It’s normal for you to feel nervous on occasions such as performing in front of people or going for an interview. However, social anxiety is not your normal shyness.
In fact, this disorder involves excessive fear of social situations, especially when you feel like you’re being watched by others.
People with social anxiety disorder go to great lengths to avoid social situations because of the fear that it will disturb their life. When you’re scared of being judged, scrutinised, or embarrassed in public, you may have social anxiety disorder.
There are many clinics to help people with social anxiety disorder regain their confidence and be calm in social situations. The excessive fear of social situations can drastically affect a person’s functioning, life, and relationships.
What social anxiety does to your body
Social anxiety disorder not only affects the mind but also affects the physical aspect of a person. Like other anxiety disorders, your respiratory system and your heart are mostly affected.
- A very common problem is shortness of breath, where you tend to have difficulty in breathing due to this unfounded fear.
- Your heart rate feels faster, your face is red, you are trembling and sweating.
- Some people experience an upset stomach, dizziness or nausea.
- The fear of social situations may cause you to display a stiff body posture, speak very softly, and avoid eye contact.
- Unless you get treatment for social anxiety disorder, you’ll always look and feel awkward when confronted with social situations.
What social anxiety does to your mind
You will only be diagnosed with social anxiety disorder if your fear or anxiety of a social situation affects your daily life, your work, your academic and social life.
- Your ability to function becomes impaired whenever you encounter unfamiliar social situations and your brain makes you feel an extreme sensation of self-consciousness.
- You also experience excessive worry for days or even months prior to a social event.
- person with social anxiety has excessive fear of being judged or watched by people, especially those whom you don’t know.
- People with this disorder are frightened by the thought that you’ll act in ways that will embarrass or humiliate yourselves.
- You are scared that other people will notice your nervousness and judge you.
What social anxiety does to your confidence
Social anxiety disorder can prevent you from living your life to the fullest. This is because you’ll try everything just to avoid social situations that other people consider normal and part of life.
Social anxiety disorder sufferers are baffled at how other people can handle these situations easily.
When you avoid most or all social situations, it can greatly affect your confidence.
Because of this, your personal relationships also suffer.
- Social anxiety disorder leads to low self-esteem because you believe you’re not likeable enough.
- Avoiding social situations hinders you from making new friends, making you feel even less confident.
- The feeling of being judged by others makes you tend to focus on negative thoughts.
- People with social anxiety disorder usually can’t take criticism.
Generally, a sufferer of this disorder has poor social skills that don’t seem to improve over time.
Finally, people with social anxiety disorder may often feel low, which can usually lead to depression.
Final thoughts
If you have social anxiety disorder, you don’t have to hide inside your room or continue to avoid people. It is a treatable condition and if you are committed and patient, you’ll regain your self-confidence again and live your life the way you want to.
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