| If you have an overwhelming feeling or | | | | symptoms if you have social phobia. It can feel like |
| self-consciousness and anxiety in social settings that | | | | there are million people watching you all the time and |
| most people are fine in then you might have social | | | | you can't get away. You might even be able to stand |
| phobia, otherwise known as social anxiety disorder. | | | | being around your own family for fear of ridicule and |
| People suffering from this disorder feel like they are | | | | rejection. |
| being judged and watched intensely by others and | | | | This is a common irrational fear that with out |
| think that they think horrible thoughts about them. | | | | medication cannot be controlled. Even if you tried to |
| They are afraid that they will embarrass or humiliate | | | | face what fears you have the anxiety level before |
| themselves in front of people when they meet them. | | | | can be almost debilitating and can linger through out the |
| This can seriously interfere with daily life such as | | | | whole experience. The anxiety can also linger after |
| school, work, relationships, and activities of daily living. | | | | wards and keep you feeling scared and anxious for |
| Even though most people with social anxiety disorder | | | | weeks or months. Affecting approximately 5.3 million |
| know they're feeling are not valid and excessive they | | | | American adults with men and women being affected |
| cannot seem to manage or control them. When they a | | | | equally, social phobia usually starts to develop in |
| function they have to attend they can worry for | | | | childhood or the early teens. |
| months or weeks waiting for the dreadful day. | | | | There is belief that social anxiety disorder can also be |
| Social anxiety disorder can range in its behavior. Some | | | | hereditary so if a family member has it you are at a |
| individuals may only suffer from a specific fear such | | | | higher risk of developing it as well. Because of the |
| as eating or drinking, speaking, or writing if others are | | | | nature of the severe anxiety people with this disorder |
| around or watching. Some people have a fear or | | | | have a higher risk of self-medicating with drugs and |
| going to the bathroom in a public restroom. This can be | | | | alcohol to try to relax and calm down. This only leads |
| as serious as causing physical sickness or weakness | | | | to worse problems and possibly addiction. To treat this |
| to the bladder because of the anxiety involved, while | | | | disease one need to see a doctor and seek |
| some people are fearful in all social situations and is | | | | psychotherapy and/or medications. |
| never comfortable. | | | | There is hope and treatment for those persons who |
| The normal daily activities that most people take for | | | | suffer with social anxiety disorder. There have been |
| granted are so horrifying and worrisome of social | | | | more and more drugs capable of helping control the |
| phobias it can be physically debilitating. This illness can | | | | feelings one may suffer with. The antidepressants |
| cause people to miss work or school if they fear they | | | | Paxil and Effexor are excellent and wide used to help |
| will have to get up and be seen or noticed. Many | | | | suffers of social phobia. It can take two to four weeks |
| persons with social phobia may have problems with | | | | for the medications to start to take effect and it can |
| relationships and can find it very hard to meet and | | | | also take some time to find the right dosage that |
| keep friends. Even when the person has friends they | | | | works the best with the least side effects. |
| may not be able to enjoy going out with then or being | | | | The user needs to always follow the instructions on |
| with them in large crowds of other people who might | | | | the prescription and take the medication every day. If |
| be less known. Some of the common symptoms | | | | the side effects are too bad or there is no |
| include: | | | | improvement in four weeks call your doctor. Many |
| #1. blushes often in social situations | | | | patients will have to continue medications for months, |
| #2. profuse sweating when anxious | | | | years, or even a lifetime. Another important aspect is |
| #3. trembling when approached or spoke to | | | | therapy. Most doctors use cognitive-behavioral therapy |
| #4. nausea as anxiety increases and possibly vomiting | | | | that changes the individual's cognitive thinking patterns |
| #5. extreme difficulty talking | | | | to help them eventually face fear in all social situations |
| You may be extremely embarrassed by all of these | | | | without debilitating anxiety. |