Social anxiety is a condition that affects how you feel and behave in social situations. Women with social anxiety might worry or feel self-conscious about interacting with others. This makes it difficult to do things like speak in front of a group, go out for drinks with friends, or even shop for groceries. Social anxiety is when we fear social situations where we think we will be judged negatively or we believe our presence makes others feel uncomfortable. Social anxiety is felt by more young women than young men with most of us feeling its affects in adolescence and certainly before the age of twenty three.
Sometimes women with social anxiety experience physical symptoms such as a racing heart or feeling lightheaded. Others just feel uncomfortable and some even struggle to function in daily life.
Is There a Difference Between Social Anxiety and Other Types of Anxiety?
All of us experience some anxiety at certain points in our lives. This is perfectly normal and can even be helpful in certain situations.
However, for some women, anxiety becomes so severe that it interferes with their daily lives. When this happens, it may be diagnosed as an anxiety disorder.
There are many different types of anxiety disorders. The most common types of anxiety include regular anxiety and social anxiety disorder. Though they share some similarities, there are also some key differences between these two conditions.
Here are three of the most important ones:
Focus of Anxiety
One of the main differences between social anxiety and regular anxiety is the focus of the anxiety. Women with social anxiety disorder tend to be most anxious about social situations, such as meeting new people, public speaking, or being in and around groups. On the other hand, women with a general anxiety disorder may be more anxious about everyday things, such as work, school, or family responsibilities.
Severity
The severity of anxiety can also be different in social anxiety disorder versus regular anxiety disorder.
Women with social anxiety may experience intense, or acute fear or discomfort in social situations, to the point where it interferes with their ability to function normally. In contrast, women with generalized anxiety may only experience mild to moderate levels of anxiety in most situations.
Generalized anxiety usually arises more often and sometimes unpredictably, whereas social anxiety is related specifically to and occurs most frequently in anticipation of and during social situations.
Symptoms
Finally, the symptoms of social anxiety disorder and generalized anxiety disorder can also be different. Women with social anxiety may experience physical symptoms like blushing, sweating, or trembling, as well as cognitive symptoms like negative thoughts, self-doubt, or the impulses to run away or hide. People with regular anxiety, on the other hand, may experience more emotional symptoms like irritability, impatience, or feeling overwhelmed.
Though social anxiety and regular anxiety are both forms of anxiety disorder, they can be quite different in terms of their symptoms, focus, and severity. If you think you may have an anxiety disorder, it’s important to seek help from a professional. They can help you determine which type of anxiety you have and develop a treatment plan that will work best for you.
What Can You Do If You Experience Social Anxiety?
If you feel like social anxiety is interfering with your quality of life, it’s important to seek help. Counselling can help you manage your symptoms and improve your wellbeing. A therapist can provide support and guidance, and in some cases medications may also be prescribed to help reduce anxiety. With treatment, most people with social anxiety can live normal, productive lives.
According to psychologist Dawn Potter, PsyD., women with social anxiety must address their situation, even if it’s uncomfortable. Says Dr. Potter, social anxiety “can have subtle negative effects on your career, friendships, romantic life, or even family relationships. It can affect you so broadly when you miss opportunities. When a person’s isolated, it can lead to depression because you miss opportunities to have a good time or enjoy yourself, and feel connected to other people.”
If you’re struggling with social anxiety, here are five additional tips for dealing with it:
- Acknowledge Your Struggle
The first step in dealing with social anxiety is acknowledging that you have it. This can be difficult, especially if you’ve been struggling with it for a long time. However, it’s an important step. Once you acknowledge your anxiety, you can start to address it head-on.
- Identify Your Triggers
What social situations tend to make you feel most anxious? Once you know what your triggers are, you can start to prepare for them. If you know you’re going to be in a situation that makes you anxious, there are things you can do in advance to ease your anxiety. Starting and maintaining a journal or notes can help you track those situations where your anxiety begins to build and this information is really helpful to discuss with your therapist.
- Challenge Your Negative Thoughts
Anxiety can be fueled by negative thoughts. When you’re feeling anxious, it’s important to challenge these thoughts and replace them with more positive ones. Ask your therapist if this approach called Cognitive Re-structuring would be helpful for you.
Sometimes, your thoughts about a situation make you feel worse than the actual situation. Learning to control or re-frame your thoughts can help you ease social anxiety.
- Avoid Avoidance
One of the worst things you can do when you’re struggling with social anxiety is to avoid social situations altogether. This will only make your anxiety worse in the long run. Our brains learn through association so the more you avoid a stressful or anxious situation the more your brain learns. Rather than avoid potentially anxious situations try ‘bite-sizing’ them – experiencing them in small, manageable bits of time or exposure.
- Seek Professional Help If Nothing Else Works
If your anxiety is proving to be too much to handle on your own – reach out and seek help from a therapist or counselor. There is no shame in getting help when you need it.
Social anxiety is a mental health condition that makes everyday activities feel challenging.
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this struggle. The “best” treatment for social anxiety varies from person to person. However, there are a few things everyone can do to help reduce your symptoms and improve your quality of life.
If you’re struggling with social anxiety, it’s important to seek professional help. A mental health professional can diagnose your condition and create a treatment plan that’s tailored to your individual needs. With the right support, you can learn to manage your social anxiety and live a happy, fulfilling life.