Signs and symptoms of social anxiety
Social anxiety disorder (social phobia) - Symptoms and causes
Overview
It's normal to feel nervous in some social situations. For example, going on a date or giving a presentation may cause that feeling of butterflies in your stomach. But in social anxiety disorder, also called social phobia, everyday interactions cause significant anxiety, self-consciousness and embarrassment because you fear being scrutinized or judged negatively by others.
In social anxiety disorder, fear and anxiety lead to avoidance that can disrupt your life. Severe stress can affect your relationships, daily routines, work, school or other activities.
Social anxiety disorder can be a chronic mental health condition, but learning coping skills in psychotherapy and taking medications can help you gain confidence and improve your ability to interact with others.
Social anxiety disorder care at Mayo Clinic
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Symptoms
Feelings of shyness or discomfort in certain situations aren't necessarily signs of social anxiety disorder, particularly in children. Comfort levels in social situations vary, depending on personality traits and life experiences. Some people are naturally reserved and others are more outgoing.
In contrast to everyday nervousness, social anxiety disorder includes fear, anxiety and avoidance that interfere with relationships, daily routines, work, school or other activities. Social anxiety disorder typically begins in the early to mid-teens, though it can sometimes start in younger children or in adults.
Emotional and behavioral symptoms
Signs and symptoms of social anxiety disorder can include constant:
- Fear of situations in which you may be judged negatively
- Worry about embarrassing or humiliating yourself
- Intense fear of interacting or talking with strangers
- Fear that others will notice that you look anxious
- Fear of physical symptoms that may cause you embarrassment, such as blushing, sweating, trembling or having a shaky voice
- Avoidance of doing things or speaking to people out of fear of embarrassment
- Avoidance of situations where you might be the center of attention
- Anxiety in anticipation of a feared activity or event
- Intense fear or anxiety during social situations
- Analysis of your performance and identification of flaws in your interactions after a social situation
- Expectation of the worst possible consequences from a negative experience during a social situation
For children, anxiety about interacting with adults or peers may be shown by crying, having temper tantrums, clinging to parents or refusing to speak in social situations.
Performance type of social anxiety disorder is when you experience intense fear and anxiety during speaking or performing in public but not in other types of more general social situations.
Physical symptoms
Physical signs and symptoms can sometimes accompany social anxiety disorder and may include:
- Blushing
- Fast heartbeat
- Trembling
- Sweating
- Upset stomach or nausea
- Trouble catching your breath
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Feeling that your mind has gone blank
- Muscle tension
Avoiding common social situations
Common, everyday experiences may be hard to endure when you have social anxiety disorder, including:
- Interacting with unfamiliar people or strangers
- Attending parties or social gatherings
- Going to work or school
- Starting conversations
- Making eye contact
- Dating
- Entering a room in which people are already seated
- Returning items to a store
- Eating in front of others
- Using a public restroom
Social anxiety disorder symptoms can change over time.
They may flare up if you're facing a lot of changes, stress or demands in your life. Although avoiding situations that produce anxiety may make you feel better in the short term, your anxiety is likely to continue over the long term if you don't get treatment.
When to see a doctor
See your doctor or a mental health professional if you fear and avoid normal social situations because they cause embarrassment, worry or panic.
Request an appointment
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Causes
Like many other mental health conditions, social anxiety disorder likely arises from a complex interaction of biological and environmental factors. Possible causes include:
- Inherited traits. Anxiety disorders tend to run in families. However, it isn't entirely clear how much of this may be due to genetics and how much is due to learned behavior.
- Brain structure.
A structure in the brain called the amygdala (uh-MIG-duh-luh) may play a role in controlling the fear response. People who have an overactive amygdala may have a heightened fear response, causing increased anxiety in social situations. - Environment. Social anxiety disorder may be a learned behavior — some people may develop significant anxiety after an unpleasant or embarrassing social situation. Also, there may be an association between social anxiety disorder and parents who either model anxious behavior in social situations or are more controlling or overprotective of their children.
Risk factors
Several factors can increase the risk of developing social anxiety disorder, including:
- Family history. You're more likely to develop social anxiety disorder if your biological parents or siblings have the condition.
- Negative experiences. Children who experience teasing, bullying, rejection, ridicule or humiliation may be more prone to social anxiety disorder.
