Social Anxiety Symptoms - How to Evaluate If You Have a Panic Disorder

It can be a very common trait to become nervous inAs you can see, most, if not all people usually
different social settings, especially ones you are notexperience emotional social anxiety symptoms at one
accustomed to. Let's face it, everyone gets nervoustime or another. The best way to illustrate the
on occasion, and if someone does not admit they do,identification of one of these symptoms is through a
they are probably lying. Just because you arepractical example.
experiencing one of many social anxiety symptomsFor instance, you have to give a presentation to a
does not mean you have a panic disorder. However,large group of fellow employees in the workplace. You
this does not mean you should ignore what isdo not have too much experience with public speaking,
happening to you.so naturally you are nervous in your preparation
In order to further evaluate whether or not you haveleading up to the day you give the presentation. Upon
an anxiety or panic disorder, you must look further intogiving the presentation, you are fidgety, sweating,
your social anxiety symptoms, if you have any. Socialshaky, and feel sick to your stomach. Ten minutes into
anxiety symptoms can be both emotional and physical,the presentation, you begin to feel much more
with the physical symptoms being much easier to spot.comfortable. You are confident in giving presentations
Physical symptoms include:in the future because you realize they are not that
• Breathing rapidly and out of controlbad.
• Sweating profusely, including cold sweating andThis is an example of what happens to many people
"clammy hands"before doing something for the first time. Although you
• Shaky hands, neckline, trembling, and not capablehave experienced many different social anxiety
of sitting/standing stillsymptoms, both emotional and physical, you were able
• Feeling dizzy and sick to your stomachto get past this and move on with your presentation in
As you can see, if you have experienced any ofa confident manner.
these you would be able to tell something was wrong,Using the same example from before, if you have
and most likely would be able to identify the problemgiven presentations many times before and still
as a social anxiety symptom.experience social anxiety symptoms every time, than
Emotional social anxiety symptoms are tougher toyou may have a panic or anxiety disorder.
spot because everyone experiences them. The key toTypically, social anxiety symptoms are experienced by
identifying a possible panic or anxiety disorder wouldpeople who are doing something new or for the first
be to see if one of these symptoms is recurring intime. If these symptoms continue to re-occur every
certain situations. Emotional social anxiety symptomstime you do a certain activity, or continue to re-occur in
include a fear of being judged by others, constantlyany general activity, then you may have a problem
predicting negative future occurrences, fear ofthat you need to address immediately.
embarrassment, and a lack of self-esteem.