Social Anxiety Treatment

People with social phobia have intense, persistent, and chronic fear of being watched and fear of being judged by others, in addition to being fearful of doing things that will embarrass themselves. They may worry for days or weeks before a dreaded situation. This fear may become so severe that it interferes with work, school, and other ordinary activities, and often leads to difficulty in making and/or keeping friends.

Treatment for Social Anxiety

As used in all other anxiety disorders, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is very useful in treating social phobia, and the central component of this type of treatment is Exposure Therapy (ET). With a combination of CBT, ET, and at times medication, one can produce long-lasting relief from social anxiety.
With Exposure Therapy, there are three components to the treatment. The first involves gradual exposure to a feared situation while helping the person become more comfortable in dealing with the situation. Second, by deliberately inducing the risk of embarrassment or rejection, people learn that they can handle the situation. And third, people are taught coping mechanisms through generating constructive responses to effectively deal with their fears and perceived disapproval.

Cognitive restructuring is also incorporated into the treatment plan by teaching a person to challenge irrational thinking. This process gradually replaces maladaptive thoughts with more realistic ways of looking at anxiety provoking situations.

Those who suffer from social phobia often acknowledge that their thoughts and fears are generally irrational. That is, people with social anxiety know that others are not really critically judging or evaluating them all the time. They understand that people are not trying to embarrass or humiliate them. They realize that their thoughts and feelings are exaggerated, yet despite knowing this, they still feel profound anxiety.

Other Common Anxiety Disorders

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
• General Anxiety Disorder
• Panic Disorder
• Post-Traumatic Disorder
• Trichotillomania
• Body Dysmorphic Disorder

It is not uncommon for an individual to suffer from multiple anxiety disorders. Treating co-occurring conditions simultaneously is important in finding balance and healing from anxiety.

The Gateway Institute is here to support you in getting the help that you need.