Often, social anxiety can reach a level where professional help is needed. This level varies for each person, and seeking help is a very personal decision that must be made without pressure from others. Unfortunately, many who need professional assistance will not seek it for a variety of reasons. The most common reason for not seeking professional help is that the person is afraid that others will judge them based on this. Others fear talking to complete strangers about their problems.

However, for those who do seek professional help, the National Institutes of Mental Health Funded Studies report a very high success rate in the treatment of social anxiety. This finding alone may be the encouragement you to seek professional treatment.

Anyone who is depending on medication to control social anxiety should be seek professional help. A professional can help you cope with social anxiety, and help you get off the medication. If you find that your social anxiety is preventing you from accomplishing something in your life, you should seek professional assistance. In most cases, professional help will help you greatly improve the quality of your life, by dealing with your social anxiety issues.

If you are turning to alcohol or drugs to combat social anxiety disorder, or thinking of hurting or killing yourself or someone else, professional help should be sought immediately.

If you have decided to seek professional help, start by finding a therapist. A therapist is trained to help other’s sort out their problems. They are not allowed to prescribe medication, and if they feel that a person’s problem is beyond their scope of training, they will refer the patient to a psychiatrist for more extensive treatment.

Therapists are great at making people feel quite comfortable with them, which is a great benefit for people who fear discussing their problems with strangers. The therapist will make sure that you do not view them as a stranger for long. Look for a therapist who specializes in social anxiety disorder.

Ask the therapist how much experience they have in dealing with social anxiety. Ask them what the symptoms of social anxiety are, and make sure they answer the question without your help. This will assure you that they do understand the disorder. Ask the therapist how they will be treating you for social anxiety, and what actions they will expect you to take.

It is important that you not hold back any information from your therapist. If they don’t know what is going on, they can’t help you. Make sure your therapist gives you actions to take, as just talking about the problem will not solve it. Taking action, then discussing the results of those actions will be a greater help.

Paxil CR (Controlled Release), which is commonly prescribed for the treatment of depression, is also helpful in the treatment of social anxiety disorder. Social Anxiety Disorder, also called social phobia, is a fear of social situations, including public performances, such as public speaking. People with social anxiety fear that they are being watched and judged by others, and have a constant fear of doing something in public that will cause them to feel embarrassed or humiliated. More than 15 million Americans have social anxiety disorder.

Paxil CR, which contains paroxetine HCI, is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) drug approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of social anxiety. In one study, 69% of patients treated with Paxil CR for social anxiety had good results. Patients report a reduction in their anxiety and disability, and improvement in overall functioning. Paroxetine has shown to help control the amount of serotonin that the brain produces, helping to ensure that the right amount is produced for each individual. Serotonin has many functions, one of which is balancing hormones. When the hormones are balanced, a person is calmer and more relaxed, which accounts for the reduction in anxiety experienced by those being treated for social anxiety.

Paxil is one of the most favored drug treatments of social anxiety by doctors. Paxil comes in multiple dosages, which makes it possible for doctors to prescribe the lowest dosage needed to their patients.
The controlled release tablets work throughout the day, which cuts down on many side affects associated with social anxiety medication, including nervousness and dry mouth. However, there are still possible side effects of taking Paxil CR, including sweating, nausea, dry mouth, constipation, decreased appetite, tremors, sexual side effects, and yawning.

Researchers believe that since Paxil CR has proven to be effective in the treatment of a variety of mood and anxiety disorders, the medication may assist doctors in controlling the other disorders that social anxiety can cause, such as depression and panic disorder.

Paxil CR is not addictive, which makes it useful for long-term treatment of social anxiety. However, people who use Paxil CR to treat their social anxiety should not depend on it as a long-term solution, and should work instead to deal with the underlying causes of social anxiety. This can be done through counseling. However, you should not stop taking Paxil CR without discussing this with your doctor in advance.

Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP), also called the scrambling technique, has been a proven treatment for social anxiety disorder. Neurolinguistic Programming is a psychological therapy that involves finding your personal power and getting to the root of your issues, by using positive affirmations and letting go of fears and blockages. NLP is basically a process of reprogramming your brain.

