Your teacher has asked you to stand in front of the whole class to speak. You are moving to a new city and you have to meet new neighbors. Your boss has asked you to give a presentation to a group of people at work. If these scenarios make you sweat, feel dizzy and your heart starts racing. You might suffer from social anxiety. It's normal to feel nervous in certain social situations, but in social anxiety disorder, also called social phobia, everyday interactions cause significant anxiety, fear, embarrassment, and embarrassment because you fear being judged by others. In social anxiety disorder, fear and anxiety lead to avoidance that can interrupt your daily life activities like work and school. Social anxiety disorder is a mental health problem, but you can learn to cope with it. Psychotherapy and medication can help you gain confidence and improve your ability to interact with others. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay According to the Mayo Clinic website, criteria for social anxiety disorder includes persistent, intense fear or anxiety about a social situation due to beliefs you may have. judge; embarrassed or humiliated. Social anxiety is one of the most common anxiety disorders. Up to 13% of the population suffers from social phobia during their lifetime. People with social anxiety are perceived by others as very quiet, shy, awkward, withdrawn, and sometimes hostile. Although people with social anxiety want to be friendly, open, and sociable, it is fear (anxiety) that holds them back. Some of the symptoms of social anxiety according to the National Institutes of Mental Health are: Excessive anxiety that is out of proportion. to the situation. Fear or anxiety that is not the result of another mental health or medical condition, medication, or substance abuse. Avoiding anxiety-provoking social situations or enduring them with intense fear or anxiety. If the anxiety does not go away and lasts for about 6 months. Finally, anxiety or distress that disrupts daily life. There are many factors that can trigger social anxiety. According to the abnormal psychology book. First, Neurological Factors: Brain System and Neural Communication: “Researchers have repeatedly shown that the amygdalae are strongly activated when animals, including humans, are afraid. » The amygdalae of people with social anxiety are more active when they see negative facial expressions than when they see happy faces. Neurotransmitters may function abnormally in people with social anxiety disorder. Researchers found that patients with social anxiety had less activation in areas of the brain that depend on dopamine. Serotonin imbalance can also contribute to this condition. Psychological factors: Cognitive biases and distortions: People with social anxiety have exaggerated or irrational thoughts. These thought patterns are often said to reinforce negative thoughts or emotions. Classical and operant conditioning: a social situation is associated with a negative social experience. Avoidance of anxiety-provoking stimuli resulted in suppression of unpleasant emotions. Thus, avoidance becomes a reward and reinforces the avoidance behavior. Social factors: extreme overprotection on the part of parents leads to anxiety.