9 Things Social Anxiety Makes Us Do
(soft music) – [Instructor] Hey Psych2goers, and welcome back to another video. Before we start, we would
like to give you a big thanks for all the support that you’ve given us. Psych2gos mission is to make
psychology and mental health more accessible to everyone. Now let’s begin. Are you extremely afraid
of being judged by others? Are you very self-conscious
in everyday social situations? Do you avoid meeting new people? These are all trademark
signs of social anxiety, which affects approximately
15 million people in the United States alone. Social anxiety disorder is classified as a significant amount
of fear, embarrassment, or humiliation in social or
performance-based situations. It goes far deeper than mere shyness, where shyness is more
of a personality trait, social anxiety disorder can
cause significant disruption of your daily life. Before we begin, we would like to mention that this video is created
for educational purposes only, and is not intended to substitute
a professional diagnosis.
If you suspect you may have
social anxiety disorder or any mental health condition, we highly advise you to seek help from a qualified mental
health professional. With that said, here are nine things that social anxiety makes us do. One, repeatedly double-checking the location and time. Do you find yourself
repeatedly checking your phone to make sure you’re in the right place? It can be terrifying for
those with social anxiety to arrive late or walk
into the wrong room, so double or even triple-checking information is a must. Even if you know you’ve
got the details right, it can bring you peace of
mind just to make sure, it may be the difference between
walking in with confidence or hesitation.
Two, rehearsing conversations
in your head ahead of time. While this may be a
subconscious practice at first, many people who face social
anxiety rehearse things they’re going to say before they have the actual conversation. This often begins as
imagining future conversations or running through a list of
important points to discuss. Some people find it more helpful to physically practice having
a conversation as well. That being said, not
everyone who rehearses their conversations beforehand, necessarily has social anxiety. Memorization and practice
are both common tools to aid you in feeling nervous, whether you’re anxious
about public speaking, talking to a specific person, or being social in general. Number three, avoiding phone calls. Even though it’s become a bit of a joke among millennials and Gen
Zers who prefer to text, avoiding phone calls is
a fairly common behavior for people with social anxiety. Psychologist, Lindsay
Sharfstein told Headspace, that anxiety is typical for all of us, it’s a universal emotion
that we can all relate to. For the most part, we
know that individuals are not afraid of phones, they have phones in their
office, backpack, and purse, what they’re typically afraid of is the evaluation or
judgment that may happen when they’re on a phone.
This may be why some
people prefer to text, instead of talk on the phone. The more one can put between themselves and the other person, the more comfortable they generally feel interacting. Four, faking phone calls. Have you ever pretended to
be in the middle of a call just to avoid talking to someone, or worn headphones to discourage others from approaching you? Although it’s safe to
assume that phone calls are not something that
people with social anxiety look forward to, faking
a call can come in handy. It can be a lot easier to act busy rather than face the awkwardness of an unwanted conversation, so this can become a habit of avoidance if you have social anxiety.
Five, constantly worrying
about how everyone sees you. According to the Anxiety
and Depression Association of America, those with a
social anxiety disorder are increasingly concerned about how they are perceived by others. The last thing they want
is to come off as awkward, fumbling, or boring. You’ve likely felt this way at some point throughout your life, whether it’s the desire
to fit in with friends or make a good impression
on a potential employer, with social anxiety however, this pressure to perform
feels constantly heavy and can lead to full-blown panic attacks when in social or
performance-based situations.
Number six is feeling lonely, even when you’re surrounded by people. People with social anxiety
can share this feeling with those who battle depression and other mental illnesses as well. So, unfortunately, a lot
of people can relate to this isolating feeling. When social anxiety keeps you
from being your true self, it can be difficult to
feel included at all.
It’s frustrating to be close to others, but not be able to connect
with them comfortably. If you’re struggling
to properly communicate and are extremely hesitant
to even start a conversation, that adds to your feelings of loneliness, even when you’re surrounded by others. Number seven, clenching your teeth and other physical discomforts. You feel shaky or lightheaded when faced with a social situation. Does your heart rate speed
up, or do your hands tremble? The stress that comes with social anxiety can manifest through physical symptoms. Many of the symptoms are
signs of nervousness, such as sweating, flushing,
and feeling shaky. According to the Mayo Clinic, you might also be dealing
with muscle tension, feeling that your mind has gone blank, or having trouble catching your breath.
Number eight, obsessing over how you look. When you’re constantly worried about how others perceive you, you’re likely to be concerned
with how you look as well. You might have a distorted body image and think that you’re less
physically attractive. Your thoughts can flit from
your hair to your clothes or flaws in your skin, thinking
that it’s just all wrong. In an attempt to feel
comfortable in your skin, you might spend an inappropriate
amount of time and money on fixing your appearance, such as shopping for better clothes, getting high-end beauty
products, or going on diets if you think you’re overweight.
And number nine, you
feel more like yourself around the people you’re comfortable with. You think you’re picky about
who you spend time with and triumph over shyness, conquering social anxiety disorder, Dr. Marie B. Stein and John R. Walker discuss behavior in children
called selective mutism. This is when a child
speaks and acts normally around select individuals,
but is completely silent around everyone else, or when
placed in certain situations, this is a more extreme example, but it shows how those with social anxiety are more likely to relax and open up around people they already know and trust. Do you or anyone you know resonate with any of these points
mentioned in this video? If you’re concerned about
social anxiety disorder, we encourage you to speak with
a mental health professional, they can help you overcome any fears or debilitating problems you might have. If you enjoyed watching this
video, give us a thumbs up and share it with someone who
might find it helpful as well.
The studies and references
used in this video are listed in the description below. Don’t forget to hit the subscribe button for more Psych2go videos and as always, thanks for watching, and we’ll see you next time.
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