Social phobia is fear of people. What exactly are social phobes afraid of? Late onset of the disorder is associated with

The existence of social phobia as a specific syndrome has been confirmed in successive classifications since the DSM-III (early eighties). Several scales have been proposed to determine the presence of social phobia - Liebowitz and Davidson. Neither method has an advantage over the other and both methods are recommended for research. In Russia, according to Andryushchenko A.V. (city), Yakovlev V.A. (city); Ivleva E.I., Shcherbatykh Yu.V. (g.) social phobia occurs at one time or another in 8% of the population and requires immediate treatment. It is also interesting to note that in Sweden (data from Furmork T., Tillfbrs M., Evers R., G.) - social phobia is more common among females, there is a connection with low and insufficient education, as well as insufficient social support.

In studies by Canadian scientists - Dewit D. I., Ogbome A., Offord D. R. (g.), social phobia is a chronic phenomenon that seriously disrupts the lives of patients, which is rarely treated, unless it occurs in conjunction with other painful conditions. Thus, social phobia is a disease that requires comprehensive study and treatment; this problem deserves special attention from clinicians.

Clinical picture of social phobia

Fear is an emotion that arises in situations of threat to the biological or individual existence of an individual and is aimed at the source of real or imagined danger. Fear varies over a fairly wide range (apprehension, fear, fear, horror). If the source of danger is uncertain or unconscious, the resulting state is anxiety. Functionally, fear is a warning to the subject about an upcoming danger, allows you to focus attention on its source, and encourages you to look for ways to avoid it. In the case when fear reaches the strength of affect ( panic fear, horror), he is able to impose behavioral stereotypes (flight, numbness, defensive aggression). Formed fear reactions are relatively persistent and can persist even with the understanding of their meaninglessness. A person’s increased tendency to fear is deprived of its adaptive significance and is traditionally viewed negatively. With social phobia, the subject experiences obsessive, inadequate experiences of fears of a specific content (fear of blushing, fear of being ridiculed in public, etc.), affecting the patient in a certain environment (the fear intensifies the day before or during important situations) and is accompanied by autonomic dysfunctions(heartbeat, profuse sweat, pressure fluctuations, etc.).

If the patient does not display a clear critical understanding of the groundlessness and unreasonableness of his fears, then this is most often not a phobia, but pathological doubts (fears), delusions, which already belongs to the register of severe mental states in a person. Fear in the life of some people suffering from social phobia is very significant, sometimes it acquires a global meaning in the individual’s existence, prevents them from living a full life, and although he cannot do anything about it, the patient still maintains a critical attitude towards fear.

With social phobias, there is a fear of carrying out a particular action in society, the volitional component is disrupted, and a person lacks self-control in a particular situation. Self-control is an important character trait that helps a person manage himself, his own behavior, and maintain the ability to perform activities in the most unfavorable conditions. A person with developed self-control can, in any situation, even emergency situations and circumstances to subordinate his emotions to the voice of reason, not to allow them to disrupt the organized structure of his mental life. The main content of this property is the work of two psychological mechanisms: self-control and correction. With the help of self-control, the subject monitors the emotional state, identifying possible deviations (compared to the background, usual state) in the nature of its course. To this end, he asks himself test questions such as: “do I look excited now,” “am I gesturing too much,” “am I speaking too quietly or, conversely, loudly, too quickly, confusingly,” etc. If self-control records the fact of mismatch, then this result is the impetus for launching a correction mechanism aimed at suppressing and restraining the emotional “explosion” and returning the normal reaction to the normative channel. With social phobia, a person is in the grip of doubts.

Up to 6-8% of the population experiences this condition at one time or another in their lives (Libowitz, Montgomery, 1995). The impact on one’s own emotions can also be proactive (in a sense, preventive) in nature, that is, even before the appearance of obvious signs emotional imbalance, fully anticipating real opportunity such an event (situation of danger, risk, increased responsibility, etc.), a person, using special techniques of self-influence (self-persuasion, self-orders, etc.) strives to prevent its occurrence.

In some cases, social phobias are accompanied by rituals - obsessive movements and actions that acquire a protective nature for the patient and are assessed by him as requiring repetition in the same type of situation to prevent or eliminate phobias. At the second stage, after a violation of self-control, a person’s protective factors are triggered. Historically, the first scientist to create a fairly coherent theory of the defense mechanisms of the “I” was the famous Austrian doctor and psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud. Currently, the term “defense mechanism” denotes a strong behavioral pattern (scheme, stereotype, model) formed in order to protect the “I” from awareness of phenomena that give rise to fear and anxiety. Basic and common for different types Defense mechanisms, as Freud and his followers believed, are that they:

• a) unconscious, that is, a person is not aware of the reasons and motives, or the goal, or the very fact of his protective behavior towards a certain phenomenon or object;
• b) defense mechanisms always distort, falsify or replace reality.

