Summary: Social Anxiety Exposed

Social Anxiety Exposed:

How may Social Anxiety Affect You?

Social anxiety disorder or as some refer to it, social phobia, is one of the disorders cataloged in the DMS-5 as Anxiety Disorders. Social anxiety occurs when one fears or is anxious about social interactions with other people, some of these may include public speaking, meeting new people, and even having a conversation. This disorder causes people anxiety and fear of being judged negatively by others or behaving in any way that may lead them to feel embarrassed or ridiculed. People with this disorder can even go to great lengths just to avoid such interactions, like not showing up for meetings or work, or finishing a test but waiting until someone else finishes and hands it in so

But what classifies as normal behavior and what isn 't? Well according to Pastorino and Doyle-Portillo (2013) “abnormal behavior is defined by three major characteristics: not typical or culturally expected, distress, and dysfunction” (p.546). The DSM-V has a (Pastorino and Doyle-Portillo, 2013) “listing the symptoms that must be shown for a person to be diagnosed with a specific mental health disorder” (p.549). In this next image, one is able to see the mental disorders filed under anxiety. This is where one would find the topic being discussed, social

“The 12-month prevalence estimate of social anxiety disorder for the United States is approximately 7%” (American Psychiatric Association, 2013 p.300.23). What this means is that there are 15 million Americans (7% of the population of the U.S.) every year affected by this illness. Most of the symptoms start to appear around the age of 13. Most people with social anxiety are perceived as being shy or antisocial. In fact, these perceptions can even influence this individuals view on his or herself, and this could account for their failure to seek treatment. In fact in a study conducted by the ADAA in 2007, 36% of people report experiencing the symptoms for 10 or more years before actually seeking treatment. This disorder usually is developed through bad social experiences. People with social phobia may have few or no social or romantic relationships, making them feel powerless, alone, or even ashamed, this varies from children to adults. Studies also show that teens and young adults show a higher level of anxiety in certain social situations, while adults show a lower level of anxiety but widespread among various activities. “Older adults express social anxiety at lower levels but across a broader range of situations, whereas younger adults express higher levels of social anxiety for specific situations” (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Further evidence that supports this is provided by