Social Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety is a Future oriented State Characterized by negative effect in which a person Focus on the Possibility of Uncontrollable danger or misfortune; in contrast, fear is present-oriented state characterized by strong escapist tendencies and a surge in the sympathetic branch of the automatic nervous system in response to current danger.
A Panic attack represents the alarm response of real fear, but there is no actual danger.
Panic attacks maybe (1) Unexpected (without warning) or (2) Expected (always occurring in a specific situation). Panic and Anxiety combine to create different anxiety and related disorders. Several disorders are grouped under the heading Anxiety Disorders.
About Social Anxiety Disorder:
Social Anxiety Disorder, SAD, is a fear of being around others, particularly in situations that call for some kind of “performance” in front of other people, having a conversation with strangers or meeting unfamiliar people. The individual fears that he or she will act in a way or show anxiety symptom, which will be negatively evaluated. The social situations are avoided or endured with intense fear or anxiety.
SYMPTOMS
1. Signs of anxiousness.
2. Behave in an embarrassing way.
3. Excessive Sweating.
4. Blushing.
5. Fear of speaking or performing in public.
6. Fear about eating in public.
7. Fear about using public lavatories.
8. Fear of being observed (eg. eating or drinking).
9. In children anxiety occur in peer settings
CAUSES
Causes of Social Anxiety Disorder are similar to those of Specific Phobias. A combination of biological and psychological events seems to lead to the development of SAD. Some people with SAD are predisposed to focus their anxiety on events involving social evaluation. Some investigation suggests that the parents of patients with Social Phobias are significantly more socially fearful and concerned with the opinion of others.
TREATMENT
Cognitive Therapy program that emphasizes real- life experiences during therapy to disprove automatic perceptions of danger, benefited large number of patients receiving treatment. Another very credible treatment, i.e. Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) is also very helpful in such treatment. Results of numerous studies suggest that several socially anxious adolescents can attain relatively normal functioning in school and other social settings after receiving cognitive behavioral treatment.
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REFERENCE
David H. Barlow, BOSTON UNIVERSITY
V. Mark Durand, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA- ST. PETERSBERG
2. ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY: 9TH EDITION
Davision G.C., Neale, J.M. and Kring, A.M.
3. ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY
Allov. L.B.: Riskind, J.H. and Manos, M.J.
4. ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY AND MODERN LIFE. NY: Harper and Collins. 2000
Carson. R.C. and Butcher. N.J.