Already in his first works on defense mechanisms, Freud pointed out that there are two main ways to cope with anxiety. First, more in a healthy way, he considered the way to interact with the phenomenon that generates anxiety: this can be overcoming obstacles, and “prototypical” situations:

• loss of a significant object ( loved one, favorite animal, etc.);
• loss of relationship with the object (love, approval, recognition from a significant person, etc.);
• loss of oneself, one’s personality or part of it (for example, in cases with social phobia - fear of “losing face” in a conflict situation or fear of “public ridicule” in a significant situation, fear of humiliation);
• loss of attitude towards oneself (fear of losing self-respect).

Later, psychologists, psychoanalysts and psychotherapists began to consider fear as a feeling that has its source in a certain object, and anxiety, which is characterized precisely by the absence of specific object and focus on the future. How does the Austrian psychiatrist V. Frankl explain fear? A certain symptom causes the patient to fear that it will happen again, and along with this, a fear of expectation (phobia) arises, which leads to the fact that the symptom actually appears again, which only strengthens the patient’s initial fears.

Under certain conditions, fear itself may turn out to be something that the patient is afraid of repeating. Patients themselves talk about fear of fear (phobophobia). How do they motivate this fear? With social phobias, for example, there is a fear of blushing in society. And how do they react to their fear? By escape. For example, they try not to leave the house. The morbidity (pathogenicity) of this reaction lies in the fact that fears and obsessive states are caused, in particular, by the desire to avoid situations that cause anxiety. V. Frankl says the following: a patient suffering from a phobia must learn not only to do something, despite the fear of it, but also to do exactly what he is afraid of, to look for those situations in which he usually experiences fear. Fear will recede “slowly,” because it is a biological reaction of anxiety that seeks to sabotage one or another action or avoid one or another situation that fear represents as dangerous. If the patient has learned to act “past” the fear, then the fear will gradually subside, as if atrophying from inaction.

With social phobia, unlike panic disorder, there is always a clear, usually single, situational cause that triggers a cascade of psychovegetative manifestations, which at altitude can be indistinguishable from panic attacks (facial redness, tachycardia, palpitations, sweating, tremor, dyspnea and etc.). Anticipatory anxiety and avoidance behavior are also essential attributes of social phobia and most often arise in connection with the possibility of being observed by strangers. Many of the signs of social phobia, such as fear of public speaking, are present in healthy individuals, so a diagnosis is made only if the anxiety causes significant discomfort and the phobic feelings are assessed as excessive and unreasonable.

In its phenomenological manifestations, social phobia resembles panic disorder; the difference lies mainly in the presence of a stable social situation that causes this condition. As an independent diagnostic category, social phobia is rarely recognized by doctors. Usually its manifestations are considered within the framework of simple phobias, personal pathology (generalized form) or as an extreme version of cultural shyness.

The prevalence of social phobia in the population varies from 3 to 13%. Observed most often in single women with low socioeconomic status, it is often combined with depression, as well as other anxiety spectrum disorders. The generalized form of social phobia (with the spread of fears to many public situations) is very often combined with an anxious (avoidant) personality type.

In the United States, according to recent epidemiological studies, social phobia is the third most common psychological problem.

Treatment of social phobia

Drug treatment

The most commonly used pharmacological drugs for social phobia are serotonergic antidepressants, anxiolytics (mainly benzodiazepines), beta-blockers (to relieve vegetative manifestations), MAO inhibitors (reversible) and triazole benzodiazepines. There is also a certain class of antidepressants known as reversible MAO inhibitors, such as moclobemide. They are effective for social phobia, particularly in cases of social anxiety. Physical symptoms of tension may be reduced by the use of beta blockers (propanolol or atenolol). They are often prescribed for fears of physical symptoms such as trembling when speaking in a meeting. The chances of achieving lasting positive effects from antidepressants are increased if medications are combined with behavioral therapy. In cases of general anxiety disorders, combining medication with behavioral therapy produces the most optimal results.

Behavioral therapy

Behavioral psychotherapy is focused on persistent reduction of symptoms. At the very beginning therapeutic work it is necessary to determine what causes the symptoms and what maintains them. Treatment is selected in accordance with a specific plan. Specialist in behavioral therapy selects methods and techniques whose effectiveness has already been proven in working with these symptoms. In the intervals between visits to the therapist, patients complete homework, which gradually, step by step, becomes more difficult.

