9 Things Social Anxiety Makes Us Doْ
Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is defined as an intense, persistent fear of being watched and judged by others. This fear can affect work, school, and other daily activities. Do you ever feel like all eyes are on you, just waiting for you to slip up or do something embarrassing? Do you always feel like this? It’s important to note that social anxiety is much more than shyness, as well; shyness is considered a normal facet of one’s personality, whereas social anxiety is not. If you suffer from social anxiety and want to learn more about that, here are some of the things social anxiety makes us do.
Disclaimer: It is important to note that this video is purely for educational and interest purposes and is not to be used to self-diagnose social anxiety. If you or somebody you know suspects that they may be suffering from social anxiety, get in touch with your doctor or mental health service to discuss your symptoms further.
Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is defined as an intense, persistent fear of being watched and judged by others. This fear can affect work, school, and other daily activities. Do you ever feel like all eyes are on you, just waiting for you to slip up or do something embarrassing? Do you always feel like this? It’s important to note that social anxiety is much more than shyness, as well; shyness is considered a normal facet of one’s personality, whereas social anxiety is not. If you suffer from social anxiety and want to learn more about that, here are some of the things social anxiety makes us do.
Disclaimer: It is important to note that this video is purely for educational and interest purposes and is not to be used to self-diagnose social anxiety. If you or somebody you know suspects that they may be suffering from social anxiety, get in touch with your doctor or mental health service to discuss your symptoms further.
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00:00Hey Psych2Goers and welcome back to another video.
00:09Before we start, we would like to give you a big thanks for all the support that you've
00:12given us.
00:13Psych2Go's mission is to make psychology and mental health more accessible to everyone.
00:17Now, let's begin.
00:19Are you extremely afraid of being judged by others?
00:23Are you very self-conscious in everyday social situations?
00:26Do you avoid meeting new people?
00:29These are all trademark signs of social anxiety, which affects approximately 15 million people
00:35in the United States alone.
00:37Social anxiety disorder is classified as a significant amount of fear, embarrassment,
00:42or humiliation in social or performance-based situations.
00:46It goes far deeper than mere shyness.
00:48Where shyness is more of a personality trait, social anxiety disorder can cause significant
00:53disruption of your daily life.
00:55Before we begin, we would like to mention that this video is created for educational
00:59purposes only and is not intended to substitute a professional diagnosis.
01:03If you suspect you may have social anxiety disorder or any mental health condition, we
01:07highly advise you to seek help from a qualified mental health professional.
01:11With that said, here are 9 things that social anxiety makes us do.
01:161.
01:17Repeatedly double-checking the location and time.
01:19Do you find yourself repeatedly checking your phone to make sure you're in the right place?
01:24It can be terrifying for those with social anxiety to arrive late or walk into the wrong
01:28room, so double or even triple-checking information is a must.
01:32Even if you know you've got the details right, it can bring you peace of mind just to make
01:36sure.
01:37It may be the difference between walking in with confidence or hesitation.
01:422.
01:43Rehearsing conversations in your head ahead of time.
01:46While this may be a subconscious practice at first, many people who face social anxiety
01:50rehearse things they're going to say before they have the actual conversation.
01:54This often begins as imagining future conversations or running through a list of important points
01:59to discuss.
02:01Some people find it more helpful to physically practice having a conversation as well.
02:05That being said, not everyone who rehearses their conversations beforehand necessarily
02:09has social anxiety.
02:11Memorization and practice are both common tools to aid you in feeling nervous, whether
02:15you're anxious about public speaking, talking to a specific person, or being social in general.
02:223.
02:23Avoiding phone calls.
02:24Even though it's become a bit of a joke among millennials and Gen Zers who prefer to text,
02:29avoiding phone calls is actually a fairly common behavior for people with social anxiety.
02:33Psychologist Lindsay Sharfstein told Headspace,
02:36Anxiety is typical for all of us.
02:39It's a universal emotion that we can all relate to.
02:41For the most part, we know that individuals are not afraid of phones.
