5 Reasons to Seek Treatment for Your Social Anxiety

We’ve all had those situations where we'd rather be anywhere but where we are, be it a party we didn’t want to go to, a meeting we hoped to avoid, or any situation where we’re surrounded by a bunch of people we don’t know. Usually, we just try to grin and bear it, get through the best we can, and hope we don’t have to deal with the situation again.

Most social interactions are stressful to some degree, but if you’re experiencing nervousness, self-consciousness, or other sensations in everyday situations with people you’re around all the time, it could mean you’re dealing with social anxiety. 

It’s easy to dismiss feeling awkward or antisocial once in a while, but if you’re experiencing social anxiety, there may be reason to get help.

If you’re looking for ways to cope with social anxiety or other mental health problems, our team at Michigan Avenue Primary Care in Chicago, Illinois, can help. Let’s look at what social anxiety is, the causes and signs, and why you should get treatment to manage it.

Defining social anxiety

Often referred to as social anxiety disorder or social phobia, this condition causes feelings of fear and anxiety in social situations. People who battle this disorder fear being watched and judged by others. 

Rather than just dealing with some nervousness or other discomfort in situations where it might make sense, this anxiety disorder happens in almost every social interaction, including using public restrooms, eating in front of people, being at an interview, or making phone calls.

Social anxiety is a very common disorder (the third most common behind substance abuse and depression). It can affect anyone, and often starts before you reach age 20. It’s more common in women than men, and you can experience mild, moderate, or extreme anxiety if this is an issue for you.

Causes and common signs of social anxiety

The actual cause of social anxiety is still being researched, but several factors play a role such as emotional or physical abuse, insecure attachments to other people or things, negative peer environments, and overcontrolling parents. This phobia can be genetic, but it’s unknown whether the prime cause is the result of family history or environment.

People dealing with social anxiety commonly experience nausea, blushing, sweating, trembling, trouble speaking, dizziness, and a high heart rate. 

They also deal with intense worry in social interactions (before, during, and after), are concerned that other people will notice their nervousness, fear doing something embarrassing, may miss important functions to avoid social situations, and might drink to cope with the problem.

Reasons to get help for your social anxiety

Coming to grips with social anxiety can be difficult, but here are some great reasons to look for help:

1. Break social isolation

Avoiding everyone feels more comforting when you battle social anxiety, but it shuts you away and makes you feel like you’re the only person struggling with this issue. Treatments like group therapy can help you come to grips with your issues and start healing.

2. Build social skills

Trying to stay away from everyone makes it harder to get comfortable with social interactions like asking for directions or other information. If you never attempt to socialize, you’ll never get any better at being around other people.

3. Identify the behaviors you want to change

Social anxiety causes you to behave in ways that make interacting with others difficult, and that’s a hard thing to change on your own. By getting help, you'll be able to identify the things you want to change in yourself to make this process easier.

4. Become more comfortable around people you love

This phobia makes it much harder on the people who care about you. Reaching out for help will benefit you and your loved ones.

5. Make new friends

Working through the issues that cause you social anxiety will also make finding new friends easier. And finding new friends will make dealing with other people you don’t know easier as well.

If you’re trying to cope with social anxiety or other anxieties, make an appointment with our team at Michigan Avenue Primary Care to overcome what’s holding you back and move forward with your life. Contact us by phone or online today.