Social Anxiety Disorder: More Than Just Shyness (Part 2)
First, talk to your doctor or health care professional about your symptoms. Your doctor should do an exam and ask you about your health history to make sure that an unrelated physical problem is not causing your symptoms. Your doctor may refer you to a mental health specialist, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, clinical social worker or counselor. The first step to effective treatment is to have a diagnosis made, usually by a mental health specialist.
Social anxiety disorder is generally treated with psychotherapy (sometimes called "talk" therapy), medication or both. Speak with your doctor or health care provider about the best treatment for you.
Psychotherapy
A type of psychotherapy called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is especially useful for treating social anxiety disorder. CBT teaches you different ways of thinking, behaving and reacting to situations that help you feel less anxious and fearful. It can also help you learn and practice social skills. CBT delivered in a group format can be especially helpful.
Support Groups
Many people with social anxiety also find support groups helpful. In a group of people who all have social anxiety disorder, you can receive unbiased, honest feedback about how others in the group see you. This way, you can learn that your thoughts about judgment and rejection are not true or are distorted. You can also learn how others with social anxiety disorder approach and overcome the fear of social situations.
Medication
There are three types of medications used to help treat social anxiety disorder: anti-anxiety medications, antidepressants and beta-blockers:
- Anti-anxiety medications are powerful and begin working right away to reduce anxious feelings; however, these medications are usually not taken for long periods of time. People can build up a tolerance if they are taken over a long period of time and may need higher and higher doses to get the same effect. Some people may even become dependent on them. To avoid these problems, doctors usually prescribe anti-anxiety medications for short periods, a practice that is especially helpful for older adults.
- Antidepressants are mainly used to treat depression but are also helpful for the symptoms of social anxiety disorder. In contrast to anti-anxiety medications, they may take several weeks to start working. Antidepressants may also cause side effects, such as headaches, nausea or difficulty sleeping. These side effects are usually not severe for most people, especially if the dose starts off low and is increased slowly over time. Talk to your doctor about any side effects that you have.
- Beta-blockers are medicines that can help block some of the physical symptoms of anxiety on the body, such as an increased heart rate, sweating or tremors. Beta-blockers are commonly the medications of choice for the "performance anxiety" type of social anxiety.
Your doctor will work with you to find the best medication, dose and duration of treatment. Many people with social anxiety disorder obtain the best results with a combination of medication and CBT or other psychotherapies.
Don't give up on treatment too quickly. Both psychotherapy and medication can take some time to work. A healthy lifestyle can also help combat anxiety. Make sure to get enough sleep and exercise, eat a healthy diet, and turn to family and friends whom you trust for support.
National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). (n.d.). How is social anxiety disorder treated? In Social anxiety disorder: More than just shyness (NIH Pub. No. QF 16–4678). Retrieved April 4, 2017, from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/