Before leaving the house, do you ever worry to yourself “they’ll think I’m stupid” or “they’ll think I’m weird”? Occasional nerves around social interactions are nothing to worry about, but when nerves turn to fear, it’s time to look for help.
Statistics Canada reports that 14.6 per cent of Canadians have experienced social anxiety in their lifetime, most often seen in women aged 15-24.
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is defined by CAMH as “a fear or anxiety about being humiliated or scrutinized in social situations, which lasts at least six months. This fear causes significant distress or impairment in day-to-day functioning.”
Do You Have Social Anxiety?
No online test – including the one below – can provide an anxiety diagnosis. The test is only meant to indicate whether or not you show possible signs or symptoms. If you’re worried about your mental health, talk to a professional.
Think you might have social anxiety?
SAD can affect multiple facets of your life, including work, education, relationships, transportation (i.e. using public transit), recreational activities, and hobbies.
The National Institute on Aging found that social isolation is as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Loneliness has also been proven to put you at greater risk for developing neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Overcoming social anxiety is no easy feat and progress is not linear, but with consistent hard work, anxiety does not have to dictate your life.
Treating Social Anxiety Disorder
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is the most effective form of therapy for social anxiety.
Dr Melanie Badali is a Registered Psychiatrist specializing in CBT for anxiety. “People with social anxiety tend to overestimate the threat of social situations and underestimate their ability to cope with them,” Badali said. By avoiding social situations, “people do not get the opportunity to learn their fears were unfounded,” she continued.
The process of CBT changes your mindset through cognitive and behavioural techniques designed to help people gradually face excessive fear. “Over time, engaging in social activity becomes easier as people learn to focus on the opportunities instead of the threats, and benefit from socializing,” Badali said.
Are you curious about how cognitive behavioural therapy works?
Other treatment options include medications, such as anti-anxiety or antidepressants, support groups, and self help practices.
Strategies to Tackle Your Anxiety
It’s important to learn how to regulate fear and anxiety in everyday situations. Badali recommends four strategies to help keep social anxiety in check.
- Educate yourself. Learn about anxiety. Knowledge is power.
- Reality check your thinking. Thoughts are not facts or directions. Is there any way you are overestimating the threat or underestimating your ability to cope? Is there another way of looking at the situation?
- Face your fears. No step is too small. If you have trouble getting started, ask for help.
- Be compassionate toward yourself. If you find yourself avoiding a social situation or enduring it with dread, ask yourself what you would say to a friend who was in a similar situation.
Free Resources
Anxiety Canada has an app Mindshift CBT. A completely free platform, it offers opportunities for learning, journaling, meditation, exposure training, and more.
Another resource from Anxiety Canada is My Anxiety Plan. With 45 lessons available, the program has a lot to offer. Divided into easily digestible chunks, each lesson only takes 10 minutes.
Seeking help, whether through therapy, self-help strategies, or community support, is the first step. Progress takes time but if you do the work, the results will follow. You deserve to reclaim your life and feel confident in social situations.
~ Read more from The Health Insider ~
- Maternal Mental Health: New Study Supports Expanding Ways To Get Help
One in five Canadian pregnant and postpartum women experience depression and anxiety, but fewer than 10% receive proper treatment. A new study shows effective ways to expand access. - Tackle Social Anxiety and Reclaim Your LifeLearn where you can get support for social anxiety and live life the way you want to live it. Take the free test from Anxiety Centre and see if you may be at risk for social anxiety.
- AI Mental Health Companions: Help or Hype?AI mental health companions promise 24/7 mental health support, but can they replace therapy with a human? Discover their benefits, risks, and best uses.
The information provided on TheHealthInsider.ca is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. TheHealthInsider.ca advises consulting a medical professional or healthcare provider when seeking medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment.
