|
Always
Embarrassed: Social Phobia
(Social Anxiety Disorder)
Anxiety
Disorders
People
with anxiety disorders feel
extremely fearful and
unsure. Most people feel
anxious about something for
a short time now and again,
but people with anxiety
disorders feel this way most
of the time. Their fears and
worries make it hard for
them to do everyday tasks.
About 18% of American adults
have anxiety disorders.
Children also may have them.
Treatment
is available for people with
anxiety disorders.
Researchers are also looking
for new treatments that will
help relieve symptoms.
This
booklet is about one kind of
anxiety disorder called
social phobia. Some people
also call it social anxiety
disorder. For information
about other kinds of anxiety
disorders, please see the
end of this booklet.
Social
Phobia
Social
phobia is a strong fear of
being judged by others and
of being embarrassed. This
fear can be so strong that
it gets in the way of going
to work or school or doing
other everyday things.
People
with social phobia are
afraid of doing common
things in front of other
people; for example, they
might be afraid to sign a
check in front of a cashier
at the grocery store, or
they might be afraid to eat
or drink in front of other
people. All of us have been
a little bit nervous, at one
time or another, about
things like meeting new
people or giving a speech.
But people with social
phobia worry about these and
other things for weeks
before they happen.
Most
of the people who have
social phobia know that they
shouldn't be as afraid as
they are, but they can't
control their fear.
Sometimes, they end up
staying away from places or
events where they think they
might have to do something
that will embarrass them.
That can keep them from
doing the everyday tasks of
living and from enjoying
times with family and
friends.
This
is a list of common
symptoms. People with social
phobia:
- are
very anxious about being
with other people.
- are
very self-conscious in
front of other people;
that is, they are very
worried about how they
themselves will act.
- are
very afraid of being
embarrassed in front of
other people.
- are
very afraid that other
people will judge them.
- worry
for days or weeks before
an event where other
people will be.
- stay
away from places where
there are other people.
- have
a hard time making
friends and keeping
friends.
- may
have body symptoms when
they are with other
people, such as:
- blushing,
- heavy
sweating,
- trembling,
- nausea,
and
- having
a hard time talking.
When
does social phobia start?
Social
phobia usually starts during
the child or teen years,
usually at about age 13. A
doctor can tell that a
person has social phobia if
the person has had symptoms
for at least six months.
Without treatment, social
phobia can last for many
years or a lifetime.
Is
there help?
There
is help for people with
social phobia. The first
step is to go to a doctor or
health clinic to talk about
symptoms. People who think
they have social phobia may
want to bring this booklet
to the doctor to help them
talk about the symptoms in
it. The doctor will do an
exam to make sure that
another physical problem
isn't causing the symptoms.
The doctor may make a
referral to a mental health
specialist.
Doctors
may prescribe medication to
help relieve social phobia.
It's important to know that
some of these medicines may
take a few weeks to start
working. In most states only
a medical doctor (a family
doctor or psychiatrist) can
prescribe medications.
The
kinds of medicines used to
treat social phobia are
listed below. Some of these
medicines are used to treat
other problems, such as
depression, but also are
helpful for social phobia:
- antidepressants,
- anti-anxiety
medicines, and
- beta
blockers.
Doctors
also may ask people with
social phobia to go to
therapy with a licensed
social worker, psychologist,
or psychiatrist. This
treatment can help people
with social phobia feel less
anxious and fearful.
There
is no cure for social phobia
yet, but treatments can give
relief to people who have it
and help them live a more
normal life. If you know
someone with signs of social
phobia, talk to him or her
about seeing a doctor. Offer
to go along for support. To
find out more about social
phobia, call 1-866-615- NIMH
(1-866-615-6464) to have
free information mailed to
you.
Who
pays for treatment?
Most
insurance plans cover
treatment for anxiety
disorders. People who are
going to have treatment
should check with their own
insurance companies to find
out about coverage. For
people who don't have
insurance, local city or
county governments may offer
treatment at a clinic or
health center, where the
cost is based on income.
Medicaid plans also may pay
for social phobia treatment.
Why
do people get social phobia?
Social
phobia sometimes runs in
families, but no one knows
for sure why some people
have it, while others don't.
When chemicals in the brain
are not at a certain level
it can cause a person to
have social phobia. That is
why medications often help
with the symptoms because
they help the brain
chemicals stay at the
correct levels.
To
improve treatment,
scientists are studying how
well different medicines and
therapies work. In one kind
of research, people with
social phobia choose to take
part in a clinical trial to
help doctors find out what
treatments work best for
most people, or what works
best for different symptoms.
Usually, the treatment is
free. Scientists are
learning more about how the
brain works, so that they
can discover new treatments.
Personal
story
"In
school I was always afraid
of being called on, even
when I knew the answers.
When I got a job, I hated to
meet with my boss. I
couldn't eat lunch with my
co-workers. I worried about
being stared at or judged,
and worried that I would
make a fool of myself. My
heart would pound, and I
would start to sweat when I
thought about meetings. The
feelings got worse as the
time of the event got
closer. Sometimes I couldn't
sleep or eat for days before
a staff meeting.
I'm
taking medicine and working
with a counselor to cope
better with my fears. I had
to work hard, but I feel
better. I'm glad I made that
first call to my
doctor."
Visit
the National Library of
Medicine's MedlinePlus
and En
Español
For
Information on Clinical
Trials for Social Phobia and
Other Anxiety Disorders
Information
from NIMH is available in
multiple formats. You can
browse online, download
documents in PDF, and order
paper brochures by mail. You
can order NIMH publications
online at www.nimh.nih.gov.
If
you do not have Internet
access, please contact the
NIMH Information Center at
the numbers listed below.
National
Institute of Mental Health
Science Writing, Press,
& Dissemination Branch
6001 Executive Boulevard
Room 8184, MSC 9663
Bethesda, MD 20892-9663
Phone: 301-443-4513 or
1-866-615-NIMH (6464)
toll-free
TTY: 301-443-8431
TTY: 866-415-8051 toll-free
FAX: 301-443-4279
E-mail: nimhinfo@nih.gov
Web site: www.nimh.nih.gov
|