In addition, other negative events in life, such as family conflict, trauma or abuse, may be associated with this disorder. - Temperament. Children who are shy, timid, withdrawn or restrained when facing new situations or people may be at greater risk.
- New social or work demands. Social anxiety disorder symptoms typically start in the teenage years, but meeting new people, giving a speech in public or making an important work presentation may trigger symptoms for the first time.
- Having an appearance or condition that draws attention. For example, facial disfigurement, stuttering or tremors due to Parkinson's disease can increase feelings of self-consciousness and may trigger social anxiety disorder in some people.
Complications
Left untreated, social anxiety disorder can control your life. Anxieties can interfere with work, school, relationships or enjoyment of life. This disorder can cause:
- Low self-esteem
- Trouble being assertive
- Negative self-talk
- Hypersensitivity to criticism
- Poor social skills
- Isolation and difficult social relationships
- Low academic and employment achievement
- Substance abuse, such as drinking too much alcohol
- Suicide or suicide attempts
Other anxiety disorders and certain other mental health disorders, particularly major depressive disorder and substance abuse problems, often occur with social anxiety disorder.
Prevention
There's no way to predict what will cause someone to develop an anxiety disorder, but you can take steps to reduce the impact of symptoms if you're anxious:
- Get help early. Anxiety, like many other mental health conditions, can be harder to treat if you wait.
- Keep a journal. Keeping track of your personal life can help you and your mental health professional identify what's causing you stress and what seems to help you feel better.
- Set priorities in your life. You can reduce anxiety by carefully managing your time and energy. Make sure that you spend time doing things you enjoy.
- Avoid unhealthy substance use. Alcohol and drug use and even caffeine or nicotine use can cause or worsen anxiety. If you're addicted to any of these substances, quitting can make you anxious. If you can't quit on your own, see your health care provider or find a treatment program or support group to help you.
By Mayo Clinic Staff
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Symptoms, Tests, Causes & Treatments
Overview
Social anxiety disorder (formerly known as social phobia) is a mental health condition where you experience intense and ongoing fear of being judged negatively and/or watched by others.
Social anxiety disorder is a common anxiety disorder.
If you have social anxiety disorder, you have anxiety or fear in specific or all social situations, including:
- Meeting new people.
- Performing in front of people.
- Taking or making phone calls.
- Using public restrooms.
- Asking for help in a restaurant, store or other public place.
- Dating.
- Answering a question in front of people.
- Eating in front of people.
- Participating in an interview.
A core feature of social anxiety disorder is that you’re afraid of being judged, rejected and/or humiliated.
Social anxiety disorder is a common mental health condition that can affect anyone. Most people who have social anxiety disorder experience symptoms before they’re 20 years old. Women and people designated female at birth (DFAB) experience higher rates of social anxiety than men or people designated male at birth (DMAB).
Social anxiety disorder isn’t uncommon. Approximately 5% to 10% of people across the world have social anxiety disorder. It’s the third most common mental health condition behind substance use disorder and depression.
A person with social anxiety disorder can have a mild, moderate or extreme form of it. Some people with social anxiety only experience symptoms with one type of situation, like eating in front of others or performing in front of others, while other people with social anxiety experience symptoms in several or all forms of social interaction. In general, the different levels of social anxiety include:
- Mild social anxiety: A person with mild social anxiety may experience the physical and psychological symptoms of social anxiety but still participate in, or endure, social situations.
They may also only experience symptoms in certain social situations. - Moderate social anxiety: A person with mild social anxiety may experience physical and psychological symptoms of social anxiety but still participate in some social situations while avoiding other types of social situations.
- Extreme social anxiety: A person with extreme social anxiety may experience more intense symptoms of social anxiety, such as a panic attack, in social situations. Because of this, people with extreme social anxiety usually avoid social situations at all costs. A person with extreme social anxiety likely has symptoms in all or many types of social situations.
It’s very common to have anticipatory anxiety when facing these situations. It’s possible to fluctuate between different levels of social anxiety throughout your life. No matter which type of social anxiety you have, it’s important to seek treatment because this type of anxiety affects your quality of life.
