What is social phobia?

It is very common to suffer from social anxiety or social phobia. There is a general form of social phobia where you feel afraid of many different social situations. It can be talking on the phone on the subway, talking to the cashier, etc. There is also a more specific form of social anxiety where the person's anxiety is more focused on specific situations such as giving a speech.

Social anxiety at work

Most people find it difficult to give presentations, but most can force themselves to do so when necessary, for example when studying or working. A person with social phobia suffers from it to such an extent that it creates problems in the person's functioning, for example at work, in leisure time, in relationships or in other areas. Feeling shy sometimes is normal. However, social phobia is a strong fear of being the center of other people's attention.

It may be a fear of the gaze of others and/or a feeling of being judged and scrutinized by others. People often avoid social situations to avoid the feeling of discomfort. Situations that they do participate in become extremely stressful and demanding. Many people with social phobia also find it difficult to show their nervousness in front of others. They feel that this can lead to a loss of respect and self-esteem.

Symptoms of social anxiety and phobia

Common symptoms of social phobia are

  • Increased sweat production

  • Involuntary tremors

  • Clearing

  • Heart palpitations.

Nervousness can also make it difficult to think as usual, losing words and forgetting names. This in turn often increases anxiety and nervousness further. 

Our psychologists can help you with social phobia and anxiety

Living with social phobia can limit you and your life immensely. Our psychologists in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö can help you move forward and guide you on the right path to feeling better. Book a free consultation and we will find out what you need help with and guide you in the right direction.

Interview with our psychologist on anxiety

Aftonbladet interviews Sveapsykologerna about how to know what type of anxiety you suffer from and what you can do about it. Read the full article in our blog via the link: https://sveapsykologerna.se/blog/2021/9/13/aftonbladet-stress-eller-ngest-s-vet-du-vad-du-lider-av

Avoidance and safety behaviors perpetuate social anxiety

By calling in sick when you have a lecture at school or by not going to that party where there are new people or maybe drinking a few glasses of wine to be able to go to the party, the person perpetuates their anxiety. The person learns that they coped with the situation because they had drunk wine but otherwise it would never have worked.

The person thus needs to dare to challenge themselves by making an exposure hierarchy where they list their avoidances and then start to expose themselves gradually. If the person dares to expose themselves despite their fear, they learn that the magnified fear did not correspond to reality and that the catastrophic thoughts did not materialize. The person did not faint while giving the lecture as they thought. It is best if the person remains in the situation until the anxiety curve drops so that habituation can take place. However, studies have shown that the person can still get good results even if the anxiety does not drop in the situation. Just knowing that the person managed to expose themselves despite the fear gives good results against social anxiety.


Thought traps common in social anxiety

In social anxiety disorder, a thought trap called mind reading often occurs where the person starts to imagine and assume that others are thinking negative things about them.

The person becomes afraid of making a fool of him/herself, of being judged by others and may sometimes find it difficult to distinguish between facts and their speculations. In therapy, the person learns to identify his or her negative automatic thoughts and to distinguish when they are the thoughts of social anxiety and when they are the person's more healthy thoughts.

Being mindful can help with social phobia

By being more "mindful" , i.e. more present and engaged in the present , the person reduces the risk of ending up in the parallel reality, i.e. the world of thoughts. Engaging in the present is a good tool when, for example, the person is waiting for their turn to give a talk in class because planning and brooding lead to even more anticipatory anxiety. For a person with social anxiety, over-preparing can be counterproductive as it acts as a safety behavior that perpetuates the anxiety. It may feel good in the moment, but the person is then not allowed to truly expose themselves.

Post Mortem common among people with social anxiety

Typical in people with social anxiety is "post mortem" which means that after a social performance, the person starts to "saw" and criticize himself. The person gets caught up in something they think they have done wrong and overestimates how much others think about it. This self-blame leads to even less self-confidence and even more anxiety about the next social event. 

How is social phobia treated?

The best treatment for social phobia is CBT, cognitive behavioral therapy. Our psychologists and psychotherapists are experts in treating social phobia and you can get help fast. Contact us today for expert guidance.