There are three important points in behavioral therapy for social phobia:

1. Working with alarming thoughts.
2. Development of social skills.
3. Overcoming alienation.

These three positions can be either combined or used independently of each other.

Dealing with Anxious Thoughts

It is also known as cognitive therapy (cognition = thought). The first step is to monitor negative thoughts (for example, “I'm sure I'll get the shakes,” or “They'll think I'm boring,” or “It'll be terrible if he doesn't like me”).

Such thoughts are monitored in order to determine their correspondence to the actual state of affairs. Whenever possible, they are transformed into more realistic ones and often become positive.

Acquiring Social Skills

It has been proven that in most people suffering from social phobia, anxiety is caused by a lack of certain social skills. The risk of being misunderstood increases when a person cannot start a conversation or refuse a request. The acquisition of social skills usually occurs in a group setting, where during role-playing games certain social situations are modeled, discussed and played out. One of the important points in overcoming social phobia is daily slow speech training. You need to devote 30 minutes a day to practicing slow speech. Moreover, this should be done at home completely calm state in the absence of other people. After a few weeks of daily practice, you can practice speaking slowly with your most trusted people.

Overcoming Alienation

Behavioral therapy cannot be successful until alienation is overcome. “Opening” exercises are very effective, especially in situations that provoke anxiety. They usually start with simple situations, gradually complicating them. Patients, for example, may go to a party, return a defective product to a store, or go to a cafe and drink a cup of coffee there (even if their hands are shaking). The anxiety that occurs while doing these exercises will gradually decrease. When performing such tasks, a person discovers that the negative effect he expected does not correspond to reality, and to next situation he approaches with a great sense of self-confidence.

See also

Notes

Literature

• J. W. Biik “Training to overcome social phobia. Self Help Guide"
• Shcherbatykh Yu. V., Ivleva E. I. Psychophysiological and clinical aspects fear, anxiety and phobias / Yu. V. Shcherbatykh, E. I. Ivleva. - Voronezh: Origins, 1998. - 282 pp. ISBN 5 88242-094-6

Links

• (USA) (English)
• Social phobia. The way to overcome. (J.W. Beek. A guide to self-overcoming social phobia. Translation from English) (Russian)

Social phobes are people who suffer mental disorder, which manifests itself in the fear of being surrounded by other members of society. They are afraid to speak, act, and are constantly embarrassed at the sight of others. Such conditions often lead to emotional stress and even panic attacks.

Causes of social phobia

According to researchers, social phobes are people who make up no less than 12% of the planet's population. At the same time, the ratio of men and women is approximately equal. Scientists have long been studying the causes of this deviation. To begin with, it is worth noting that almost all children under the age of 11 have generalized social phobia. This is caused by the fear of ending up in the adult world without the help and support of loved ones.

Specific social phobia manifests itself around the age of 17. It is believed that it is mainly acquired by those who have experience of unsuccessful public speaking. But there is no scientific evidence of this.

There are some suggestions that social phobia is some kind of innate personality trait. A person associates his fears with an ugly, menacing face that looks straight into the eyes. As a result, the individual regards all people around him as those who are hostile towards him.

Social phobias are people who often inherit their problem from their closest relatives. If parents or grandparents had this problem, the child will most likely also be shy and unsociable.

Main symptoms of social phobia

Social phobes are people who are terrified of negative evaluations, and therefore prefer to avoid communication with others. However, this is still not enough to talk about the presence of the disease, because a number of accompanying symptoms should be observed:

• anxiety and a feeling of awkwardness in the most ordinary situations (buying a ticket on transport, paying for goods at the checkout);
• fear of condemnation strangers;
• fear that any behavior will be perceived as compromising;
• abnormally strong excitement before some situations or events (celebrations, business negotiations);
• fear that others may notice manifestations of fear and panic;
• rapid breathing, which can develop into shortness of breath;
• slurred speech and trembling voice;
• tremor of the limbs and whole body;
• dizziness and darkening of the eyes;
• profuse sweating, accompanied by hot flashes;
• loose stools and nausea on the eve of an important event;
• hyperemia.

What exactly are social phobes afraid of?

A former social phobe who was able to cope with the problem to one degree or another identifies specific fears, the main one of which is a negative assessment. Such people are afraid that they may be considered awkward, clumsy, unprofessional, or inept. In this regard, they avoid in every possible way potentially dangerous situations or trying to get out of them as soon as possible.

Social phobes are often persecuted intrusive thoughts about your actions and how they will be assessed by others. Even those things that bring pleasure to others (shopping, going to a cafe, swimming in the sea) are real torture for them. They count the seconds until they can disappear from the sight of others. At the same time, they can spend many minutes and even hours thinking about the negativity that others might see in them.