Anyone can experience shyness from time to time. Having social anxiety disorder consistently interferes with or prevents you from doing everyday activities such as going to the grocery store or talking to other people. Because of this, social anxiety disorder can negatively affect your education, career and personal relationships. Being shy from time to time doesn’t affect these things.
In general, the three main factors that distinguish social anxiety from shyness are:
- How much it interferes with your day-to-day life.
- How intense your fear and anxiety are.
- How much you avoid certain situations.
Many people with social anxiety disorder don’t try to get help or seek treatment because they think social anxiety is just part of their personality. It’s important to reach out to your healthcare professional if you’re experiencing ongoing and intense symptoms when in social situations.
Symptoms and Causes
Researchers and healthcare professionals are still trying to figure out the cause of social anxiety disorder.
Social anxiety disorder can sometimes run in families, but researchers aren’t sure why some family members get it and others don’t. Many parts of your brain are involved with fear and anxiety, so social anxiety disorder is a complex condition to study. Researchers are also looking into how stress and environmental factors could contribute to social anxiety.
When people with social anxiety have to perform in front of or be around other people, they tend to experience certain symptoms, behaviors and thoughts. A person with social anxiety disorder can have these symptoms during specific types of social situations or they can have them in several or all social interactions.
Physical and physiological symptoms of social anxiety disorder can include:
- Blushing, sweating, shaking or feeling your heart race in social situations.
- Feeling very nervous to the point of feeling nauseated in social situations.
- Not making much eye contact when interacting with others.
- Having a stiff body posture when you’re around other people.
Thoughts and behaviors that can be signs of social anxiety disorder include:
- Being very self-conscious in front of other people.
- Feeling embarrassed or awkward in front of other people.
- Feeling your mind “go blank” and not knowing what to say to other people.
- Feeling very afraid or worried that other people will judge you negatively or reject you.
- Finding it scary and hard to be around other people, especially strangers.
- Avoiding places where there are people.
Diagnosis and Tests
A healthcare provider such as a clinician, psychologist, psychiatrist or therapist can diagnose a person with social anxiety disorder based on the criteria for social anxiety disorder listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) published by the American Psychiatric Association. The criteria for social anxiety disorder under the DSM-5 includes:
- Experiencing continuing, intense fear or anxiety about social situations because you believe you may be judged negatively or humiliated by others.
- Avoiding social situations that may cause you anxiety, or enduring them with intense fear or anxiety.
- Experiencing intense anxiety that's out of proportion to the situation.
- Experiencing anxiety and/or distress from social situations that interfere with your day-to-day life.
- Experiencing fear or anxiety in social situations that aren’t better explained by a medical condition, medication or substance abuse.
Your healthcare provider or another clinician will likely see if the DSM-5 criteria match your experience by asking questions about your symptoms and history. They may also ask you questions about your medications and do a physical exam to make sure your medication or a medical condition isn’t causing your symptoms.
A person typically has to have had symptoms of social anxiety disorder for at least six months in order to be diagnosed.
Healthcare professionals and psychologists can use certain tools or tests — usually a series of questions — to learn more about what you’re experiencing to gauge whether or not you could have social anxiety disorder.
Based on the responses, your healthcare provider can then make a social anxiety disorder diagnosis.
Management and Treatment
Social anxiety disorder is highly treatable with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and/or medication such as antidepressants (typically selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors also known as SSRIs or beta-blockers).
What is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)?
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychological treatment. Your psychologist or therapist works with you to change your thinking and behavioral patterns that are harmful or unhelpful.
CBT usually takes place over multiple sessions. Through talking and asking questions, your therapist or psychologist helps you gain a different perspective. As a result, you learn to respond better to and cope with stress, anxiety and difficult situations.
Antidepressants are effective for depression and anxiety disorders and are a frontline form of treatment for social anxiety disorders.
Anti-anxiety medications are typically used for shorter periods of time. Blood pressure medication known as beta-blockers can be used for symptoms of social anxiety disorder as well. Specific medications that are used to treat social anxiety disorder include:
- SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors): SSRIs are a type of antidepressant. Common SSRIs used to treat social anxiety disorder include fluoxetine (Prozac®), sertraline (Zoloft®), paroxetine, citalopram and escitalopram.
