Don’t Let Social Anxiety Cripple Your Life

More Americans than you think—15 million adults—suffer from social anxiety disorder (SAD). That might also apply to you. Do you feel intense apprehension and self-consciousness during common social situations—or at even the mere thought of them? The symptoms include nausea, blushing, sweating, deep dread, panic attacks and being tongue-tied. Some sufferers may shun work or school. SAD can be alleviated with psychotherapy and medication. 

When you seek psychiatric care, you want thoughtful and detailed providers who make you feel at ease, listen to any of your concerns, offer excellent service and work with you throughout your treatment. New Rochelle Psychiatry Office is proud to possess all of those qualities.

The essential characteristic of SAD (also called social phobia and social anxiety) is the fear of being judged and/or rejected by people in public or social settings—sometimes even when the people are your friends or good acquaintances. You want to socialize with others, but the emotional discomfort that looms over the sheer thought makes you choose to be a loner. Causes of SAD include your environment, inherited traits and previous social experiences. 

You might also:

• panic about interacting with strangers. 
• avoid any situation in which you’ll be the center of attention.
• worry that you’ll embarrass or humiliate yourself. 
• avoid going places or speaking to people out of fear of embarrassment
• expect the worst outcomes from a social experience.
• fear that people will notice your anxiety.
• spend significant time analyzing and harshly critiquing how you acted in previous social situations.
• worry that you’ll make an extreme faux pas.

Though SAD tends to be a continual mental health condition, you can seek help from a psychiatrist to help manage it. Treatment plans may include a combination of talk therapy and prescribed psychiatric medication.

Think about how happy and relieved you would feel without the burden of SAD. You’ll make new friends, strengthen existing friendships, enhance your social life, participate in more activities and expand your horizons. 

The office of New Rochelle Psychiatry Office is courteous, professional, sympathetic and friendly. Please call today to find out how you lead a more rewarding life.