Help For Social Anxiety
Help for social anxiety and where do I turn? In the age of social media where communication has become as easy as the push of a button, people are becoming more isolated than ever. With the rapid changes in modern society, person to person social interaction has taken a back seat to technological forms of communication. Although technology has allowed us to connect more readily than ever before, it has also created social barriers. The result is an increase in anxiety-related issues when it comes to socializing in person. Something that was seemingly effortless until a surge in social media changed the primary ways in which people interact.
Help For Social Anxiety
How common is it today?
Social anxiety ranks third among the most common psychological disorders in North America (trailing closely behind depression and alcoholism). It is estimated that as many as 20 percent of North Americans suffer from some degree of social anxiety, and the numbers are escalating due to the changes in technology and the way people communicate.
If people stay glued to devices 24/7, it will have a huge effect on a persons social skills. As the use of cell phones, gadgets and tablets gradually replace face-to-face interaction, our social skills are steadily deteriorating. We no longer connect on a human level. Friendship and family interactions become sterile and robotic.
Help For Social Anxiety
Teens and Media
Teens and younger children are increasingly using gadgets as a primary form of communication, Before fully developing their social skills they are used to communicating through the internet. It has had a massive impact on how they interact with others. Decreased “face time” and heavy reliance on text messaging has negatively affected attention spans, limiting the amount of eye contact and the observance of social cues in social situations. Youth and adults alike are also using phones and other gadgets as coping mechanisms to deflect attention in a world that has suddenly become “so self-conscious.”
Help For Social Anxiety
What are the signs of social anxiety in the age of technology?
It is not uncommon for people to now dread tasks that were once common:
- Answering the door when no one is expected.
- Telephone communication without first screening calls.
- Working as part of a team at work or school without reliance on a device with a screen.
- Speaking up in front of a group of people.
- Normal social interaction like dating or attending parties.
- Eating and drinking in front of others.
- One-on-one conversation with an unfamiliar person.
Without the shield of social media devices, many people experience the following mental and physical symptoms:
- Communication difficulties
- Decreased or scattered attention span
- Flight response (a sudden need to escape or hide)
- Increased heart rate
- Sweating
- Nausea or upset stomach
- Blushing
- Mental fogginess
It is not uncommon for people to now dread tasks that were once common:
- Answering the door when no one is expected.
- Telephone communication without first screening calls.
- Working as part of a team at work or school without reliance on a device with a screen.
- Speaking up in front of a group of people.
- Normal social interaction like dating or attending parties.
- Eating and drinking in front of others.
- One-on-one conversation with an unfamiliar person.
Without the shield of social media devices, many people experience the following mental and physical symptoms:
- Communication difficulties
- Decreased or scattered attention span
- Flight response (a sudden need to escape or hide)
- Increased heart rate
- Sweating
- Nausea or upset stomach
- Blushing
- Mental fogginess
Help For Social Anxiety
How To Overcome
Although social anxiety in the technological sphere is on the rise, people suffering can take comfort in the fact that they are not alone. Typing has replaced speaking in jobs that allow people to work from home. Online courses have replaced the need for people to attend classes. Face-time interaction has decreased. With these changes taking place, the amount of people affected by excessive isolation and heavy reliance on technological gadgets is steadily growing. The number of people experiencing some form of anxiety is predicted to get worse.
For people mildly affected by the anxiety, the practice of taking time out from behind the screen is helpful. Interact with people in short spurts. It helps to relieve the stress related to social interactions. Like many things, socializing takes practice, you need to exercise it to keep it functioning. Maintaining the ability to communicate adeptly is where the phrase, “Use It Or Lose It,” rings true.
Those who find their social anxiety more difficult to manage can seek out anxiety management techniques through cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT). These techniques aim to teach people how to control their thoughts and make them face their fears more rationally. People can learn how to deal with situations that are unnerving or even debilitating.
Cognitive-behavior therapy can be performed through two methods:
1. Systematic desensitization
A method in which the client is placed in a tranquil and stress-free setting. They are asked to imagine the fear-provoking situation. The therapist will assist in recognizing fears, and applies various approaches to help the client manage those fears.
2. Real life exposure
A method in which the client is exposed to the fear-provoking situation with the therapist present to guide them through it.
Help For Social Anxiety
Get Started
Most people realize today that social anxiety is not the same as being nervous or shy. It is normal to feel self-conscious for a job interview or give a public speech. It becomes a problem if the person begins to dread normal tasks. Some of which are shopping, working or even leaving their home. They may want to consider the recent changes in the way they are communicating. By making a conscious effort to practice regular face-to-face conversations you can stop an irrational fear from spiraling into a full-blown phobia.
Seek help today. Let’s set you free from the fear and anxiety unnecessary and unneeded. Plug yourself into the world of humans and no longer computers.
