Apprehension, fear, avoidance and pain. Do you identify with these words too often? If the answer is yes, then you may be dealing with social anxiety disorder (SAD). If you are afraid of talking to strangers, remain negative and expect the worst from your social interactions, worry too much about the approval or rejection of other people, and get anxious in anticipating any event or conversation, then you are suffering with this health problem. mental.

Social anxiety doesn’t go away on its own, and there are some things that only those who suffer from it can understand. Here are some of them:

1. His idea of ​​a pleasant evening is to stay at home with his pet, books, television or the internet. They avoid going outside or hanging out with colleagues or friends. They are happy to connect with their loved ones on social media, but meeting someone in person is something they avoid for a long time.

2. They fear going to crowded meetings or events. Once they get to that place, they find it very difficult to blend in. If they are introduced to someone, they find it difficult to start or carry on a conversation and ultimately they are left alone. Even in these matches, they always think that they are being closely scrutinized and judged.

3. People with SAD bring their lunch to work, not to save money but to avoid going out to lunch with colleagues and getting to know each other. Every time they are invited to a happy gathering, they refuse and eventually people start to ignore them thinking they are antisocial. They are happy during lunch or tea time and do not like to chat with their coworkers during breaks.

4. Anxious people are always tired. Constant fatigue arises from persistent worry. They get tired of making excuses not to socialize, to find escape routes, and to avoid people.

5. These people also experience classic symptoms of an anxiety disorder such as sweating, heavy breathing, and rapid heartbeat when they are in an uncomfortable situation. What adds to their problems is the realization that they are constantly being noticed, which haunts them to the point that they want to disappear.

6. They prefer to send an email or text message rather than call and meet face-to-face. They fear making and receiving calls, sharing about their life, and embarrassing others with their talk.

7. People with SAD may have one or two close friends with whom they are absolutely comfortable. However, they never want an addition to their circle of friends, as it causes them stress.

8. They are overwhelmed by extra people in the room, extra light, smell, or anything that makes them uncomfortable. Excess of anything can intimidate them. As a result, they go into flight mode and begin to find ways to excuse themselves from those situations.

9. They obsess over their appearance, clothes, how they smell or look, etc. They don’t understand that the people around them have their own priorities and no one has time to analyze them. But they always feel like they are being judged from head to toe for their decisions.

10. People affected by SAD become involved in bruxism. Invariably they begin to grind their teeth or clench their jaw when they find themselves in an awkward situation. Unfortunately, the people around them notice it and it makes things worse for them.

Life beyond social anxiety

Anxiety can be overwhelming when it persists for a long time. Social anxiety can prevent you from staying at a good job, performing impressive at school or work, making lasting friendships, traveling to distant and beautiful places, and much more. It is inevitable that a person dealing with this disorder will seek help through medications and behavioral therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy.