Discover social phobia, what it is, the treatment and emotional and behavioural symptoms. Furthermore a look into the lives of people living with the disorder and how to cope.

1. Social Anxiety Disorder

2. Contents
1. Cover
2. Contents
3. Social Anxiety Disorder
4. Social anxiety in Australia
5. Emotional symptoms of social anxiety
6. Physical and behavioral symptoms of social anxiety
7. Treatment for social anxiety
8. Triggers of social anxiety
9. Living with social anxiety real life experiences
10. Reference list

3. Social Anxiety Disorder
• Social anxiety disorder is also known as social phobia.
• Many people get nervous or self conscious when giving a
speech, or being interviewed for a new job.
• Social phobia is more than just nerves or shyness.
• People with social phobia avoid situations in fear they might
act in a way that is humiliating or embarrassing.
• The most common specific social phobia is public speaking or
performing in front of an audience.

4. Social Anxiety in Australia
• It is estimated that 3% of the Australian population experience social phobia in
any one year.
• Up to 13% of the population may experience social phobia in their life time.
• Men and women are affected equally, but there is a higher number of men seeking
treatment.
• The prevalence anxiety disorder is higher among people who are widowed,
divorced, or separated, and lowest in those who are married or in a relationship
(health
Help for Social Anxiety in Australia
Anxiety Recovery Centre – www.arcvic.com.au
Anxiety network Australia – www.anxietynetwork.com.au
Beyond blue – www.beyondblue.org.au
Shyness and Social Anxiety Treatment Australia – www.socialassist.com.au

5. Emotional symptoms of social anxiety
• Intense worry for days, weeks or months before a social
event.
• Extreme fear that you are being watched or judged by others.
• Fear that you will act in a way that can embarrass or humiliate
yourself.
• excessive self consciousness and anxiety in every day social
situations.
Right: A diagram of physiological effects

6. Physical and behavioral symptoms of Social
anxiety
Physical symptoms
• Red face or blushing
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea and butterflies
• Racing heart, tightness of the chest
• Sweating, hot flushes
• Dizziness or feeling feint
Behavioral symptoms
• Avoidance of social situations to a degree where it disrupts your life
• A need to bring a friend along to wherever you go
• Staying quiet or hiding in the background hoping you don’t get noticed
• Drinking before social situations, to soothe the nerves

7. Treatment for social anxiety
The most effective treatment for social anxiety is Cognitive behavioral Therapy.
Some strengths in using this technique are, CBT aims to change the way a person
is thinking, behaving and feeling. This treatment may help people confront their
fears and in time they come to realize that others are unlikely to judge them.
Treatment using CBT may include
• Education about the nature of social anxiety
• Challenging and changing false or distorted beliefs or thoughts
• Gradual exposure to feared situation
• Attention training
Other treatments available for treating social phobia
• Social skills training
• Relaxation
• Medication
• Group therapy
• Exposure (facing situation)

8. Triggers for Social anxiety disorder
The following are common situations where
social phobia can be triggered.
• Meeting new people
• Being watched while doing something
• Talking with important people or with authority figures
• Going on a date
• Taking exams
• Speaking at a meeting
• Eating or drinking in public

9. Living with social anxiety
Three examples of people living experiencing social anxiety
To my friends and family, I was just Sue, sometimes moody, impulsive, always on the
move and a recluse who enjoyed a drink. To myself I was ready to give up on life, I often
contemplated suicide. I experience panic attacks everyday and barely able to function in my
daily life (Cleland, 2003).
Sitting in a hostel in Spain, listening to the murmurs of the young boys next door. Four
months in my travels, and what was to be a easy interaction became nightmare. I sit in this
room with armpits drenched, locked in a battle with myself, I ask myself “what if I cant think
of anything to say” “what if they don’t want to talk to me” “what if they are happy with
their own company”. Finally there’s a knock on the door, without waiting for permission, I
open the door and the world DOES NOT end (Pryor, 2002).
A professional footballer, Ricky was a millionaire at 23, and yet he was never more
unhappy in his life. “ I felt extremely isolated from my family and friends” “I dread going to
the store or meeting a fan in the street. I barely interact with my daughter and talk to the
press with my helmet on (Williams, 2009).

10. Reference list
Better health. (2013). Social anxiety in Australia. Retrieved from http://
www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au
Cleland, S. (2003). Living with social anxiety disorder. Retrieved from
http:// www.adavic.org.au/PG-personal-stories-living-with-social-anxiety-
disorder.aspx
Prior. S. (2009). Shy young thing. Retrieved from
http://www.arcvic.org.au/…51-sian-priors-shy-young-thing-first-person?tmpl
Williams. R. (2002). A story of Social anxiety disorder. Retrieved from
http://www.adaa.org/ story-of-social-anxiety-disorder.