- SNRIs (serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors): SNRIs are another type of antidepressant. Venlafaxine or duloxetine (Cymbalta®) are common SNRIs used to treat social anxiety disorder.
- Benzodiazepines: These medications are used for short periods of time, either while the antidepressants start to work or used on-demand in situations that provoke anxiety. They aren’t intended to be used for long periods. Lorazepam or alprazolam are examples of benzodiazepines.
- Beta-blockers: Some beta-blockers are used to treat or prevent physical symptoms of anxiety, such as a fast heart rate. Propranolol or metoprolol are examples of beta-blockers.
It could take time to figure out the best dosage and type of medication for you. Know that starting the process of treating your social anxiety disorder brings you one step closer to feeling better.
Yes, there can be side effects from the antidepressants, anti-anxiety medication and beta-blockers used to treat social anxiety disorder. The type of side effects depends on the medication and how your body responds to it. Ask your healthcare provider or psychiatrist about what you can expect after you’ve started a medication.
Antidepressants (SSRIs and SNRIs) can take weeks to start working. Although it might be difficult to have to wait until you start feeling better, it’s important to begin treatment if you have social anxiety disorder, and to stick with it. Ask your healthcare provider or psychiatrist when you can expect to feel better after starting an antidepressant.
Anti-anxiety medications usually take effect quickly. They’re usually not taken for long periods of time because people can build up a tolerance to them. Over time, higher and higher doses are needed to get the same effect. Anti-anxiety medications can be prescribed for short periods while the antidepressant starts to work.
Beta-blockers also work quickly to help with specific symptoms of anxiety, such as tremors or feeling like your heart is racing. However, like the anti-anxiety medications, they can’t treat depressive symptoms that may coexist with social anxiety disorder.
Prevention
Healthcare professionals and researchers are still trying to figure out the cause of social anxiety disorder. So far, they’ve found that the risk factors for developing social anxiety disorder can include:
- Genetic, when social anxiety disorder runs in your family.
- If you experienced parenting that’s overly controlling or invasive as a child.
- If you experienced stressful of fearful events in your life.
Outlook / Prognosis
People with social anxiety disorder respond very well to treatment, whether that’s in the form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), medication or both. Some people who have social anxiety disorder may have to take medication for the rest of their life to manage their social anxiety. Others may only need to take medication or be in psychological therapy for a certain amount of time.
If left untreated, social anxiety disorder can be debilitating and can result in poor education outcomes, declining job performance, lower-quality relationships and an overall decreased quality of life. A large percentage of people who have social anxiety disorder and don’t get treatment can develop major depression and/or alcohol use disorder. Because of this, it’s very important to contact your healthcare provider and seek treatment if you have symptoms of social anxiety.
If left untreated, a person with social anxiety disorder could have it for the rest of their life.
People who are on medication and/or participate in psychological therapy for their social anxiety are often able to drastically lessen or overcome their symptoms and anxiety. They learn how to live with the social anxiety but not let it overwhelm them.
It’s almost impossible to overcome social anxiety without treatment. Social anxiety disorder is a medical condition. Like all other medical conditions, it requires treatment. Evidence has shown that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and medications like antidepressants are very successful in treating and managing social anxiety disorder. Treatment can help you drastically lessen or overcome your symptoms and anxiety in social situations.
Living With
It can be uncomfortable and scary, but it’s important to tell your healthcare provider if you’re experiencing signs and symptoms of social anxiety disorder.
If you’ve already been diagnosed with social anxiety disorder, there are some things you can do to manage your symptoms and feel well, including:
- Get enough sleep and exercise.
- Don’t use alcohol or recreational drugs.
- If you take medication for your social anxiety, be sure to take it regularly and don’t miss doses.
- If you participate in talk therapy, be sure to see your therapist regularly.
- Reach out to family and friends for support.
- Consider joining a support group for people who have social anxiety.
- See your healthcare provider regularly.
When should I see my healthcare provider?
If you’re experiencing signs or symptoms of social anxiety disorder, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider. Getting treatment for social anxiety is crucial to feeling better and reaching your full potential.
If you’ve already been diagnosed with social anxiety disorder, be sure to see your healthcare provider regularly. If you’re experiencing worsening or concerning symptoms, or think your treatment isn’t working, contact your healthcare provider as soon as possible. Don’t discontinue medications on your own without discussing it with your healthcare provider first.