It is worth noting that social phobes tend to exaggerate the significance of everyday events. So, if the interlocutor leaves for a minute to go to the toilet or talk on the phone, the patient begins to take everything personally. He believes that he is uninteresting or unpleasant to the interlocutor.

Frightening situations

Dating is extremely undesirable for social phobes, because they have a hard time meeting people and are sensitive to everything new. But it is worth taking a closer look at the situations that can put such individuals into a painful state:

• interview with a potential employer;
• public speaking;
• communication by telephone;
• any communications with strangers (both at work and at the everyday level);
• business meetings;
• the need to read or write something in the presence of other people (especially if they can read the content);
• eat in public places (cafes, restaurants, canteens), where others can see it);
• going on a date;
• conversation with respected people in power (or those who are simply higher in position or social status);
• visiting places large cluster people (concerts, exhibitions, cinemas, public transport stops);
• attending festive events (for example, birthdays);
• being in public bathrooms;
• shopping in a supermarket, market or any other retail outlet;
• any other situations that involve observation of a person by others ( sports competitions, dancing in a nightclub, etc.).

Is it possible to treat social phobia?

It doesn't matter how socially phobic you are. If such a problem occurs, then it must be dealt with. Most often, cognitive behavioral psychotherapy is used for this purpose. The essence of the technique is aimed at teaching the patient to challenge thoughts about the negative reaction of others. Next, the person begins to be introduced into specially simulated situations so that he learns to behave and react to them correctly.

Another effective method is called imagery. A person should write down all his feelings when he finds himself in an unpleasant situation. This allows the patient to realize his phobia, and it becomes much easier for the specialist to adjust the treatment. As a result, a person develops the skills of a non-subjective assessment of what is happening. The discomfort that arises in a given situation is no longer a problem.

It is worth understanding that sophiophobes are taught not to avoid unpleasant situations, but to treat them correctly. Over time, a person begins to react more calmly to what is happening, which means he feels more comfortable in society. Most often this can be achieved through hypnosis.

Drug treatment

Sometimes the problem is so severe that it is necessary to resort to drug treatment. In the United States, the practice of prescribing selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors is common. This is the only group of drugs whose effectiveness has been confirmed in treating this problem. Talking about others medicines(beta blockers and benzodiazepines), it should be noted that they are prescribed extremely rarely, because the effectiveness of these drugs has not been proven, but they can be addictive.

How to cope with social phobia on your own?

Not everyone has the time and money to visit a psychologist. But if you realize that social phobia is interfering with your life, try to cope with it yourself. The following methods work well:

• If you start to feel nervous, practice deep breathing. This will help calm the nervous system and eliminate external manifestations of stress.
• Give up negative thinking. Stop thinking that you won’t succeed, that you will be embarrassed, that you might be ridiculed. If you have a responsible event coming up or just communicating with people, draw in your mind positive scenarios that will certainly come true.
• Love yourself. Take care of your health and appearance, devote more time to rest. You will start to look much better, and therefore you will gain self-confidence.
• Enlist the support of your loved ones. Let them constantly remind you of your positive qualities and encourage you before important events.
• Stop avoiding stressful situations. Engage in them intentionally to practice behavioral skills.

Sociopath and social phobe: the difference

There are a lot of terms that have similar pronunciation, but diametrically opposed meanings. Examples include the words “sociopath” and “social phobia.” The difference between them is fundamental. So, a sociopath is aggressive. He doesn't recognize social norms and categorically does not want to adapt to society. Sometimes this behavior can be dangerous for others.

A social phobe is a person who is afraid of society. For him, the challenge is not only speaking in front of a large audience, but also talking to someone unfamiliar. Such people are very reserved and cautious in communication. They are absolutely safe for others.

Introvert and social phobe

Introvert, social phobia... These concepts are often confused. But this is not entirely fair. There are several significant differences:

• An introvert is an innate type of temperament. Such people prefer loneliness or a narrow circle of friends to large companies, which they enjoy. And social phobes often suffer from their situation.
• Social phobes avoid any contact with people.
• By temperamental type, a social phobe may well be an extrovert who wants to communicate with people, but is afraid.
• An introvert loves solitude and strives for it. And for a social phobe, this is something like a payment for peace of mind.
• Social phobes are fixated on public opinion, while introverts don’t care what others think about them.

Misanthrope and social phobe

The concepts of “misanthrope” and “social phobe” have very little in common. The first one has no fear of society. He is extremely aggressive towards people in their general mass. He also treats feelings and weaknesses (the same social phobia) with disdain. Such individuals are usually unsociable and gloomy.

Test "How socially phobic are you?"