Neurolinguistic Programming was developed in the early 1970’s at the University of California at Santa Cruz. The study began as an attempt to discover exactly what made people become effective and successful, and why different people with the same level of education and identical backgrounds experience different levels of success. During the study, it was discovered that the patterns of a persons thinking plays a huge role in determining the amount of success that person will experience, and that the brain can learn the healthy patterns and behaviors that bring about positive physical and emotional results. Neurolinguistic programming was born.

Neurolinguistic Programming is about viewing experiences from a different angle, either voluntarily or by force. This helps to reprogram thought patterns. For instance, a woman starts having panic attacks anytime she gets behind the wheel of a car and eventually gave up driving. While visiting a foreign country with her children, the only way to get around was to drive.

The woman was forced to drive, using a clutch and driving on the left hand side of the road, instead of the right. Once we learn to drive, it becomes automatic to us - like breathing. But this woman was forced to drive in ways that were absolutely new to her. As a result, she was cured of her panic attacks while driving, and when she returned home, she was able to resume driving without having panic attacks. Her thoughts on driving were totally reprogrammed.

Social Anxiety Disorder can also be treated - and cured - with Neurolinguistic Programming. People are simply taught new ways to view social situations, and their thinking patterns are changed in a way that takes away the fear of social situations. There is quite a bit of information on the use of Neurolinguistic Programming online. A great site is Advanced Neuro Dynamics at www.nlp.com .

There are many different types of medications that can be used to treat social anxiety. The problem is that medication does not cure social anxiety. It simply makes social anxiety more manageable. In many cases, the use of medication masks issues that would be better addressed and eliminated. However, if medication is being used while the issues surrounding social anxiety are being addressed and dealt with, then medication does serve a purpose in treating social anxiety.

In the past, social anxiety was treated mainly with beta blockers, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI’s), Benzodiazapines, tricyclic antidepressants (TCA), and azaspirones. In more recent years, physicians have started prescribing mild antidepressants, such as Paxil and Zoloft, which are not addictive, and have proven to be quite effective.

Beta blockers are commonly prescribed for heart conditions, but they have also been found useful in the treatment of performance anxiety. Beta blockers control rapid heartbeat, shaking, trembling, and blushing. The two most common beta blockers are Propanadol and Atenolol.

Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors, commonly called MAOI’s, are actually antidepressants that are prescribed for the treatment of depression. It is used in the treatment of social anxiety, by treating the symptoms that are associated with both depression and social anxiety. However, MAOI’s are not necessarily safe drugs to take, and a strict diet must be followed.

Benzodiazapines are used to slow down the central nervous system. They are also used as muscle relaxers to treat muscle spasms. They are also used as injections to relieve anxiety and reduce memory before a medical procedure. Since it affects memory in strong doses, it probably isn’t one of the best medications to take when you are trying to treat social anxiety, since the purpose would be to use the medication to alleviate symptoms while working on controlling anxiety in other ways.

Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCA) are used in the treatment of severe depression, or depression with anxiety. They are also used to treat obsessional disorders and panic attacks. It is not recommended for long term treatment, and research has actually seen very little success with this type of medication in the treatment of social anxiety.

Azaspirones increase the activity of serotonin in the brain. They are prescribed for the treatment of general anxiety disorder (GAD), as well as social anxiety disorder. They work very slowly, and are not recommended for long term use.

Antidepressants such as Paxil and Zoloft are probably the best medications to use in the treatment of social anxiety. These medications also control the serotonin that is produced by the brain, and the medication is available in controlled release tablets, which keeps the medication working throughout the day, without leaving the patient feeling drugged. These medications make it quite easy to control the symptoms of social anxiety, while working towards dealing with the issues without the medication. These medications are safe, and non-addictive, which means that they are safe to take for long periods of time, but long term use is not recommended in the treatment of social anxiety, because the patient may start depending on the medication instead of learning how to confront the issues.

Social anxiety has a great impact on the quality of a person’s life. People who suffer from social anxiety order have a fear of social situations. This isn’t limited to large gatherings or public performances. This can include all types of social situations - even talking to a person one-on-one.

