Signs of Social Anxiety and How to Navigate It
Some individuals are the life of the party, at ease in a social setting. They seem to relish telling stories that are engaging and keep the crowd enthralled. From the outside, it seems as though they interact with others effortlessly. However, for many people, it’s normal to feel a little nervous or awkward in social settings. It’s expected to feel at least some nervousness in social settings, such as if you’re about to get interviewed for a job or when you’re going on a date, at a party with people you don’t know, or when you’re giving an important speech or presentation. Each person’s comfort level in social situations will vary. It depends on factors such as their life experiences and personality traits. Some people are naturally reserved wallflowers, while others – the social butterflies – are more outgoing. While nervousness in social situations is normal and tends to pass quickly, some forms of social anxiety go beyond this. When a person has social anxiety disorder, which is also called social phobia, they experience more than feelings of shyness or discomfort. Rather, everyday interactions make them feel extremely self-conscious, causing significant anxiety and embarrassment. They are fearful of scrutiny or being judged negatively by others. The fear and anxiety that flows from social phobia leads to avoiding social situations. It can disrupt a person’s life and affect their relationships, daily routines, work, school, sports, or other social activities. What is social anxiety? Social anxiety is more than just feeling shy around people. It names a long-term and overwhelming fear of social situations that doesn’t go away. It affects a person’s everyday activities, self-confidence, relationships, and work or school life. While many people will have some nervousness about social situations, a person with social anxiety will feel overly worried before, [...]