Few people will agree that they feel somehow abnormal and wrong. Many resources on the Internet have a test “How much of a bitard and social phobe are you,” but can you trust the electronic mind in such complex issues? There are several signs that will help you recognize the problem. Answer these questions:

• Do you often feel anxious?
• Do you try to avoid situations in which you will be the center of attention or take on any responsibility?
• Does your nervous condition Any external manifestations (reddened face, tremors)?
• Do you feel like you don't fit in or are different from your peers?
• Have you ever experienced humiliating situations accompanied by ridicule as a child?
• Are there people in your close family who have difficulty communicating with other people?
• Are you shy in situations that other people perceive as normal?
• Do you often get depressed?
• Do you drink alcohol often?
• Does it happen that you cannot conduct a normal dialogue, even if the topic of conversation is directly related to your field of activity?
• Do you avoid communicating with people?
• Do you often give up your point of view to please others?

If you answered yes to most of the questions, then there is cause for concern. Try to pull yourself together and seek help from a psychologist.

How to recognize a social phobia in a child?

The sooner the problem is identified, the easier it will be to deal with it. Psychological defects respond well to treatment precisely in childhood. So, you should sound the alarm if:

• The child often talks about his fears. Also, potential social phobes are characterized by constant doubts and hesitations, the inability to make decisions on their own (for example, what to wear, what book to read, and so on).
• Exaggerated fear of criticism. This causes the child to avoid schoolwork or answering questions in class.
• The child finds it difficult to adapt to the team, he has no friends, and he refuses to attend children’s parties.
• Excessive shyness, which restrains the child from expressing joy.
• The child gets lost in simple everyday situations. For example, he cannot ask his desk neighbor for a spare pen, answer a question about age, show the way, and so on.

Don't confuse it with anxiety

It is worth understanding that excitement and anxiety are natural human states that arise in any new or incomprehensible situation. This is an integral part of preparing for an important event, conversation or long-awaited meeting. Normal level Anxiety does not prevent you from acting and communicating with people. Despite all these feelings, you strive to develop your personality and make new acquaintances.

If we're talking about about social phobia, negative feelings overwhelm a person. They are accompanied external manifestations (increased sweating, shortness of breath, nausea, urge to urinate, etc.). A person is literally seized by horror, and therefore he “locks” himself at home, trying to protect himself from such sensations in the future.

Close your eyes for a minute and imagine how you see our society. If in this representation dark shades had advantages, the outlines of evil creatures or predatory animals appeared, it means that you are affected by social phobia to a certain percentage.

Social phobia is a fear of society, an anxious social disorder, non-acceptance of attention from third parties, a strong lack of desire to be in public. At the same time, it is not so critical if you are simply embarrassed to speak in public, but when, during any contact with strangers, you “turn on” the mode of an absolute stressful state, which can lead to the most dire consequences - in this situation it is necessary to urgently treat this disease.

You can’t tell social phobes to their faces that they are social phobics! This gives them social anxiety!
The Big Bang Theory

Social phobia: definition, meaning

Already in the very term social phobia lies a mixture of fear and society, Latin and Greek. Social phobia is a fear (from the Greek phobos - fear, fear) of society (from the Latin socius - common, joint). More than a quarter of the world’s population is already susceptible to this type of mental illness, and almost every second person who can be called a social phobe does not recognize the fact of fear of society.

The disease social phobia is defined by doctors as neurotic state, complicated by the complexity of traits inherent in a person’s character, such as: embarrassment, modesty, timidity, the desire to be alone. The development of the latest communication technologies has only tightened the behavioral criteria in people that are characteristic of social phobes.

The following reasons may contribute to this:

• diseases,
• accident,
• unrequited love,
• death of relatives and friends,
• unsuccessful start to sexual life,
• conflict at work, school,
• antisocial lifestyle,
• poverty,
• lack of recognition of talent and potential.

The causes of social phobia can appear at absolutely any age. Mothers who do not want to have a child, or are not ready to raise and educate him, in the first years of the baby’s life can protect him from society, scare him with their indifferent attitude, make him whiny, irritable and afraid of any rustle.

At the age of 4-6 years, the reason that can lead a person to social phobia in adulthood is the wrong attitude towards a child who is afraid of going to kindergarten, cannot establish communication with other children. A standard situation is when a child with his whole appearance makes it clear to his parents that he is terribly uncomfortable, but instead of support and help, he receives only firm instructions to “be patient and get used to it.”

Social phobia in adolescents has the highest risk of developing into an acute form. The transition period is accompanied by drastic changes in the human body, a change in worldview, the definition of one’s role in society, and the search for social status, and most importantly, but few people pay attention to this fact, the spiritual development of a teenager.

