What Is Social Phobia?
It has been discovered that social phobia is much different than specific phobias like a fear of heights or needles. Now social phobias are recognized as being different enough from specific phobias that social phobias are their own category of phobia. This is because a social phobia must be dealt with differently than a specific phobia.
The most common social phobia is a fear of speaking in public, although it is not the only social phobia. Most if not all phobias which are social in nature are founded on a feeling that you will end up being ridiculed or judged for your actions among other people. This can lead to people who suffer from social phobias to become very shy and isolated which has its own set of risk factors, namely drug and alcohol abuse. Many who suffer from social phobias will frequently drink or use drugs before facing certain social situations so that they will ‘loosen up,’ but like other phobias, this behavior begins a vicious cycle that only strengthens the social phobia.
Since the people with this problem look drunk or even high in public, the situation frequently will turn into a self fulfilling prophesy and in fact they do embarrass themselves as well as setting themselves in a position to be judged. This only leads to more alcohol or drug abuse and avoidance of the situations they fear; as this continues they become more entrenched in their isolationism, and substance abuse.
Social phobias were confused with specific phobias for so long because most social phobias are actually a kind of anxiety disorder. For this reason, social phobias are treated with anti-anxiety medicine so they will not focus on the risk and consequences of embarrassing themselves in public. The use of anti-anxiety medicine can be complicated if a social phobia sufferer has developed a dependency on drugs or alcohol. Most anti-anxiety medications do not mix well with alcohol and drugs and often make its user more inebriated.
Because social phobias present much more risk of developing a substance abuse problem than other phobias, like a fear of snakes or heights, etc., it needs to be taken in a very serious way. Care must be taken to ensure that a social phobia does not spawn a cycle of substance abuse and isolationism that could ruin someone’s life forever. Although it may sound like a stretch, the irrationality of phobias and the addictive natural of drugs and alcohol make sufferers of social phobias extremely likely to get pulled into a lifestyle that they did not want.
If you think that someone you know may have a social phobia, you may need to recommend that they speak to a specialist about their problem. Although most people insist that they do not need any help, treating a social phobia can drastically improve someone’s life and relieve them of a lot of anxiety. If you notice unbalanced drug or alcohol use, it is all the more important that you get involved before they create another set of problems for themselves.
For further informative information click here: Avoid A Panic Attack also click here Panic Attack And Public Speaking as well as Effects Of A Panic Attack
