Social Anxiety

Even the most outgoing person gets nervous in some social situations. They may not like to speak in public, or they may be nervous speaking to someone of the opposite sex. Social anxiety is a normal part of life. As children, social anxiety is a normal part of behavioral development. Feeling uneasy about a situation we aren’t comfortable with is one of the key aspects of social anxiety. Some people only experience social anxiety once in a while, and for others, it’s much more common.

In childhood, everyone experiences social anxiety. It’s a child’s way of learning to deal with social situations. Most children experience this as a very young child in the form of separation anxiety, or not wanting to go into an unfamiliar situation. They may shy away from others, even if they know them, or cry out for their parents. They may shy away from going places they formerly enjoyed. Most children learn to deal with this and move past it very quickly. Children often suffer from social anxiety again around adolescence. They may feel anxious about their changing bodies, and nervous of how others will judge them.

Social anxiety can affect adults in similar ways. Feeling nervous about going to a party where you don’t know many people, or being afraid to give a speech in front of a large group are both forms of social anxiety. When adults feel social anxiety, they may hesitate to put themselves in the situation, or they may try to avoid others when in the situation. For example, if someone is feeling social anxiety at a party, they may play with their cell phone or mp3 player to avoid talking to people.

Social anxiety also has some physical characteristics people may find uncomfortable. When someone is feeling social anxiety, they may experience dry mouth, sweating, or racing heart. They may blush, or tremble, or feel short of breath. Physical symptoms of social anxiety may intensify the feeling of anxiety for fear of someone noticing and judging the victim’s symptoms.

Outgoing people may experience social anxiety less than shy people. There isn’t a known cause for social anxiety, but personality does play a big part. Chemicals in the brain and life experience may also contribute to social anxiety.

Social anxiety is a normal part of life that everyone experiences at some time. Social anxiety alerts us to a situation we are uncomfortable with, and allows us to focus on how others feel. Keeping a positive attitude and confronting your fears should help you keep social anxiety in perspective.