Social Anxiety is more than just shyness – it can be very distressing and can impact your life negatively on a daily basis, affecting your work, relationships, and confidence. If you think you are suffering from this, you can receive therapy at a rehab clinic. It is ok to ask for help. 

 

Common Symptoms 

It is very normal to feel anxious and worried in some situations. Lots of us will feel this when we are under pressure, for example, when giving a presentation, being interviewed for a job, or taking some form of test. For someone suffering with social anxiety disorder, everyday scenarios will make them feel extremely anxious. 

Common signs of social anxiety disorder:

  • Avoiding or overthinking very excessively about upcoming social situations such as parties
  • Dreading everyday activities such as a phone call, going to the shop, or a meeting
  • Worrying about embarrassing scenarios excessively
  • Expecting the worst scenario to happen at social events
  • Worrying excessively after social events
  • Fear of being criticised by others
  • Fear of meeting new people
  • Hating being the centre of attention
  • Avoiding eye contact with anyone
  • Having heart palpitations, nausea, trembling, and sweating periods
  • Worrying so much that it affects your sleep, work and eating

If you are experiencing some of these symptoms, you may be experiencing social anxiety disorder. 

 

Physical Symptoms

People suffering will often experience physical symptoms with their social anxiety too. These can be quite unpleasant, and you may worry that people will notice them. These include:

  • Blushing
  • Trembling or shaking
  • Feeling sick
  • Sweating
  • Having a fast heartbeat 
  • Dry throat or mouth 
  • Feeling like your mind has gone blank

These might appear worse when you are under a lot of stress or feeling particularly anxious. 

 

Managing symptoms with professional treatment

It is very important to find the right support. It is understandably quite difficult for someone experiencing social anxiety disorder symptoms to speak out about how they feel, but it is worth pushing yourself to talk to a doctor or your GP. Your doctor will be able to speak to you about your symptoms, and give you access to the correct treatment, which may include a referral to a specialist or a rehab programme. 

Relaxation and mindfulness exercises can also help with symptoms of social anxiety disorder. Mindfulness can help you to understand that certain things in your life lie outside of your control, and it trains you to focus your attention to the present moment, rather than worrying about situations which are in the past or future.