What is Social Anxiety ?

 

Do you find it hard to socialize with other people?

Do you feel overwhelmed at the thought of going to a social event? 

It can be very easy to confuse social anxiety and shyness...since they share many of the same characteristics.

While shyness is a personality trait.

..social anxiety is a mental illness.

 Here are eight signs you might have social anxiety.

1 )You're always self-conscious. 

One aspect of social anxiety is the extreme fear of being judged.

According to  Edler if you have social anxiety; 

You'll constantly worry about the way you look or act and what others think of you. Your greatest fear is of embarrassing yourself in front of others.. A shy person on the other hand, will only worry about being judged in certain situations..like in public speaking or when meeting someone new.

2) Your anxiety feels out of hand. 

There are times when it's normal to feel shy or nervous around other people.. ..for example when you move to a new school or have to perform in front of an audience. But social anxiety is irrational and unwarranted. You may feel distressed about things as simple as making eye contact with someone,.. ..using public transportation or eating in front of other people. The fear is always there The fear is always there.

3) It interferes with your performance. 

Have you ever called in sick to work when your anxiety became too overwhelming? ..or have you kept quiet when you were having trouble in class? Social anxiety can impact your performance in many ways .with the constant fear of people's judgement You may even be afraid to do well to avoid drawing attention. You don't pitch ideas at meetings..raise your hand in class or join clubs because of how much anxiety it creates.

4) It affects your relationships. 

While it's hard to make friends when you're shy..it can feel almost impossible when you have social anxiety. For a shy person, it's usually about breaking the ice..and going through the initial awkwardness of meeting each other. But having social anxiety can complicate your relationships. You feel tense and uneasy around people..no matter how close you are or how long you've known them.

5) It doesn't go away with familiarity. 

It's normal to feel shy at the beginning of a new relationship. But as you get to know each other the tension will start to subside. This isn't the case if you have social anxiety. Instead you always experience fear distress and embarrassment whenever you're around other people. Doesn't matter if it's your parents siblings or best friend...you always feel uneasy and stressed unless you're alone.

6) You Over analyze everything . 

Have you ever said things to yourself like; "I took too long to reply and now she doesn't like me .." or "He didn't say hello this morning because he's upset with me .."

Social anxiety can make you obsess over your social interactions. 

You may spend a lot of time and energy..analyzing other people's facial expressions...body language and tone of voice..to see if they really mean what they're saying or not.

7) You avoid social situations. 

Are you often absent or very late to social gatherings? It's a serious matter if your social anxiety leads you to avoid social situations all together. You decline invitations, refuse to speak in front of people, and you would rather sit in the corner..to avoid being noticed and mingle with anyone else.It doesn't matter if it's a normal day at work or school..your own birthday party, or even your wedding day.

 8) 

You have physical symptoms. Do you feel nausea? dizziness or chest palpitations when you're in social situations? Just like most anxiety disorders..social anxiety is often accompanied by physical symptoms. Some common ones are sweaty palm, shortness of breath.. the headache and trembling. While these are also the same signs of someone having a panic attack You'll be able to tell the difference if you only show these symptoms..when anticipating or being out in a social setting.

Do you relate to any of these symptoms above?

.

If you do,you're definitely not alone

..nor are you bad for feeling this way.

                                                ❤ Thank You ❤