Fearful Situations - Social Anxiety Disorder
Dr. Christine Foutch is a holistic physician practicing in Rock Island, IL. The practice of holistic medicine integrates conventional and alternative therapies to prevent disease, treat disease, and most importantly promote optimal health.
Self-expression, the privileged communication of one’s views. Some, great courage and personal growth arises from the freedom one feels to express their own individuality.
A primary, universal human characteristic is our curious need to interact within our environment; physically, socially, and therefore, emotionally.
- Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)
Characterized by a debilitating fear of social interactions. Additionally, any critical judgments brought about by the perceptions of others. Therefore, socializing and social events become, avoided.
Social anxiety disorder is considered to be the most common of psychiatric disorders; furthermore, it is associated with regular impairments and the increase of the development of other psychological disturbances.
Multiple characteristics of social anxiety disorder are quite widespread throughout the population. Taking into consideration, let us say, the fears one may have when speaking in front of a larger group of people. These correlated behaviors, including the overwhelming emotional responses associated, are a representation of our bodily alarm-systems. Reactions, for the potentially life-threatening incident.
With a closer look into the functioning body, the specific biological functioning contributions are understandably obvious. The activation of the cardiovascular system, increasing blood flow…the constriction of specific blood vessels, raising blood pressure; directing blood flow.
The excess of circulating blood is now directed toward the skeletal muscle; purposely for the ability to self defend. All of which, reflexively, creates the need for one to escape the current situation. Therefore, the organisms that are able to quickly and effectively respond to a life-threatening situation survive the course of the day.
With the presence of an approaching predator, this agitating alarm system is very appropriate. In our modern-day, however, that approaching predator may potentially just be a motionless group of individuals that you are about to formally speak in front of.
These various complicated defensive bodily functional adjustments have been termed our biological survival mechanisms, or preferably, our stress-response.
This bodily response…our biological stress survival mechanisms have many important implications for our human fears or the experience of anxiety.
Social Anxiety Disorder Consequential Triggers
- Personal and Formal Introductions
- Criticism or Teasing
- The Feelings of Centered Attention
- Feelings Of Observance or Being Watched
- Formal Public Events
- Authority Figures
- Social Situations and Events
- Eye Contact
- Public Activities or Actions
Social Anxiety Disorder Emotional And Physical Symptoms
- Uncontrolled Overwhelming Fears
- Nervousness
- Racing Heart
- Blushing
- Excessive Sweating
- Dry Mouth
- Trembling or shaking
- Muscle Tension
The social with the added quality of life consequences should be considered for individuals suffering from panic or social phobias. Those bearing the consequences of social anxiety disorders may appear to hide within the shadows; shying away from interactions with those in their immediate environment.
To the observer, appearing to be quiet and disengaged, all while the internal emotional turmoil is exhaustingly overwhelming for the individual.
Therefore, employment and interpersonal relationships considerably suffer; due to this socializing phobia.
The experience of social anxiety influences our individual sense of self-worth; therefore our behaviors. Then, of course, our sense of well-being. Going forth to intrude on our complete sense of self; altering our activities of participation. Eventually, going forth to interfere with our physical health. As the understanding that our emotions affect our physical health is dating back as far as the second-century physician Galen.
Today, with our considered more modern medicine widely continues to view, as well as, treat the Mind and Body as two separate entities. Thankfully, over the past 30 plus years or so, the needed research linking physical health, emotional status, behaviors, social status, and interpersonal interactions has begun to move towards the mainstream. As a more holistic version of health emerges.
Resources and Data For Your Viewing:
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0061713
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2684086
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/trials/social-phobia-social-anxiety-disorder.shtml
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1456909/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galen
