Social phobia is an anxiety disorder that consists of a marked and long-lasting fear of various social situations, in which the person feels critically observed by others.
This phobia can be specific, that is to say, limited only to certain situations such as: speaking in public, writing in front of other people, making a claim, eating or drinking in front of others or interacting with people in authority; or it can be generalized and include most social situations.
Exposure to such situations generates in the person an anxiety response that he/she considers as excessive, often tending to avoid them.
The anticipated threat on the part of the person suffering from social phobia generates a large number of symptoms, both motor and physiological, while producing distorted thoughts about the real situation. This leads to a vicious circle that is difficult to break.
The person begins to feel fear long before facing the feared situation, this causes that when facing it (if at all), he/she does it with an important state of nervousness and with catastrophic thoughts of the type: “I am going to do a terrible job”, “I am going to make a fool of myself”, “everyone will notice my nervousness”, etc. All this will make him/her face the situation worse, causing anxiety to increase.
Fear of ridicule, fear of failure, low self-esteem and feelings of inferiority are characteristic of this disorder.
Social phobia can be a very disabling disorder, and social, work and family life can be greatly impaired. In many occasions the person has become accustomed to what he/she calls “his/her way of being”. A positive thing to note is that it is a disorder with a good prognosis if the appropriate treatment is given.
What treatments are currently available?
Cognitive behavioral therapy is the one that has shown the greatest effectiveness at present. The techniques that are used, giving good results in the evolution of the patient are:
– The combination of exposure to the feared stimuli, with cognitive restructuring (where the patient is taught to modify the content and process of non-adaptive thoughts).
– Training in social skills (observation, listening, expression of feelings…).
– Relaxation techniques
Special attention should also be paid to adapting the treatment to other disorders that are often associated with social phobia, such as alcohol abuse, depression and anxiety crises.
Early detection is essential, especially in adolescence, since, if detected in time, future psychopathological complications can be prevented.