Social anxiety disorder is a disorder can be described as a fear of the public, where you are hesitant to place yourself in front of people. Such physical symptoms that may occur with the disorder are constant blushing, increased palpitations of the heart, perspirations, inability to focus, and many other symptoms that can interfere with your daily routine. If the disorder persistently occurs for 6 months this could be a debilitating disorder.
People who commonly have social anxiety disorder have a fear of the outside world and more then likely end up like a hermit trapped inside their homes. But, doctors have found a cure to this disorder through psychiatric help as well as various medications.
Treatments such as professional counseling and medications such as antidepressants help reduce the stress caused by this degenerative disease. Initial treatment however, is based n your particular case of the disorder.
Many people who deal with social anxiety disorder also have the challenges of depression to overcome with the disorder. Many people often then not turn to impurities such as drugs and alcohol to clear their contorted frame of mind. Your healthcare professional will ask you a serious of questions to see exactly how extreme your alcohol or drug abuse is. Normally, social anxiety disorder remains untreated for years, by the time it s diagnosed it is normally incredibly difficult for people to break themselves of their bad habits.
The varied types of counseling you may seek to help you cope with the disorder are:
Cognitive-behavioral therapy- This therapy allows people to identify their disorder and pinpoint the exact thing that is causing them their excess amount of stress.
Exposure Therapy- A professional counselor will lead you through the proper steps to address your problem head on. A few things the counselor may have you do is make appearances in public places. This way since you are commencing in the thing that you fear, your level of fear decreases every time you are put in the situation of being around people.
Cognitive restructuring- This therapy basically allows you to reprogram your thinking pattern from a pessimistic view point to an optimistic side. This allows you to cope with your disorder.
Symptom Management skills-Teaches you how to manage the stress in your life by using certain breathing treatments and other physical activities.
Supportive therapy- This therapy may consist of a brief lesson on what your disorder truly is. You may engage in family therapy, where your family is present to help you overcome your ailment as well as group therapy where you can sit down and share your experiences with others you may be dealing with the same problem.
Prescribed Medications to help cope with social anxiety:
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRIs are normally prescribed to deal with a social anxiety disorder.
If you have a drug problem, doctors will not prescribe benzodiazepines, but they may prescribe the substance for people with no drug or alcohol dependency.
Doctors utilize Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors or MAOIs to help relive stress and eliminate depression.
Beta-blockers may also be given to reduce anxiety or to relieve the symptoms of increased heart palpitations.
Venlafaxine helps aid to alleviate stress and depression.
After you are diagnosed with social anxiety you must succumb to numerous checkups, and be monitored on what medications you are taking to see if more need to be added. The best way to beat your condition is to ensure that you stay on a proper regimen under your doctor’s instruction.