During this period, there is a risk of withdrawing into oneself, closing oneself off from society, and showing inappropriate actions in response to the slightest misunderstanding or offense, since the film that protects the soul is still very thin and is not able to protect a person from external influences completely: his soul is vulnerable, and his mind is not strong.

The cause of the development of social phobia can be any conflict or incident: where the personal qualities of a teenager are affected, his pride is undermined, or a person’s body composition or behavior is ridiculed. All these factors can serve as sparks to fan the hotbed of social phobia in its most acute form, which often leads to suicide, or to the birth of an eternally broken personality, unprepared for life in the adult world.

Dating a social phobe

A person suffering from the disease of fear of society is called a social phobe. Social phobes try to communicate little, even on the phone; they don’t want to work with people or go to a catering establishment where there are a lot of people.

A social phobe is afraid of the contrived importance of the situation; he is afraid of responsibility before a new interlocutor, which is why he is so embarrassed to start a dialogue. He categorically does not want to communicate with strangers, in particular, even with beautiful girls, because he is afraid of showing his worst side when communicating.

Being in an unusual atmosphere in which you need to communicate, show your best qualities in front of society, he begins to panic because of the difference in levels between him and his interlocutor. For example, the teacher calls you to the blackboard, it is difficult to imagine that in this situation a healthy person can have equal communication with the teacher, and even more so a socially phobic person. At the same time, the risk of being ridiculed and humiliated in front of the class is quite real, which will undoubtedly worsen the disease.

Social phobia worries about the need to carry out any social activity. Hundreds of thoughts flow through his head, which develop his unsatisfactory mental state. People with social phobia avoid situations in which they feel outside their comfort zone.

Treatment of social phobia: from hypnosis to a simple smile

As it turns out, there are many causes, symptoms, and incidence rates of social phobia. Therefore, approach the issue of treatment of this disease necessary in a comprehensive and step-by-step manner.

Early stage

First, let's find out how to get rid of social phobia at an early stage of the disease. Any deviation of a person from the norms of standard behavior is noticeable to his members, friends, and even to the person himself, who is able to adequately analyze his actions and actions in society. Therefore, at the first signs of the appearance of social phobia, it is necessary to direct the course of education of a person, if he is not yet 12 years old, in a more positive direction, to give more or less freedom: depending on the situation, try to attend positive social events together, walk more in the fresh air.

It is recommended for an adult to practice communication skills in communicating with familiar people, honing skills and mastery, little by little introducing into practice new methods of communication and making acquaintances. Feel free to practice in front of the mirror. Give yourself a positive attitude that failure is only a small step on the path to healing, treat minor troubles with humor and a smile.

Many celebrities have suffered or are suffering from social phobia, but it was overcoming themselves to recover from the disease that put them on the path to success. To begin with, they performed on stage with a small number of spectators, and now most of them are followed by millions. Actors and pop stars, politicians and artists, they all have a fine-tuned mental perception of the world; behind some of them there are shy, modest people, but they are able to put on the mask of a liberated person, confident when interacting with society.

But by putting on a mask, you can get lost between reality and the game, the risk of curing social phobia, but suffering from the disease of split personality. Therefore, in any methods of treating social phobia you need to know when to stop and try to use them optimally.

Exposure psychotherapy is mainly used to treat social phobia. You mentally immerse yourself in those situations that cause you fear and look for a way out of the state of fear. You can begin to communicate differently, try to think more rationally, relax and distance yourself from introspection and self-deprecation. A psychotherapist helps implement this procedure.

Proper rest helps full recovery from social phobia. If you decide to carry out treatment on your own, then experts recommend active recreation in the clean air: play team sports, where you will be able to establish communications with teammates and realize your strengths, get support and approval. At the same time, if you are criticized, it’s time to learn to filter the criticism, choosing for yourself only positive moments that can develop you as a person and a person.

The following team sports are suitable for you: football, volleyball, basketball, lapta; for those who know how to skate, but have previously skated alone in the evenings, we recommend taking up ice hockey, ball hockey, and for girls, find girlfriends for public skating, sport plus communications best medicines from social anxiety to her early stages.

Oddly enough, going to a disco also helps to get rid of social phobia, although if you are under 18, it is recommended to better communicate not late in the evening with your peers: play games that promote the development of communication skills, such as: crocodile, monopoly, various active quests, erudition games.

How to get rid of the first symptoms of social phobia on your own? The main thing is to set it up in your head positive thinking, the realization that you are no worse or better than others. It is necessary to understand that each individual has his own specific talents and outstanding qualities, and developing them and becoming a leader among all is possible only by constantly communicating and competing in a fair fight. But the ability to lose, give in and compromise is not an indicator of your weakness as an individual, but rather an indicator of quality education, fortitude and the ability to move towards an ideal through defeat.

