Job Hazards

Social Phobia

Social phobia is the recurring, inexplicable fear of events like parties or social gatherings, where there is a chance you may be criticized or judged by your peers. Feelings of fear and attempts to escape situations where you may be scrutinized by others are common amongs those who suffer from social phobia. This condition often begins during adolescence and may be brought about by a sheltered upbringing or limited social opportunities that would have encouraged the development of good social skills. Males and females have an equal chance of developing social phobia.

People who have been diagnosed with social phobia are prone to alcohol and drug abuse as well; these are substances that may help the person to relax in a social setting.

Symptoms of Social Phobia

Social phobia is quite distinguishable from simply being shy. Shy people can take part in social activities, but those with social phobia are restricted by the disorder to the extent that they cannot act properly on the job and in relationships. Situations that someone with social phobia may have difficulty with include:

• Public speaking
• Meeting new people
• Eating, drinking, and writing in front of others
• Using public restrooms
• Attending parties and other get-togethers

Treatment of Social Phobia

The objective of social phobia treatment is to assist the patient until they can appropriately function within the outside world. Systematic desensitization is one element of social phobia treatment where the person is asked to relax, think about what instills fear in them, and work from the least fearful to most fearful circumstances. Real life exposure to whatever bothers them has also helped people overcome their fear.

Another part of the treatment procedure may focus on social skills training, where the patient is placed into a group therapy session to work on social encounters. During the session, role playing and modeling are two methods used to give people the confidence they require to relate to others comfortably in a social atmosphere.

When all else fails, a physician may prescribe anti-anxiety or antidepressant medication to alleviate some of the symptoms associated with social phobia. These drugs have been proven to be very effective, although alternative therapy is preferred whenever possible.