Today, we will discuss everything you need to know about social anxiety disorder. You’ll get all the information related to this disorder, such as what is social anxiety disorder, symptoms, social anxiety disorder treatment in India, and more.
What is Social Anxiety Disorder?
First and foremost, it is vital to know about social anxiety disorder, aka social phobia. If you experience long-term overwhelming fear while interacting with people or social situations, you might be suffering from social anxiety disorder.
In most cases, this disorder will begin to show primary symptoms during the client’s teenage days. Some people might shake it up without any treatment, but for most, proper treatment is a must.
Sometimes, you might feel the butterflies in your stomach while giving presentations or going out on a date. Well, this might very well be because of the social anxiety disorder. You might feel anxiety during everyday interactions with people. You might also feel self-consciousness or embarrassment over even the smallest interaction with people. All of this might be because of social anxiety disorder. And with time, you might develop a fear and anxiety about social interactions.
When you are living in fear, you’ll do everything in your power to avoid social interactions that are uncomfortable for you. This could disrupt your daily life; it can impact your relationships, or it can make you a loner.
In India, most people might be suffering from social anxiety disorder, but they might not know about it. And without proper treatments, this disorder can impact anyone’s livelihood in many ways. For instance, we deal with extreme behavioral cases every day. We can tell by experience that severe cases can lead to panic attacks. That’s why detecting and getting treatment in the early stages is important.
Symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder
There are two major categories for social anxiety disorder symptoms.
Behavioral Symptoms
- Showing signs of restlessness and agitation
- Withdrawing from social situations quickly
- Inability to remain calm
- Inability to handle daily responsibilities at home or workplace
- Feeling extreme fear or panic in ordinary situations (Agoraphobia)
- Inability to successfully perform daily activities
- Using drugs and alcohol to relax and relieve stress
Physical Symptoms
- Fatigue and exhaustion
- Trouble sleeping or staying asleep
- Feeling breathless
- Drastic changes to eating and sleeping pattern
- Excessive sweating
- Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea or vomiting
- Muscle rigidity
- Regular headaches
- Dryness of the mouth
- Excessive nightmares and sleep terrors
If you experience one or a few of the above symptoms, you should seek social anxiety disorder treatment in India as soon as possible.
Treatments for Social Anxiety Disorder
Depending on the level of the social anxiety disorder, treatment might vary. However, most treatments include the following methods.
Medication
This is one of the first and most popular treatments for social anxiety disorder. In most cases, proper medication will reduce the symptoms greatly. However, some might experience side effects of medications.
- Nausea and muscle aches
- Pain in the stomach
- Loss of memory and feeling
- Sexual dysfunction
Considering the above side effects, you might feel little hesitation to treat your social anxiety disorder with medication. Well, you are not wrong.
Behavioral Therapy
Compared to medication, this is a risk-free method to treat social anxiety disorder. Through behavioral therapy, a therapist can change the behavior of the social anxiety disorder patient. This process might take some time, depending on the level of the disorder. However, the patients will learn how to handle situations that are uncomfortable for them.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a method that teaches the social anxiety disorder patient to be their own therapist. But first, the patient must carry out productive sessions with the therapist. During these sessions, the therapist will teach and train the patient to develop coping skills that help change their thinking and behavior when they encounter problematic behavior and emotions.
After the session, the patient must carry out homework by himself that will pave the road to becoming their own therapist.
Tip: CBT is one of the most popular and effective treatments for social anxiety disorder treatment in India.
Group Therapy
Group therapy will put together a small group of patients who are suffering from social phobia and let them learn and practice methods to overcome the disorder. All the learning and practices should follow the guidelines of a licensed therapist.
How Can CoachForMind Help?
- Licensed Psychologist: We are a team of licensed RCI-registered clinical psychologists.
- Tailored Solutions: We at CoachForMind understand the individual need, which is why we offer client-centric one-on-one therapy.
- Proven Techniques: Our approach to therapy is grounded in scientific research, such as Cognitive behavioral therapy and Dialectical behavioral therapy. These therapies are designed for people who experience intense mood swings. These therapies help people who have potentially destructive or harmful behavior.
- Commitment to Excellence: We are dedicated to delivering the highest quality of service and continuously improving our offerings based on feedback and emerging trends. Our therapists regularly upskill themselves as per the new norms.
For more information about us and how we can help you achieve your best self, please visit our website or contact us directly at coachformind@gmail.com