Extreme stage

In more advanced stages of social phobia, caused by severe stress, an unfortunate situation, or a serious somatic illness, it is not advisable to treat yourself. Taking pills will clearly not be enough and there is a risk of making mistakes in the medications needed to overcome acute forms of social phobia. In this situation, you need to contact a specialist: a psychotherapist or psychologist.

Basically, strong antidepressants and vitamin complexes are prescribed for treatment, prescribed on the basis of a complete examination of the body. Hypnosis sessions help the patient escape from the state of neurotic control, where the patient is adjusted to his optimal psychosomatic state, removing all negative situations and the cause of stress from the subconscious.

For a more thorough analysis of the disease and the selection of worthy specialists to overcome it, a person or his family and friends are recommended to read scientific literature on the topic: “how to deal with social phobia.”

Overcoming the situation as a method of treating social phobia

To overcome a stressful situation, you need to work with it. But first we should understand what worries us about it. What we inspired into our brains, or what we felt when this situation happened to us.

At the moment of laying down the algorithms of attitude towards the situation and the actions that need to be taken in order for it to be resolved in our favor, the brain often fixes the algorithms, but in a way that we ourselves decide: it is not he who is mistaken in assessing the situation, but the person himself. Therefore, the risk of making a mistake the right attitude a problem is always likely, and often it is not a problem at all, but just a minor misunderstanding. Fixing this problem will not be difficult, and you just need to make an effort on yourself, look at the situation from a different angle, in order to remember it with a smile over the years.

Overcoming social anxiety and shyness through self-belief, spiritual development and the splendor of the world is often the best way. You yourself are the universe, so beware external factors and the influences do not make much sense, you always have the opportunity to replay the situation, even changing your role in it completely.

In any situation that does not require an immediate decision, you can stop, think, and even practice using various options and the course of the scenario, and then continue communication confidently and without fear of being misunderstood.

Strangely enough, you can also be prepared for stressful situations that occur unexpectedly. For this purpose, life safety lessons are held at school, theme parties are organized during studies at higher and secondary institutions, various courses are organized, meetings are held at enterprises and organizations, specialized literature, posters, signs are developed, according to which you can always draw up your own algorithm of actions and behavior in society, without fear of interacting with it.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we can safely conclude that social phobia is a serious disease that can be avoided in the early stages of manifestation.

First of all, you can recover from social phobia on your own, simply by changing your attitude towards yourself, your thoughts, and setting them up positively. It's easy to arrange preventive measures, protecting yourself from the possibility of developing this disease, actively communicating with people, walking in the fresh air, playing active team sports, or having fun without the use of alcohol, drugs and cigarettes in a circle of like-minded people.

But if you were unable to predict in time the cause of acute forms of social phobia, do not hesitate to seek help from friends, relatives, and most importantly, specialists who will certainly cope with your problem and return you to social life as a healthy and happy person.

A special message to parents of young children. You are raising a personality that requires attention and care from a very early age: respect the child’s choice, use your example to try to instill self-esteem, the ability to communicate and understand others, value your own, but also be able to share with others, understand the meaning of the words education, love, friendship, devotion.

The main institutions on which reducing the number of people with social phobia depends:

• family,
• children's institutions,
• school,
• army,
• Universities,
• colleges,
• clinics,
• resorts,
• sports and recreational facilities.

We are responsible for each other's health.

Try answering these questions:

• How do you feel about social phobia?
• Do you consider yourself a social phobe and why?
• What have you personally done to overcome public fear?

The desire to always look good

Constriction in communication

Shyness

Avoiding crowds of people

Avoidance noisy companies

Negative thoughts about yourself

Negative attitude towards people

Blurred speech

Increased demands on yourself and others

Panic attacks

Stress when you need to step out of your comfort zone

Stupor

Social phobia is a mental disorder expressed in anxious fear that paralyzes a person’s will and thoughts during his contacts with other people. People suffering from this disorder often avoid society, never speak in public, and are terribly embarrassed when meeting new people. Until recently, the term social phobia in medical practice did not exist - doctors believed that a certain detachment and shyness was just a character trait of a person. However, today it has become clear to doctors that social phobia is the same disorder of personal behavior as any other phobia, therefore this disorder can be successfully treated, and it can be treated either with the help of a psychiatrist and psychotherapist, or independently.

Reasons

The causes of this psychological disorder usually lie in childhood, when the child did not receive proper approval for his actions and recognition of his personality. If parents always compared a child with other children, overestimating the importance of their achievements and underestimating the importance of what he does, such a child will not have confidence in his abilities and in himself. This causes deep insecurity and low self-esteem.

