorder, or social phobia, he/she may find herself/himself overwhelmed by thoughts like:  “I know I’ll end up looking like a fool.” “People will think I’m stupid.” “My voice will start shaking and I’ll humiliate myself.” “I won’t have anything to say. I'll seem boring”[6]. Challenging these negative thoughts, either through therapy or on your own, is one effective way to reduce the symptoms of social anxiety disorder.

     The first step is to identify the automatic negative thoughts that underlie person’s fear of social situations. For example,  if you‘re worried about an upcoming work presentation, the underlying negative thought might be: “I’m going

to blow it. Everyone will think I’m completely incompetent” [5]. The next step is to analyze and challenge them. It helps to ask yourself questions about the negative thoughts: “Do I know for sure that I’m going to blow the presentation?” or “Even if I’m nervous, will people necessarily think I’m incompetent?” Through this logical evaluation of your negative thoughts, you can gradually replace them with more realistic and positive ways of looking at social situations that trigger your anxiety.

      Treatment 2:  Learn to control your breath. Many changes happen in our body when we become anxious. One of the first changes is that you begin to breathe quickly. Overbreathing throws off the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in our body — leading to more physical symptoms of anxiety, such as dizziness, a feeling of suffocation, increased heart rate, and muscle tension.

       “Learning to slow our breathing down can help us bring our physical symptoms of anxiety back under control” [4]. Practicing the following breathing exercise will help to stay calm when a person is in  the center of attention.  A breathing exercise:

• Sit comfortably with your back straight and your shoulders relaxed. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
• Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose for four seconds. The hand on your stomach should rise, while the hand on your chest should move very little.
• Hold the breath for two seconds.
• Exhale slowly through your mouth for six seconds, pushing out as much air as you can. The hand on your stomach should move in as you exhale, but your other hand should move very little.
• Continue to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Focus on keeping a slow and steady breathing pattern of 4-in, 2-hold, and 6-out.

    

 

       Treatment 3:  Face your fears. One of the most helpful things you can do to overcome social anxiety disorder is to face the social situations you fear rather than avoid them. “Avoidance keeps social anxiety disorder going” [2, 56]. Avoidance leads to more problems. While avoiding nerve-wracking situations may help you feel better in the short term, it prevents you from becoming more comfortable in social situations and learning how to cope. “In fact, the more you avoid a feared social situation, the more frightening it becomes” [4].

          While it may seem impossible to overcome a feared social situation, you can do it by taking it one small step at a time. The key is to start with a situation that you can handle and gradually work your way up to more challenging situations, building your confidence and coping skills as you move up the “anxiety ladder.”

For example, “if socializing with strangers makes you anxious, you might start by accompanying an outgoing friend to a party” [2, 58]. Once you’re comfortable with that step, you might try introducing yourself to one new person, and so on.

     Treatment 4:  Build better relationships. “Actively seeking out and joining supportive social environments is another effective way of tackling and overcoming social anxiety disorder or social phobia” [5]. The following suggestions are good ways to start interacting with others in positive ways:

• Take a social skills class or an assertiveness training class. These classes are often offered at local adult education centers or community colleges.
• Volunteer doing something you enjoy, such as walking dogs in a shelter, or stuffing envelopes for a campaign — anything that will give you an activity to focus on while you are also engaging with a small number of like-minded people.
• Work on your communication skills. Good relationships depend on clear, emotionally-intelligent communication.

 

 

Treatment 5: Change your lifestyle. “While lifestyle changes alone aren’t enough to overcome social phobia or social anxiety disorder, they can support your overall treatment progress” [7]. The following lifestyle tips will help you reduce your overall anxiety levels and set the stage for successful treatment:

• Avoid or limit caffeine. Coffee, tea, caffeinated soda, energy drinks, and chocolate act as stimulants that increase anxiety symptoms.
• Drink only in moderation. You may be tempted to drink before a party or other social situation in order to calm your nerves, but alcohol increases your risk of having an anxiety attack.
• Quit smoking. Nicotine is a powerful stimulant. Smoking leads to higher, not lower, levels of anxiety.
• Get adequate sleep. When you’re sleep deprived, you’re more vulnerable to anxiety. Being well rested will help you stay calm in social situations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Therapy for social anxiety disorder.

            Of all the professional treatments available, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to work the best for treating social anxiety disorder, or social phobia. “Cognitive-behavioral therapy is based on the premise that what you think affects how you feel, and your feelings affect your behavior” [5]. So if you change the way you think about social situations that give you anxiety, you’ll feel and function better.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy for social phobia typically involves:

•                 Learning how to control the physical symptoms of anxiety through relaxation techniques and breathing exercises.
•                 Challenging negative, unhelpful thoughts that trigger and fuel social anxiety, replacing them with more balanced views.
•                 Facing the social situations you fear in a gradual, systematic way, rather than avoiding them.

“While you can learn and practice these exercises on your own, if you’ve had trouble with self-help, you may benefit from the extra support and guidance a therapist brings” [4].

          Group therapy for social anxiety disorder. Other cognitive-behavioral techniques for social anxiety disorder include role-playing and social skills training, often as part of a therapy group. Group therapy for social anxiety disorder uses acting, videotaping and observing, mock interviews, and other exercises to work on situations that make you anxious in the real world. “As you practice and prepare for situations you’re afraid of, you will become more and more comfortable and confident in your social abilities, and your anxiety will lessen”[3].

         Medication for social anxiety disorder. Medication is sometimes used to relieve the symptoms of social anxiety, but it’s not a cure for social anxiety disorder or social phobia. If you stop taking medication, your symptoms will probably return full force. “Medication is considered most helpful when used in addition to therapy and other self-help techniques that address the root cause of social anxiety disorder” [6].

     Three types of medication are used in the treatment of social social phobia:

•                 Beta blockers – Beta blockers are used for relieving performance anxiety. They work by blocking the flow of adrenaline that occurs when you’re anxious. While beta blockers don’t affect the emotional symptoms of anxiety, they can control physical symptoms such as shaking hands or voice, sweating, and rapid heartbeat.
•                 Antidepressants – Antidepressants can be helpful when social anxiety disorder is severe and debilitating. Three specific antidepressants—Paxil, Effexor, and Zoloft—have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of social phobia.
•                 Benzodiazepines – Benzodiazepines are fast-acting anti-anxiety medications. However, they are sedating and addictive, so they are typically prescribed only when other medications for social phobia have not worked.

 

    

 

 

 

 

                                    

                                  

 

 

                                    CONCLUSIONS

      

        Dealing with social phobia takes patience, courage to face fears and try new things, and the willingness to practice. It takes a commitment to go forward rather than back away when feeling shy.

         Little by little, someone who decides to deal with extreme shyness can learn to be more comfortable. Each small step forward helps build enough confidence to take the next small step. As shyness and fears begin to melt, confidence and positive feelings build. Pretty soon, the person is thinking less about what might feel uncomfortable and more about what might be fun.                

         Putdowns, lectures, criticisms, and demands to change don't help — and just make a person feel bad. Having social phobia isn't a person's fault and isn't something anyone chooses. Instead, friends and family can encourage people with social phobia to pick a small goal to aim for, remind them to go for it, and be there when they might feel discouraged. Good friends and family are there to celebrate each small success along the way.

           Social phobia sometimes runs in families, but no one knows for sure why some people have it while others don't. Researchers have found that several parts of the brain are involved in fear and anxiety. By learning more about fear and anxiety in the brain, scientists may be able to create better treatments. Researchers are also looking for ways in which stress and environmental factors may play a role.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                              BIBLIOGRAPHY