Social anxiety, or social phobia, occurs when a person feels fear in the presence of other people or when interacting with them, especially in a group. A person is afraid to do something wrong, to feel humiliated or not accepted by the group or interlocutor. Timely treatment of social anxiety will help to get rid of these symptoms and allow more active participation in social interactions.

However, many of us occasionally experience anxiety about what others around us will think of us, how interesting we will be to someone, or whether we will look ridiculous. So how do you know when you need social anxiety treatment and when it's just normal anxiety? You can tell for yourself by looking at the following symptoms:

Symptoms:

Fear of being the centre of attention or fear that one’s behaviour will be inappropriate or humiliating in social situations (e.g. when speaking in public or meeting acquaintances in public places).

Fear that manifestations of anxiety (blushing, trembling in voice, stiffness, etc.) will be judged negatively by others.

Avoidance of situations where you may be the centre of attention or worry about unethical or demeaning behaviour.

If you realise that your fear of social situations is excessive or unreasonable, but you can't stop worrying, and social situations display at least 2 of the described physical symptoms of anxiety (e.g. blushing, rapid heartbeat, muscle tension, etc.), it is recommended that you see a professional to help you manage your social anxiety.

Causes of social anxiety:

There are several factors that most likely influence the occurrence of social anxiety, although it is impossible to identify one specific cause. The factors can be categorised into 3 groups:

Heredity: if parents suffered from social anxiety, a person has a 30-40% greater chance of developing this disorder. Also, scientific studies have shown the presence of the so-called "social inhibition gene" in most social anxiety sufferers, which increases the likelihood of developing this disorder.

Biological factors: overactivity of the amygdala in the brain, which controls the fear response, can cause more intense fear and anxiety in social situations.

Environmental factors: parenting style matters. Research has shown a link between negative parenting styles and anxiety disorders, including social anxiety. Negative parenting styles include excessive parental control, criticism, and preoccupation with the opinions of others. Trauma and stressful childhood events such as physical, sexual or emotional abuse, bullying, family conflict, parental divorce, death of a loved one, or maternal stress during pregnancy can also influence the development of social anxiety.

"Learned behaviour" can also lead to social anxiety in some people after an unpleasant or embarrassing social situation they have experienced.

Social anxiety is related to low self-esteem and is maintained by beliefs that a person will behave awkwardly or ridiculously in social situations. These beliefs do not change as the person avoids situations of social interaction or uses protective behaviour. Therefore, he/she fails to gain new experiences of successful behaviour in social situations.