What questions should I ask my doctor?
Asking for help or talking about your mental health can be uncomfortable. But your mental health is just as important as your physical health, so it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider about your symptoms. Some questions that may be helpful to ask your healthcare provider if you have or think you might have social anxiety disorder include:
- Should I see a therapist, psychologist and/or psychiatrist?
- Do you have any recommendations for psychologists, psychiatrists or therapists that I could see?
- Is there medication I can take for social anxiety disorder?
- Do you know of any support groups for social anxiety disorder?
- Do you know of any books I could read about social anxiety disorder?
- What are the next steps after I’ve been diagnosed with social anxiety disorder?
Frequently Asked Questions
While social anxiety disorder and agoraphobia both involve anxiety and public places, they’re different mental health conditions.
Social anxiety disorder is an anxiety disorder where you have intense and ongoing fear or anxiety that you’ll be judged, watched or humiliated by other people in social situations.
A person with agoraphobia experiences feelings of panic or helplessness when they’re in certain places or in certain situations, not necessarily because of other people. They fear situations where escape might be difficult if something were to go wrong. Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder that typically develops after one or more panic attacks.
There isn’t a significant difference between social anxiety disorder and social phobia. Social anxiety disorder used to be called social phobia. Prior to 1994, a diagnosis of social phobia meant you experienced fear and anxiety when performing in front of people. In 1994, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) changed the name to “social anxiety disorder” and expanded the criteria for diagnosis. It was changed to include the fear and anxiety of being judged or watched by others in social situations, not just when performing.
There are multiple things you can do to help and support someone with social anxiety, including:
- Learn about social anxiety disorder: Educate yourself about social anxiety disorder to better understand what they’re going through. Don’t assume you know what they’re experiencing.
- Be empathetic: Don’t downplay or dismiss their feelings and experiences. Let them know that you’re there to listen and support them. Try putting yourself in their shoes.
- Encourage them to seek help and/or treatment: While having an understanding and supportive friend or family member is helpful to a person with social anxiety, social anxiety disorder is a medical condition. Because of this, people with social anxiety disorder need cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and/or medication to treat and manage their social anxiety. Encourage them to talk to their healthcare provider if they’re experiencing signs and symptoms of social anxiety.
- Be patient: It can take a while for someone with social anxiety disorder to get better once they’ve started treatment. Know that it’s a long and complex process and that their symptoms and behaviors will eventually improve.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Social anxiety disorder is a common condition that affects people all over the world. If you experience signs of social anxiety disorder or have been diagnosed, know that you’re not alone. While experiencing social anxiety can be scary, the good news is that it’s treatable. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health, so be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about what you’re experiencing. The sooner you get help and treatment, the sooner you’ll feel better.
Social anxiety and suicidal tendencies among students
It is known that at student age, due to the high level of workload and stress, there is a high risk of manifestation of mental pathology [2, 3, 5, 7] and the development of suicidal tendencies [3, 6, 7].
According to a number of researchers [1, 3, 4, 7, 10-12], the main problem of maladaptation of students in the form of suicidal thinking and behavior is dysfunctional interpersonal relationships that can cause social anxiety.
Social anxiety is a state of emotional discomfort, fear, apprehension and anxiety in relation to the social situation and evaluation by other people [8, 13, 14, 16]. A person with high social anxiety in a situation of interaction with people thinks that he will look funny or stupid, that those around him will condemn or humiliate him. However, every person throughout his life constantly finds himself in situations of need for contact with other people. Study, work, entertainment and even travel by public transport are closely related to communication. Naturally, a person in whom communication situations cause a strong sense of anxiety and discomfort finds it difficult to cope with everyday affairs.
Social anxiety can have a serious negative impact on the process of social and emotional adaptation and the quality of life of students.
Due to increased anxiety, the student is often unable to act effectively in the presence of other people and, as a rule, without any reason, comes to the conclusion that he is being judged. By avoiding the situation, contact with people, such a student deprives himself of the opportunity to develop his social skills and make sure that he is able to successfully interact.
