Social phobia is also known as social anxiety. Social anxiety disorder, or social phobia, refers to the intense anxiety and fear he experiences in his daily life due to the fear of being criticized by others or being in the spotlight under any circumstances. He experiences extreme nervousness before engaging in certain daily activities, such as giving a presentation, going to a job interview, or participating in an interview. This situation is an example of social phobia, or social anxiety disorder. Social anxiety disorder is also a mental health condition. Social phobia can be managed and treated through psychotherapy and medication. In the treatment of social anxiety disorder, virtual reality applications are also used to help individuals overcome their phobias more quickly.
Social phobia is known in psychiatry as a disorder classified under anxiety disorders. It is also referred to as social anxiety.
Since phobias involve fears experienced in specific situations, social phobia can be defined as anxiety experienced in social settings. Looking at the general symptoms of social phobia: He experiences anxiety, distress, and a sense of unease when entering a new environment. Palpitations, anxiety, and difficulty expressing himself also accompany these symptoms.
A man with social phobia feels nervous and distressed when he has to meet a new person in the environment where he lives his daily life. If he is a student, he may struggle to speak up in class due to his social phobia and may avoid speaking altogether. If he is forced to speak, he may experience facial blushing, a hoarse voice, trembling hands, a mental block, or even a complete halt in speech.
A secondary negative effect of social phobia manifests as a tendency to withdraw from society. In the early stages of social phobia, the child is too ashamed to tell anyone about this problem. In our society, shy children are often praised, which can lead to the severity of social phobia being overlooked. If it is not recognized as a disorder and timely intervention is not provided, the child will face significant difficulties later on. The problem worsens considerably during college years because, if left untreated, it becomes increasingly deep-rooted.
Symptoms of Social Phobia
Social phobia is a condition classified among anxiety disorders. Its symptoms manifest when the individual is confronted with a feared situation.
Physical Symptoms of Social Phobia:
Symptoms of social phobia include:
- Facial blushing
- Sweating
- Dry mouth
- Heart palpitations, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing
- Gastrointestinal discomfort
- Diarrhea
- Muscle tension
- Tremors
Psychological Symptoms of Social Phobia:
Symptoms of social phobia include:
- A feeling of weakness and inadequacy,
- Perception of physical unattractiveness and unlikability
- Feeling unworthy of the love received
- Fear of making mistakes and a desire to be perfect
- A constant state of anxiety, yet trying not to show it
- A need to be and act flawlessly
- A constant desire to win society’s approval
- Inability to enter environments that cause hesitation or fear
- A constant urge to escape and leave the current environment
- Inability to make eye contact with others and avoidance of doing so
Does Social Phobia Begin in Childhood?
Social phobia is a disorder whose symptoms begin in childhood, with the first signs appearing in the preschool years. For example, when you place 100 children in a new, unfamiliar setting, 70 percent of them adapt comfortably, 15 percent take over the environment, and 15 percent remain shy, cry, refuse to separate from their mothers, and have difficulty adapting to the new environment. When considering children who have trouble starting school, this can be seen as a significant indicator. Symptoms of social phobia—such as the child being extremely shy and withdrawn, wanting to return home immediately in new environments, and clinging to his parents—are definite red flags. This indicates that the child may develop social phobia.
This is because parents who are overly perfectionist, overprotective, and over-caring—who do not allow the child to meet any of his own needs—and who provide a highly sheltered, restrictive environment can cause the child to become a socially phobic individual in the future. For this reason, children showing symptoms of social phobia must be exposed to different environments from a young age. They need to be encouraged to spend plenty of time in places outside the home, even in open spaces. Today, urbanization, living in apartment buildings, having little contact with nature, parents working, and the child staying at home with a caregiver can all be considered contributing factors to social phobia.
Symptoms of Social Phobia in Children
Symptoms of social phobia,
- Depression related to loneliness
- Low self-confidence
- May recognize a lack of social skills
- He perceives himself as inadequate
- He knows there is something missing because he cannot form relationships
- He cannot maintain a relationship with someone he has just met
- He cannot initiate a conversation
- He remains in the role of a listener, which lowers his self-confidence.
