Social Anxiety Disorder Treatment
Social anxiety disorder is a condition characterized by a debilitating fear of social situations. Sufferers fear judgment or being humiliated in public, and the fear can become extreme enough to cause the person to limit contact with people or avoid social situations all together. Unless some kind of treatment is sought, overcoming social anxiety disorder can be nearly impossible, and symptoms will most likely worsen over time.
People who suffer from social anxiety disorder may be afraid of doing every-day things, such as eating or speaking in public, and that fear causes physical symptoms of anxiety, such as rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, sweating, blushing, and tightness in the chest.
If the condition becomes severe, a person with social anxiety disorder will have difficulty working or establishing friendships and may even be unable to leave his or her home to carry out simple errands or even to visit a doctor to get help.
Often, people who suffer from social anxiety become more afraid that their anxiety will be noticeable to others than they are of the social situation in which that anxiety might occur.
Social Anxiety Disorder Treatment...
Overcoming Social Anxiety
Though overcoming social anxiety disorder can be difficult, there are a number of treatment options that can be effective, especially when used in combination. Because it is a psychological problem with physical symptoms, social anxiety disorder treatment usually involves efforts to alleviate both psychological and physical symptoms.
Treatment for social anxiety disorder is important to prevent the condition from becoming worse and interfering significantly with the ability to lead a normal life. Overcoming social anxiety disorder is often accomplished with a mix of medications or
herbal remedies for anxiety
and psychological counseling.
Behavioral and cognitive therapy can help to change the perceptions that trigger the physical anxiety. The goal of behavior therapy is usually systematic exposure to social situations combined with social skills training until these events become less stressful.
Cognitive therapy aims at replacing negative self talk with positive thoughts that reinforce the satisfying aspects of social interaction. For example, a person who suffers from social anxiety disorder may have recurring anxious thoughts about appearing foolish in public. These thoughts can be replaced with reinforcing thoughts and a focus on the more likely reality that the person’s perceived foolishness is not based in reality.
Social anxiety disorder treatment may also include medication such as benzodiazepines that can help calm symptoms of anxiety.
Other medications used to help people overcome social anxiety disorder include antidepressants, particularly SSRIs and a class of heart medications known as beta blockers. Drugs given for social anxiety aim at reducing physical symptoms like racing heart and nervousness.
For those who do not want to take presciption drugs, there are also a number of herbal remedies, such as
kava
that have a calming effect on the body without the adverse side effects that may be associated with benzodiazepines.
Herbal remedies
can help reduce debillitating symptoms of anxiety that occur in social situations so that a person with social anxiety disorder can function more comfortably in public.
more than social anxiety disorder treatment on our anxiety information page
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