It’s normal to feel nervous in some social situations.
In social anxiety disorder, fear and anxiety lead to avoidance that can disrupt your life.
Severe stress can affect your daily routine, work, school, or other activities.
Comfort levels in social situations vary, depending on personality traits and life experiences.
Some people are naturally reserved and others are more outgoing.
They may flare up if you’re facing a lot of stress or demands.
Anxieties can interfere with work, school, relationships, or enjoyment of life.
Psychotherapy improves symptoms in most people with social anxiety disorder.
In exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy, you gradually work up to facing the situations you fear most.
This can improve your coping skills and help you develop the confidence to deal with anxiety-inducing situations.
Practicing exposures to social situations is particularly helpful to challenge your worries.
Your doctor may prescribe paroxetine (Paxil) or sertraline (Zoloft).
It may take several weeks to several months of treatment for your symptoms to noticeably improve.
you’re able to continue to make strides in psychotherapy over several weeks or months.
And finding the right medication for your situation can take some trial and error.
Others may need to take medication for years to prevent a relapse.
Several herbal remedies have been studied as treatments for anxiety.
Results tend to be mixed, and in several studies people report no benefits from their use.
More research is needed to fully understand the risks and benefits.
Some herbal supplements, such as kava and valerian, increase the risk of serious liver damage.
You may see your primary care doctor, or your doctor may refer you to a mental health professional.
Here’s some information to help you get ready for your appointment.
Some questions to ask your doctor may include:
Don’t hesitate to ask other questions during your appointment.
Your doctor or mental health professional will likely ask you a number of questions.
Be ready to answer them to reserve time to go over any points you want to focus on.
Then gradually practice these activities until they cause you less anxiety.
Begin with small steps by setting daily or weekly goals in situations that aren’t overwhelming.
The more you practice, the less anxious you’ll feel.
Consider practicing these situations:
At first, being social when you’re feeling anxious is challenging.
As difficult or painful as it may seem initially, don’t avoid situations that trigger your symptoms.
By regularly facing these kinds of situations, you’ll continue to build and reinforce your coping skills.