- Depression then develops as a secondary consequence.
How Can You Recognize Social Phobia?
A child with symptoms of social phobia is shy; cannot express himself in class; does not ask questions or speak unless asked; when asked a question, responds with short sentences while feeling hesitant, embarrassed, and uncomfortable; avoids eye contact; and cannot fully demonstrate his knowledge. For this reason, students who show a significant discrepancy between their performance on written and oral exams should be evaluated in this regard. Facial tremors and sweaty palms are among the most significant symptoms. Teachers may notice this and inform the family. Children who show low academic performance, are unable to demonstrate their full potential, struggle with peer relationships, experience shyness when interacting with the opposite sex, remain isolated within a group and are unable to form or maintain friendships—yet are able to interact with others by standing alongside their friends—can be easily identified.
It is also possible for a child with social phobia to remain completely alone, and this can help the teacher recognize the condition.
If Social Phobia Is Not Treated in Childhood:
Young people often first notice the symptoms of social phobia in college. If the family has not recognized the symptoms of social phobia, they will eventually come to see the condition in their children over time. Teachers rarely recognize social phobia and alert the family. Teachers are only now beginning to adopt this perspective.
How Can Social Phobia Be Overcome?
Social phobia is a condition that requires treatment by a specialist. For treatment to be effective, factors that could negatively impact it must be eliminated. If the individual has an underlying psychiatric disorder and the root of his social phobia stems from fears and anxieties dating back to childhood, these must also be addressed during treatment.
Social phobia treatment typically involves psychotherapy and, when deemed necessary, medication. Virtual Reality (VR) therapy has yielded positive results in the treatment of social phobia.
Virtual Reality Therapy (VR Therapy) for Social Phobia
Exercises for Overcoming Social Phobia
There are some exercises that can help him relax in the moment to overcome social phobia. When he does these exercises, he will feel more at ease.
- Practicing deep breathing during moments of stress will help him relax.
- Avoiding the possibilities you think might happen in a given situation and trying to go with the flow will help you let go of momentary anxiety.
- When he feels very uncomfortable in a situation and fears being criticized, he should remember that this is a normal reaction and that he, too, can criticize others.
- He can practice meditation to clear his mind of negative thoughts.
- He can engage in regular sports and exercise.
- To overcome his social phobia, he can undergo virtual reality therapy and confront his fears to free himself from them.
Social Phobia Treatment
In social phobia, medication is typically used in conjunction with psychotherapy, depending on the severity of the condition. A one-year course of medication is usually recommended. By the end of the year, a significant reduction in symptoms is observed. Well-being also improves with the addition of psychotherapy. This condition is commonly experienced by individuals raised in societies where self-expression is limited and who have low self-confidence. The onset of the problem is often seen in childhood—and even as early as the preschool years. Children who are timid, afraid to approach others, and isolated are those who require close monitoring.
For information on the virtual reality headset used in the treatment of social phobia: /augmented-virtual-reality
Use of Medication in the Treatment of Social Phobia
It can be said that medications used for a period of one year to six months are a highly effective treatment. These medications belong to the antidepressant class. They are designed to eliminate phobic symptoms. In 70–80 percent of cases, they eliminate the symptoms. Let’s say a person with social phobia is about to give a speech. It is recommended to take the medication one hour before this performance. When physical symptoms are absent, the person can control his mind more easily. However, it is important to address and eliminate the underlying thoughts through therapy.
People who are perfectionists and afraid of making mistakes may actually have irrational thoughts, and these are corrected in therapy. Negative underlying thoughts—such as “I’ll be criticized” or “I’ll be excluded”—must be replaced with healthier ones, and this is achieved through therapy. Therapy must be conducted under the guidance of a psychologist.