Fear of social situations can include interacting with new people one-on-one,  talking on the telephone, shopping, driving, eating or drinking, writing, attending or hosting events, dating, performances, talking to authority figures, or even attending church. Social anxiety can basically have a great impact on every area of your life.

If you fear talking to other people - whether it is a one-on-one situation, a large group, or a small gathering, you could miss out on developing a fulfilling lifelong relationship. You miss out on finding new friends. The greatly reduces your circle of friends, and holds you back from having those wonderful relationships that you might have had - if you didn’t have social anxiety.

Social anxiety is famous for holding people back from advancing in their careers as well. If you can’t talk to your boss, or your co-workers, you can’t do your job effectively. People who have social anxiety get passed over for promotions often - not because anyone knows that they have social anxiety, but because they have a problem expressing themselves and talking to the people who determine who gets raises and promotions.

Social anxiety can rise to a point where a person eventually fears leaving their homes, answering the door, or even answering the telephone. Even mild cases of social anxiety can have a profound affect on your life - holding you back from the things that you want or need to do in your life.

Social anxiety can totally change the outcome of the life that you were supposed to live, by holding you back from situations that would greatly benefit you and improve your life in some way. This is why social anxiety disorder must be treated and overcome. It may never go away, but it can certainly be treated, and the fear that you experience can be reduced to a level that you can deal with. This will allow you to take advantage of all the opportunities that come your way throughout your life.

When you’ve learned to deal with your social anxiety, and your fear, you will find that the quality of your life has greatly improved. Instead of hiding from social interaction, you will eventually welcome it, and take advantage of all that those social interactions have to offer your life. You will be able to develop lifelong relationships and advance in your chosen career without being held back by social anxiety.

Often, it is hard to spot social anxiety disorder - even for the person who has it. Some people who have social anxiety can appear to be very outgoing. They might even be the life of the party - or at least it may seem that way. Some people deal with their social anxiety by drawing into themselves and avoiding the interaction. Others deal with social anxiety by going outward, and they seem to be the life of every party.

Would you believe me if I told you that Jerry Seinfeld suffers from social anxiety disorder? He is quite funny. He’s a stand up comic, and he had one of the longest running sitcoms on television - but he still suffers from social anxiety. He confronts it by being funny.

People with social anxiety don’t generally draw attention to themselves, but those who do draw attention to themselves do so in a way that makes people laugh. These people look at it like they are going to be watched and judged anyway, so why not give people something to watch. Instead of laughing at me, it can seem like they are laughing with me, because I am funny.

Some people who suffer from social anxiety aren’t actually drawing attention to themselves because they are funny. If you are in a social gathering with the same small group of people over and over again, pay attention to what everyone is doing. Is there one who arrives at the gathering who appears to have already had a few drinks? Does that person continue to drink throughout the event? That could be alcoholism, but it could also be social anxiety. In order for that person to function normally - in their opinion - they must drink to build up their confidence and ‘loosen up’ enough to deal with the social interaction.

You should also note that there is a difference between naturally being funny and attracting attention and trying to be funny and attract attention. Often, people with social anxiety fall into the second group - they are trying to be funny, but not necessarily trying to attract attention. They feel that if they can put the attention on their jokes, instead of themselves, they can deal with the social interaction more easily.

There are people out there who have social anxiety that you never would have guessed had it. Jerry Seinfeld is just one. Other famous, seemingly outgoing people who suffer from social anxiety disorder include Kim Basinger, Donny Osmond, Barbara Streisand, Sir Laurence Olivier, Susie O’Neill, Rebecca Gibney, Gary McDonald, and Simon Palomares.

Social anxiety disorder affects millions of people. It wasn’t widely recognized in years past, and it was often misdiagnosed. But in recent years, it has gained acknowledgment in the medical community, and physicians, therapists, and psychiatrists have finally started treating the disorder.

People with social anxiety fear social interaction and social events. The amount of fear that is experienced varies from one person to the next. Some are able to interact socially, despite the fear, while others experience the fear to such a huge degree that they don’t even want to leave their homes, answer the door, or answer the telephone.

Often, people do feel some level of anxiety when going on job interviews, asking someone out on a date or speaking in public. This is normal anxiety that most of us do experience. However, when the anxiety reaches a level where it is altering your life, you may have social anxiety, and you should seek treatment.

