You may have Social Phobia without realizing it.
What is Social Phobia ?
Social Phobia – It is defined as the fear of doing something wrong that will humiliate oneself, such as blushing, sweating, trembling hands while sitting, talking or doing any action in public.
Therefore, the person avoids going out in public.
The person is worried that he/she is constantly being controlled and that something is wrong with his/her actions and work.
He or she is afraid of doing something wrong, of being embarrassed in a crowd and therefore humiliated.
They cannot speak, read aloud, write or work in public. He hesitates to enter a crowd.
When he/she has to, he/she gets bored. He becomes restless, overwhelmed. He/she may even panic, his/her face turns red, breathing and pulse rate increase.
Frequency of occurrence
Social phobia is a common problem that is experienced by 3 percent of the population, with a 10–16 percent chance of encountering it in each individual’s lifetime.
Approximately 40 percent of social phobias occur before the age of ten and 95 percent before the age of twenty.
It is equally common in men and women.
What are the Symptoms?
– Extreme shyness
– Fear of humiliation in social settings
– Fear of not being able to perform in a crowd
– Frequent panic attacks, hand tremors, facial flushing, excessive sweating, palpitations, dry throat
These symptoms occur in the following situations:
– When you are introduced to someone
– Talking on the phone
– When a guest arrives
– Being watched by others while doing something
– At home or when eating out
– When doing work in public
What are common social phobias?
– Speaking, eating or writing in front of others
– Using public toilets
– Participation in negotiations and meetings of all kinds
What are the consequences of untreated social phobia?
– Failure at school
– Professional limitations (poor performance)
– Narrowness in social relationships
– Substance abuse
– Unnecessary medical examination
– Using alcohol to calm anxiety
– Depression
– Fear of going to crowded places
– Suicidal thoughts and attempts
What happens if it is not prevented?
People with social phobia have thoughts that they will be judged negatively in various social situations.
1. A pronounced and chronic fear of meeting strangers or being in the presence of others in one or more social situations or performance situations. The person is afraid (or shows signs of anxiety) of engaging in behavior that would cause embarrassment or humiliation.
2. The encounter with the feared social situation almost always leads to anxiety, sometimes in the form of a panic attack.
3. The person is aware that their fear is excessive or meaningless.
4. Feared social situations or performance situations are avoided or endured with extreme anxiety.
5. The distress interferes with the person’s daily professional or social activities or relationships, or the person has intense phobia-related distress.
6. In people under 18 years of age, the duration is at least 6 months.
They also often experience physical symptoms of anxiety when they encounter situations they are afraid of.
In social phobia, the most common symptoms during fear are: Palpitations, trembling, sweating, muscle tension, torsion in the stomach, dry mouth, flushing or chills, pressure in the head.
Why does social phobia happen?
In social phobias, the fear of abnormal evaluation is an obsession. There is negative conditioning in social relationships. “I can’t do anything, I’ll mess everything up”.
They also present their social behavior with extreme contempt. They always dwell on negative events.
Overprotective but emotionally unsatisfying upbringing of children is thought to play a role in social phobia.
As these children grow up away from social relationships, they become more attentive to what others think about them or comment on them.
What is recommended for treatment?
Depending on the patient’s condition, medication, behavioral therapy or both are applied.
Social phobic benefit from treatments.
When left untreated, social phobia negatively affects the person’s work, social and private life, and reduces the quality of life.
Therefore, social phobia is a disease that needs to be treated.
Test Yourself — Do you have social phobia?
1- Are you afraid of being the center of attention?
2- Are you afraid of being ridiculed in front of others?
3- Do you often try to avoid any of the following positions?
– Public speaking
– Talking to people in positions of authority
– People watching you
– Eating, drinking or writing in front of others
– Entering communities
4- If you are exposed to these situations, do you blush excessively, shiver, feel overwhelmed, vomit or have an urgent urge to go to the toilet?
If you answered yes to any part of questions 1, 2 or 3, you may be social phobic.
If you answered yes to question 4, you are social phobic.
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