| So many people struggle with social phobia and may | | | | You will recognize that these feelings are |
| not even be aware of it. It is one of the most common | | | | disproportionate to the actual danger or worry you |
| psychological problems in America today, suffered by | | | | may have. However, there is nothing you can do about |
| millions of people. Many people will dismiss the condition | | | | it, your reactions are automatic, your actions |
| as nerves, performance anxiety or awkwardness. | | | | involuntary. |
| Some people are just more comfortable in front of | | | | Your heartbeat will likely increase, your breathing will |
| others or interacting with others. If you have trouble | | | | become shorter and shallower, you may tremble or |
| feeling comfortable in group situations, if you avoid | | | | having a pressing desire to flee the situation. You may |
| interacting with new people or fear talking in situations | | | | also go to great lengths to avoid the situation or |
| where people are looking at you, you might be | | | | interaction entirely. |
| suffering from social phobia. | | | | Social phobia can come in generalized form where |
| This is nothing to be ashamed of, in fact it should | | | | you find it hard to interact socially with others and |
| empower you because now you know what you are | | | | therefore avoid interpersonal situations. The anxiety |
| dealing with and there are many ways to counteract | | | | can also be directed towards more specific fears |
| the effects you feel. | | | | such as answering or using the phone or eating in front |
| Anxiety sufferers often go to great lengths to hide | | | | of others. |
| their conditions. This is of course based on the fear of | | | | The type of anxiety you have will often determine the |
| ridicule or condemnation if other people actually knew | | | | extent to which it affects your life but whether the |
| how fearful they were in everyday life. However, if | | | | affect is small or great you can deal with social phobia |
| everyone actually felt comfortable enough to discuss | | | | and other anxieties through cognitive behavior therapy |
| their problems, they would quickly realize they were | | | | as well as other treatments. |
| not alone. | | | | You can resolve your problems fairly quickly without |
| The symptoms associated with social phobia are | | | | drugs by taking certain steps to change your behavior |
| more frequently occurring than other anxiety conditions | | | | and reactions to certain situations. |
| because so much of our daily lives revolve around | | | | This is a learned response and therefore takes |
| social interactions. | | | | practice. |
| For panic attack sufferers, the symptoms come and | | | | You can completely conquer your fears and train |
| go as panic strikes but for social anxiety sufferers, the | | | | yourself to react normally to that which you previously |
| symptoms can often persist until they are alone or in a | | | | feared. This is done through a process of gradual |
| safe place. This is a very disturbing situation and why | | | | exposure in a controlled environment or situation to the |
| this condition wreaks so much havoc on so many lives. | | | | activity you fear. Once you are able to confront your |
| Some of the symptoms associated with social phobia | | | | fear and face it, it will lose its power over you. |
| include feelings of panic, terror or overwhelming fear. | | | | |