How does it affect your life?
You may have typical thoughts such as “I’m going to make a fool of myself”, “Everyone will look at me” or “Everyone will think I’m crazy”. In the moment, anxiety can manifest itself physically, such as trembling, palpitations, dry mouth or blushing. You may feel like you’re going to faint or lose control. These physical reactions are the result of your nervous system reacting to a situation you perceive to be a threat. Your impulse might be to remove yourself from the situation as quickly as possible.
Social anxiety can make you feel isolated and affect you at work too. While avoiding that which feels difficult may offer short-term relief, in the longer term it worsens your anxiety. The more space you give your anxiety, the less room you eventually have to live the life you’d perhaps actually like to live. Ultimately, this can lead to you feeling lonely, even though this isn’t what you really want.
When should I seek help?
If your anxiety about social situations is interfering with and limiting your day-to-day life, you should seek help. This also applies if you self-medicate with alcohol or sedatives to cope with everyday situations.
What help can I get?
Both psychological and medicinal treatments are available to help with social anxiety. Talking to someone can help you better understand yourself and why you react the way you do in different situations.
Everyone is different, and a treatment that works for one person may not work for another. You may need to try a few and see what works for you. If you’ve previously sought help and it didn’t work, you shouldn’t give up but rather seek help again.
Reviewed by: Jacqueline Levi, registered psychologist at Psykologpartners.
Last edited 2024-02-13