Social Anxiety

Social anxiety or social phobia is a persistent fear of situations that may involve attention or judgment by others, such as parties and other social events. Social anxiety can cause you to become overwhelmingly anxious and self-conscious in everyday social situations. You may experience intense, persistent fear of being watched or judged by others, or of doing things that may embarrass you. Situations that you dread may cause you to worry for weeks prior to the event or situation. This fear can interfere with work, school, and daily activities, and can make it difficult to make and keep friends.

Your social anxiety may be limited to one situation (such as eating in public, talking to people, or speaking or performing in front of others). Or, it may be so broad that you experiences anxiety around almost everyone other than family or close friends. If you find that your anxiety in social situations affects your ability to function normally at work, school or in relationships you may be experiencing social anxiety rather than just shyness.

Counseling for Social Anxiety

The most effective treatment for social anxiety is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT helps you to understand and change the unhelpful thoughts that cause your anxiety. You will also learn to recognize the thoughts that trigger your social anxiety. As part of your therapy you will be taught relaxation techniques to help you control the physical symptoms of social anxiety and will be guided through exposure exercises that gradually expose you to feared situations under controlled circumstances so that you can learn to overcome your fear of social situations once and for all. Social skills training can also be an effective part of counseling for social anxiety and social phobia.