If you find that you are avoiding social interaction, and you can’t find a viable reason for that avoidance, you probably have social anxiety. People who are socially anxious often feel that people are watching and judging them. They fear making a fool of themselves in public.  Social anxiety doesn’t just strike when you are in a social situation, the fear and anxiety may start to build when a social situation is anticipated.

For instance, if you are invited to a party, you might start to feel anxiety before the event. You may start to make excuses as to why you cannot attend. You may attend anyway, and then experience very uncomfortable symptoms, and become fearful and overwhelmed to the point where you can no longer function properly.

Common physical symptoms of social anxiety include: rapid heartbeat, tremors, sweating, diarrhea, confusion, blushing, nausea, difficulty talking, muscle tension, dry throat, dry mouth, muscle twitches, dizziness, feelings of being smothered, shortness of breath, chest pains, difficulty swallowing, and paleness.

Mental and emotional symptoms of social anxiety include: avoiding social situations, becoming isolated, feelings of being overwhelmed, feelings of embarrassment, intense self consciousness in social settings, distorted thoughts, a blank mind, an overwhelming need to escape, and feelings of inadequacy.

Behavioral symptoms of social anxiety also exist. Not everyone who suffers from social anxiety has destructive behavior, however, some people with social anxiety will turn to drugs or alcohol because they feel that this helps them function better in social interactions.

If you feel that you suffer from social anxiety, there is help for you - you just have to be willing to seek help. Therapy and medication are quite effective, and there are alternative methods of treatment that also work well, without the use of medication.

Social Anxiety Disorder, a disorder that affects millions of people, can affect children as well. Studies have shown that both boys and girls are equally affected by social anxiety disorder. The symptoms that children have are often the same as the symptoms that adults have, but their reaction to those symptoms is quite different.

Children may experience headaches, dizziness, tummy aches, diarrhea, joint pains, or nausea before or during a peer related social event. The symptoms can become so severe that they cause complete mutism, where the child is unable or unwilling to speak. Social phobia in children can accompany other disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, separation anxiety, and depression.

Children who withdraw from social interaction, or become distressed in unfamiliar situations as toddlers are more likely to develop social anxiety disorder than toddlers who approach others and show no distress in unfamiliar situations. Since children who have social anxiety are usually quiet, and do not exhibit behavioral problems, the problem goes unnoticed by adults - unless they know what they are looking for.

Unlike adults, children do not have the capacity to realize that their fears are excessive or unreasonable. This can lead to even more problems. Children who suffer from social anxiety disorder often turn to drugs or alcohol in their teen years, to self medicate themselves, which helps them feel more comfortable, and ‘normal’ in social situations.

Children with social anxiety experience excessive shyness and tantrums. They tend to cry alot, and have a strong, clinging attachment to their parents. There is usually a decline in their academic performance at school, and they will usually avoid going to school. These children do not want to take part in social activities that are appropriate for their age. However, they are often quite comfortable in social situations with adults, and only seem to have problems interacting with their peers.

As adults, we often forget how hard it really is to be a child. Unless you have social anxiety yourself, you probably cannot begin to imagine what a typical day of school is like for a child who has social anxiety disorder. These children are filled with anxiety every single day. They have few friends, and often have no friends. They are viewed as loners by adults, and as ‘weird’ by their peers. These children are very lonely, and if left untreated, they will fail to develop adequate social skills.

Unfortunately, children can be very cruel to each other. This natural cruelty just increases the anxiety that these children feel, and causes them to draw even further away from their peers out of fear of ridicule or humiliation. Some children will eventually refuse to attend school. Others will drop out at the first opportunity.

Many medications that are used to treat social anxiety disorder in adults are not suitable for children. Psychotherapy is the preferred treatment for children - without medication, if possible. Often, when children are diagnosed and treated early for social anxiety, they go on to live very productive lives, with no traces of social anxiety disorder in their adult lives.

In recent years, medication has been introduced that can be used for effective treatment of social anxiety. This is great news for those who have suffered with social anxiety issues for the majority of their lives. They are finding a new found freedom, and taking advantage of opportunities that they never thought they would be able to take advantage of. (more…)