An extreme manifestation of social anxiety is social phobia. If social anxiety brings discomfort to a person’s life, makes certain situations painful and unpleasant for him, then social phobia leads to more serious maladaptation, up to the refusal of activities associated with frightening situations. The main way out for people suffering from social phobia is often to avoid any situations that are associated with the likelihood of a negative assessment. They avoid performances, meetings with the opposite sex, parties, going out to people, which leads to partial or complete social isolation. This greatly limits their ability to experience the joys of life and leads to suffering from loneliness.
What makes this situation even more difficult to bear is the constant comparison of yourself with more successful and confident people with negative conclusions about your own person. Currently, social phobia has the status of an independent mental disorder within the framework of the ICD-10, criteria for clinical diagnosis, standards for drug and psychotherapeutic treatment have been developed. According to some researchers [11], this disorder is associated with a high risk of suicide and substance abuse. Typical symptoms of social phobia are acute anxiety, intense tension, flushing of the face, sensation of a lump in the throat, palpitations, dry mouth, nausea, trembling and weakness in the legs, inability to concentrate in fear-provoking situations.
The purpose of this study is to study the prevalence and level of social anxiety among students, as well as the relationship between social anxiety and suicidal thinking and behavior.
Material and methods
553 third-year students of Moscow humanitarian universities were examined.
Among them, 246 boys and 307 girls, the average age is 21 years. The study was conducted anonymously, face-to-face.
The methodological complex included the following questionnaires: to assess the severity of social anxiety, the following were used: Social Avoidance and Distress Scale (SADS), which is aimed at assessing the tendency to avoid social situations and discomfort in such situations [16]; the scale of fear of negative evaluation (Fear of Negative Evaluation, FNE), focused on measuring the level of anxiety in evaluation situations [16]; Brief Social Phobia Scale (BSPS) [15]. To assess the presence of suicidal tendencies, we analyzed the Suicidal Thoughts and Desires scale in the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI, adapted by N.V. Tarabrina) [9].
To identify groups with a high level of social anxiety, the percentile method was used, which allows you to show the percentage of cases in a certain general population with estimates equal to or less than a given percentile value.
Thus, the percentile method provides more accurate information than just reporting that a certain value of a variable falls above or below the mean in a given distribution. The obtained results were processed using the SPSS for Windows 11.0 statistical software package.
Results and discussion
The study participants were divided into 3 groups: with low, medium and high levels of social anxiety (percentile values - 0/33/66). Since social anxiety is heterogeneous and includes various manifestations, the division was carried out according to the following aspects: social avoidance and social distress, fear of social evaluation and indicators on the scale of social phobia.
B tab. 1 shows the results of the distribution of the level of social anxiety in the study sample. In the surveyed sample 9(1.6%) of students had BSPS scores of 41 or higher, which, according to studies [15], indicates with a high degree of probability that they have a clinical form of social phobia.
B tab. 2 provides data on the distribution of students by the presence and severity of suicidal thinking. Based on these data, 28% of students have suicidal thoughts and intentions, 4% of which are ready to commit suicide at the right time.
B tab. 3 presents the results of the student sample distribution according to the indicators of suicidal thinking in boys and girls. There were many more students without suicidal thoughts among boys than among girls. Only half of the girls (55%) do not have suicidal thoughts. Among young men, there are more students without suicidal intentions (79%), but also more ready to commit suicide at the right time (6%), the latter figure being 3 times higher than that of girls. Statistical level of significance of the obtained differences - p <0.001.
B tab. 4 shows the data of the study of the relationship between indicators of social anxiety and suicidal thinking in students. As can be seen from the data presented, a significant positive correlation was found between the studied variables: the higher the level of social anxiety in the form of social avoidance and distress, social phobia and fear of social evaluation, the higher the indicator of suicidal thinking.
B tab. 5 shows the results of comparing groups with different levels of social anxiety in terms of suicidal thinking. As can be seen from the data presented, students with a high level of social anxiety have more pronounced suicidal intentions than students with low and medium levels of social anxiety. So, in the group of students with a high level of social anxiety, 40% have a pronounced suicidal orientation of thinking. In addition, the largest percentage of students who are ready to commit suicide at the right moment falls precisely on the group with a high level of social anxiety - 7%. Statistical level of significance of the obtained differences - p <0.001.
