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Anxiety disorders
Published on
18th Dec 2017
Anxiety, or worry, can be experienced in a wide range of situations. Moreover, a situation that causes worry for one person may not lead to anxiety for another person. Social anxiety is the most common form of anxiety; social anxiety can be defined as the fear and worry that you will be negatively judged by other people in a social setting. About 26% of women and 19% of men experience social anxiety.
Social anxiety is often confused with shyness, but both are very different from each other. While people with social anxiety might also be shy, everyone who feels shy will not necessarily experience social anxiety. Shyness is a characteristic that makes you feel uncomfortable and apprehensive in social situations. In the case of shyness, it fades as you get more familiar or comfortable with different people and situations. On the other hand, social anxiety is not something that you can easily shake off - the worry or discomfort is not limited to a specific type of social situation and stays with you for a long while.
If you think you might be experiencing social anxiety, and are unsure, it might be helpful for you to answer the following questions:
If your answer to three or more of the questions above was yes, you might be experiencing social anxiety. It is also likely that social anxiety has prevented you from achieving some of your personal and professional goals. This is understandable, as such anxiety can significantly impair multiple areas of your life, such as your performance at work, the quality of your personal relationships, as well as your physical health and immunity.
If you are experiencing social anxiety, you are perhaps already feeling weighed down by it. The inability to overcome it despite trying many things can create a sense of being drained and defeated. However, counselling or psychotherapy with a therapist can help you overcome social anxiety. It would provide you with a safe space to explore your concerns, find effective ways to manage worry, and build skills to cope well in social situations.
Connect with expert therapists and psychiatrists on Amaha to begin your journey to improved mental health. We’re here to support you, every step of the way.
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