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Social Anxiety Disorder Treatment

Fact-Checked and Approved by Dr. Saro Altinoglu Psy. D.

Do you find social situations uncomfortable or feel like people are judging you?

Social Anxiety Disorder is a mental health condition that can be extremely debilitating. People with this condition often feel embarrassed or humiliated by their symptoms. The good news is that there are effective treatment options available for this condition. 

Amend Treatment provides evidence-based treatment that can help you overcome the challenges of social anxiety disorder. Our therapists will work closely with you throughout your treatment program so we can come up with an individualized plan specifically designed for your needs. You deserve a fulfilling life free from fear and worry! 

Take the first step today and call Amend Treatment at (833) 912-6363 to learn more about social anxiety disorder treatment.

Overview

Social anxiety disorder is a type of anxiety disorder that causes discomfort or distress in social situations. This type of anxiety disorder affects an estimated 7.1% of U.S. adults.

People with a social anxiety disorder may find social situations extremely difficult and feel embarrassed, humiliated, or fearful of being judged by others.

This type of anxiety disorder can negatively impact social interactions with others, work performance, and school performance. People with this disorder often avoid social situations, which can strain relationships with friends, co-workers, and even family members.

Social Anxiety Disorder Treatment

Symptoms

Social anxiety disorder can be diagnosed by a mental health professional, but there are certain symptoms that people should look out for to determine if they should seek social anxiety disorder treatment from a mental health professional.

Symptoms of social anxiety disorder can vary from person to person and often appear simultaneously. The most common symptoms of a social anxiety disorder include the following:

  • Trembling
  • Nervousness around others
  • Sense of panic when in social situations
  • Sweating when in social situations
  • Extreme self-consciousness in social settings
  • Inability to speak up or express one’s opinion in social settings
  • Irrational fear of social situations
  • Distress when socializing with others

People struggling with a social anxiety disorder may experience anxiety symptoms at different levels. Some people may experience mild social anxiety, whereas other people may struggle with more severe social anxiety. Although the physical feelings are similar, social anxiety can be classified by how much it impacts a person’s social life and overall quality of life.

Causes

There are many causes of social anxiety disorder and social phobia. While social anxiety disorder and social phobia can be caused by a variety of factors, the most common causes include the following:

  • Genetic predisposition for social anxiety disorder
  • Family history of social anxiety
  • Brain chemistry (the way serotonin is managed in your body can affect social anxiety)
  • Trauma or abuse in social settings
  • Exposure to social situations that were negative or traumatic

A history of social anxiety disorder can increase your chances of social phobia. Children with social anxiety disorder are more likely to have social phobia as adults. If you’ve had a social anxiety disorder in the past, social anxiety disorder treatment can help you overcome social anxiety.

Treatment

There are several approaches to treating social anxiety disorder, which may or may not include medication depending on the individual.

Because social anxiety disorder and social phobia can be very severe, social anxiety disorder treatment often has a multi-faceted approach that includes cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Some people with social anxiety disorders may have been treated previously with social skills training, but CBT is usually the primary social anxiety treatment for social phobia and social anxiety disorder.

The social skills training approach may help people learn to handle social situations better and reduce social anxiety symptoms. However, this type of social anxiety treatment does not work for everyone because it does not treat the root cause of social anxiety disorder.

By contrast, social anxiety treatment through CBT can help with social fear symptoms by teaching social skills that will be useful in social situations and helping you find social confidence that is not based on social success or approval.

After all, social anxiety disorder treatment isn’t about learning to act like someone else; it is about teaching social skills that will make socializing a pleasant and rewarding experience.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps you to identify your social fears, how those social fears affect your everyday life, and ways to overcome those social fears.

Treatment may also include medication to treat social fear symptoms. Medication can sometimes help your brain feel more relaxed in social settings, which will make it easier for you to function normally in social settings rather than feeling overwhelmed.

Social Anxiety Disorder Treatment at Amend Treatment

Are you tired of feeling uncomfortable in social situations?

You’re not alone and we’re here to help.

Our mental health professionals offer evidence-based therapy that has been proven to be highly effective in treating this condition. Our therapists are dedicated professionals who will work with you one-on-one to develop an individualized treatment plan that meets your needs and goals.

You’ll feel more confident and comfortable in any situation, whether it’s at work or with friends. You can finally get rid of those feelings of dread before going into a meeting or speaking up during a conversation.

Contact Amend Treatment to learn more about how we can help treat your social anxiety disorder symptoms.

Contact Amend Treatment

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