02:45They have phones in their office, backpack, purse.
02:48What they're typically afraid of is the evaluation or judgment that may happen when they're on
02:53a phone.
02:54This may be why some people prefer to text instead of talk on the phone.
02:58The more distance one can put between themselves and the other person, the more comfortable
03:02they generally feel interacting.
03:044.
03:05Faking phone calls.
03:06Have you ever pretended to be in the middle of a call just to avoid talking to someone?
03:11Or worn headphones to discourage others from approaching you?
03:14Although it's safe to assume that phone calls are not something that people with social
03:18anxiety look forward to, faking a call can come in handy.
03:22It can be a lot easier to act busy rather than face the awkwardness of an unwanted conversation.
03:27So this can become a habit of avoidance if you have social anxiety.
03:315.
03:32Constantly worrying about how everyone sees you.
03:36According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, those with a social anxiety disorder
03:41are increasingly concerned about how they are perceived by others.
03:45The last thing they want is to come off as awkward, fumbling, or boring.
03:50You've likely felt this way at some point throughout your life, whether it's the desire
03:54to fit in with friends or making a good impression on a potential employer.
03:58With social anxiety, however, this pressure to perform feels constantly heavy and can
04:03lead to full-blown panic attacks when in social or performance-based situations.
04:086.
04:09Feeling lonely, even when you're surrounded by people.
04:13People with social anxiety can share this feeling with those who battle depression and
04:17other mental illnesses as well.
04:19So, unfortunately, a lot of people can relate to this isolating feeling.
04:23When social anxiety keeps you from being your true self, it can be difficult to feel included
04:28at all.
04:29It's frustrating to be close to others, but not be able to connect with them in a comfortable
04:33way.
04:34If you're struggling to properly communicate and are extremely hesitant to even start a
04:38conversation, that adds to your feelings of loneliness, even when you're surrounded by
04:42others.
04:447.
04:45Clenching your teeth and other physical discomforts.
04:48Do you feel shaky or light-headed when faced with a social situation?
04:52Does your heart rate speed up?
04:54Or do your hands tremble?
04:56The stress that comes with social anxiety can manifest through physical symptoms.
05:01Many of the symptoms are signs of nervousness, such as sweating, flushing, and feeling shaky.
05:06According to Myoclinic, you might also be dealing with muscle tension, feeling that
05:10your mind has gone blank, or have trouble catching your breath.
05:158.
05:16Obsessing over how you look.
05:18When you're constantly worried about how others perceive you, you're likely to be concerned
05:22with how you look as well.
05:24You might have a distorted body image and think that you're less physically attractive.
05:28Your thoughts can flit from your hair to your clothes or flaws in your skin, to thinking
05:33that it's just all wrong.
05:35In an attempt to feel comfortable in your own skin, you might spend an inappropriate
05:39amount of time and money on fixing your appearance, such as shopping for better clothes, getting
05:44high-end beauty products, or going on diets if you think you're overweight.
05:499.
05:50You feel more like yourself around the people you're comfortable with.
05:54You think you're picky about who you spend time with?
05:57In Triumph Over Shyness, Conquering Social Anxiety Disorder, Dr. Murray B. Stein and
06:02John R. Walker discuss behavior in children called selective mutism.
06:07This is when a child speaks and acts normally around select individuals, but is completely
06:11silent around everyone else or when placed in certain situations.
06:15This is a more extreme example, but it shows how those with social anxiety are more likely
06:19to relax and open up around people they already know and trust.
06:24Do you or anyone you know resonate with any of these points mentioned in this video?
06:28If you're concerned about social anxiety disorder, we encourage you to speak with a mental health
06:32professional.
06:33They can help you overcome any fears or debilitating problems you might have.
06:38If you enjoyed watching this video, give us a thumbs up and share it with someone who
06:41might find it helpful as well.
06:42The studies and references used in this video are listed in the description below.
06:46Don't forget to hit the subscribe button for more Psych2Go videos and as always, thanks
06:50for watching and we'll see you next time.