The obtained data are consistent with the results of other researchers. So, in the course of a study of the prevalence and severity of suicidal behavior in the student population, conducted in 2009 by A.B. Kholmogorova et al. [11], it was found that students with a pronounced suicidal orientation demonstrate higher rates of social anxiety in the form of social distress and avoidance.
In the course of a "sectional" study of emotional maladjustment in the student population for 4 years, we have identified some dynamics in terms of suicidal thinking and behavior in third-year students of humanitarian universities. AT tab. 6 shows the results of the distribution of students in terms of suicidal thinking and behavior in different years - from 2009 to 2012. This figure increased to 21%, a year later, in the sample of students, suicidal thinking was noted in 24%, and by 2012 they became 28%. At the same time, similar dynamics is observed with the number of students who want to commit suicide at the right moment - 1.8, 2.0, 2.6 and 4.0%.
In conclusion, we note that a high level of social anxiety negatively affects the quality of life of an individual. In a student environment, this can be especially pronounced in connection with the need to constantly interact with classmates and teachers. The success of training and emotional well-being at the university largely depend on the social activity of the student, so social anxiety can become
a serious obstacle to the development and self-realization of a young man.
Social anxiety is closely related to such a manifestation of emotional maladjustment as suicidal thinking and behavior. The results of the study clearly demonstrate the deterioration of emotional well-being in the student population in the form of suicidal thinking, setting the task of organizing the work of the psychological support service for students and psychoprophylactic work in universities.
Social anxiety - Center for Cognitive Psychology in Vladivostok
Social anxiety: more than just shyness.
Many of us get nervous in meaningful situations, like public speaking or job interviews, but social anxiety is more than just modesty, shyness, or situational anxiety. Social anxiety is characterized by an intense fear of certain social situations, especially where there are strangers and you are afraid of being judged. These situations can be so frightening that you become afraid as soon as you think about them. You put in a lot of effort to avoid them.
Fear of being ridiculed, criticized, shamed, or seen as awkward in society is central to social anxiety. You probably understand that these fears are exaggerated, but understanding does not help to calm down.
Situations that can trigger social anxiety:
- Dating
- Starting and maintaining a conversation
- Public speaking
- Being the center of attention
- Situations where you are given feedback or criticism
- Talking to important "authoritative" people
- Goodbye
- Use of a public toilet
- Exams
- Eating or drinking in public places
- Attending parties, social events
Many people get nervous and anxious in socially significant situations, and this does not affect their lives. Unlike natural, situational anxiety, social anxiety interferes with everyday life and is a strong stress. For example, you are anxious before a performance, it passes, and after a while you calm down and forget about it.
If you have social anxiety, you will start to worry about a speech weeks before, get sick just before the start, or shake so hard during a performance that you can hardly speak.
Symptoms of social anxiety:
- Excessive restlessness and anxiety in everyday situations of interaction with people.
- Intense excitement a few weeks or months before an important event.
- Extreme fear of being criticized or ridiculed by strangers.
- Fear of appearing awkward or humiliated in front of everyone.
- Fear that others will notice how nervous you are.
Physical symptoms of social anxiety:
- Flushing or flushing of the face
- Indigestion or diarrhea
- Trembling in hands, feet, voice
- Strong palpitations
- Increased perspiration
Behavioral symptoms of social anxiety:
- Avoidance of social situations to such an extent that it affects the quality of life (for example, can not change jobs due to fear of interviews or stop learning English in a group due to fear of being seen awkward, say something stupid, blush in front of the group).
- Hide, go unnoticed, remain silent, avoid eye contact in interaction situations.
- Take a friend or relative with you to events.
- Use protective behavior to prevent others from noticing embarrassment (eg, wearing a cap to prevent others from seeing a blush on the face, deliberately speaking loudly and self-confidently to hide excitement).
- Use alcohol or psychoactive substances to calm down before an activity.
Social Anxiety Therapy:
Compared to other professional fields, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has shown to be effective in treating social anxiety. CBT for social anxiety includes the following steps:
1. Cognitive reassessment of the negative thoughts that keep the problem alive.
2. Behavioral experiments and exposures are tools to help you face your fears, live through them, gain new experiences and incorporate them into your daily life.
3. Role play, social skills training will help you work through situations that you fear and avoid.