During the treatment process, the Neuro-Biofeedback method—used in conjunction with individual psychotherapy and relaxation exercises—allows for personalized, optional adjustments tailored to the individual. By raising the individual’s awareness of his condition, increasing his motivation, and providing feedback on how the behavioral changes gained through individual psychotherapy manifest as physical tension, changes in body temperature and heart rate, breathing patterns, and bioelectrical activity in the brain, the individual is empowered to gain control over his thoughts.
Social and Biological Causes of Social Phobia
In social phobia, certain irregularities in brain chemistry are cited. As is the case with other anxiety disorders, this is also observed in social phobia. Similar to the perception of a threat, there is excessive arousal in the autonomic nervous system, an accelerated heart rate, and gastrointestinal activity—experiences akin to a panic attack. In some cases, fainting is observed. As with other psychological issues, social phobia involves an imbalance of chemicals in the brain. A genetic predisposition may also play a role in social phobia. When asked whether social phobia runs in the family, it is often found that close relatives have similar problems.
If parents are overly protective, overbearing, or critical, the child’s risk of developing social phobia increases. A child whose every move is controlled may become anxious, and even well-intentioned actions can have a negative effect on the child. The risk increases for children who are controlled in every detail of their daily lives and exposed to psychological and physical abuse. Feelings of guilt may take root; the child may see himself as worthless and experience a lack of self-confidence. This, in turn, leads to difficulties in expressing himself in school later on.
Social Phobia and Personality Disorder
Antisocial personality disorder is a distinct condition from social phobia. Individuals with this trait are prone to criminal behavior, feel no remorse for their actions, and shift blame onto other people or institutions. Of course, in some cases, multiple psychiatric issues may coexist. While we cannot say that people with social phobia are prone to crime, this tendency may be observed in individuals who experienced extreme violence during childhood.
In Which Societies Is Social Phobia More Common?
It is known to be slightly more common in Eastern societies. While the exact percentages should be examined, it is known to be more prevalent in Eastern societies due to conservative structures and environmental factors. In clinical settings, the ratio of men to women appears to be equal—that is, this is what is observed. However, since women in societies like ours are not encouraged to participate in social settings, it can also be said that more men seek treatment.
Psychological Disorders Caused by Social Phobia
People with social phobia are prone to depression. They become overwhelmed due to the limitations in their lives. Being unable to find a girlfriend or boyfriend, get married, advance in their career, or take advantage of opportunities in their social circle can lead to depression. Another common scenario is turning to alcohol to cope with this, which can subsequently lead to alcohol or substance dependence. Frequent panic attacks are also observed in social phobia.
Social phobia, as an anxiety disorder, encompasses several diagnoses. Some of these include: Separation Anxiety Disorder, Specific Phobia, Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia), Panic Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Acute Stress Disorder. Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders: Reactive Attachment Disorder, Health Anxiety Disorder
. Generalized anxiety disorder is a condition characterized by a pervasive sense of negative anticipation throughout the day. Often, there is no specific cause for this condition, but he experiences a state characterized by physical symptoms such as a feeling of pressure or tightness in the chest, a sense of suffocation, difficulty breathing, muscle tension, dry mouth, and numbness in the hands, arms, and face. This condition is more commonly seen in women.
Social Phobia and Career
Typically, people with social phobia avoid social situations. They even avoid entering environments they visit daily. However, if their position allows it, they may be able to manage the situation to a certain extent. But as their position rises, the situation becomes more severe. For example, we see people who have advanced in their careers, received promotions, are required to travel abroad, or are expected to give presentations at meetings. Naturally, they face significant challenges at this point. However, once they reach this stage, they begin to investigate their own condition and learn that it is a medical condition. Consequently, a treatment plan is developed and treatment begins.
Success Among People with Social Phobia
In social phobia, provided there are no other issues regarding self-confidence or specific learning difficulties, very few people are negatively affected in terms of success. Social phobia generally does not cause major deviations. However, quality of life decreases; difficulties in establishing relationships when entering the workforce or maintaining a career can arise, or if the person runs his own business but is unable to assert himself, these can create serious problems.
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