Overprotection can also lead to the development of such a disorder, since excessive care for the child “tells” him that he is not able to do anything on his own. Hence, again, lack of confidence in yourself and your abilities.

There are also hereditary causes disorder such as social phobia. That is, if one of the relatives in the family suffers from this disorder, it is likely that the child will also have a tendency to such a disorder as social phobia. Moreover, the tendency is not always transmitted through genes - sometimes adopted children suffer from the disorder, that is, there is a family factor in the development of the disease.

The reasons for the development of the disorder may also lie in the impact of unfavorable life factors on a person. For example, if a person has experienced a painful breakup, divorce, or dismissal from work, severe stress can cause the development of social phobia. Also, 60% of people develop social phobia after traumatic events during which they experienced humiliation. For example, if you were ridiculed in public or were subjected to violence in front of significant people(This is especially common today among teenagers who, by offending their own kind, increase their status in the team).

Those people who were rejected by their peers in childhood also suffer from this disorder in adulthood. For example, a girl who was unpopular at school does not strive to prove herself in society, but hides from her social anxiety in the role of an exemplary housewife. Unpopular and rejected boys often try to cope with their psychological problems with the help of narcotic drugs or alcohol, which temporarily gives them the opportunity to feel their importance in this world and stop being afraid of society.

In a word, the causes of this disorder always lie deep in the characteristics of a person’s personality, and therefore, in order to cure the disorder, it is necessary to recognize them, no matter how they are disguised.

Symptoms

In order to understand how to get rid of social phobia, you need to know how the disease manifests itself, because without knowing the symptoms, you can live your whole life, believing that you are simply unlucky and have such a shy character.

All symptoms of this disorder can be divided into several categories, including:

• physical;
• cognitive;
• psychological;
• behavioral.

Physical symptoms are obvious manifestations of an anxiety state, which are characterized by:

• increased sweating of the palms;
• redness of the skin;
• the appearance of tremor;
• increased heart rate;
• development of stupor;
• slurred speech;
• development and even temporary.

All these symptoms occur in a person in situations where he needs to contact strangers or speak in public, etc.

Cognitive signs that characterize this disorder include:

• desire to always look good;
• increased demands, first of all, on yourself, and then on others;
• a feeling of horror at the thought that someone might be observing his behavior;
• thoughts about yourself in a negative way.

Psychological signs of this disorder include a constant feeling of fear and experiencing extreme stress when it is necessary to leave your comfort zone.

Behavioral symptoms characteristic of this disorder include a person’s avoidance of noisy companies and large crowds of people, shyness and tightness in communication. That is, the individual avoids any situations that cause him fear or anxiety. When communicating, he never makes eye contact, because he is afraid to see condemnation or disapproval in the eyes of his interlocutor. Such a person perceives everyone around him as enemies.

Of course, the symptoms of a disorder such as social phobia may manifest themselves to one degree or another. For some, they are clearly expressed, to the point that a person becomes a hermit or drinks himself to death, trying to drown out his fears with alcohol. For others, the symptoms are subtle - they only experience a feeling of discomfort when communicating with people. And it is best to treat the disorder with minor severe symptoms, because in this case you can get rid of the pathology forever. You can even cope with the disease at this stage on your own, using relaxation techniques, auto-training and recommendations from a psychologist regarding behavior changes. In advanced cases, it is necessary to constantly control your emotions and periodically take antidepressants, which will allow the person to feel normal.

Features of treatment

Treatment of social phobia can be medicinal and non-medicinal. When medicated, a person is prescribed antidepressants, beta blockers, benzodiazepines, serotonin reuptake inhibitors and other medications necessary for the patient’s recovery. Most often on initial stages When a person cannot cope with the disorder on his own, doctors prescribe antidepressants, which allow him to see the world without emotions, and therefore without negative connotations.

Also, treatment of social phobia can be non-drug, that is, with the help of behavioral psychotherapy. The sessions should be conducted qualified specialist– he is obliged to identify the causes of the development of the disorder and help the person understand them. In addition, its task is to reprogram the negative attitudes that exist in the patient’s brain into positive ones.

In the initial stages of a disorder such as social phobia, each person can reprogram his thoughts and emotions himself, but to do this he will have to carefully monitor them, selecting those that improve the quality of his life and ignoring those that worsen it. If a person makes some efforts in the fight against his pathology, he will not need antidepressants and heavier medications, and joy will return to life.

Thus, knowing how to get rid of social phobia, each person can begin treatment when the initial symptoms appear, and cope with the disease on their own, regaining their joy of life and a sense of control.

Is everything in the article correct from a medical point of view?

Answer only if you have proven medical knowledge

Diseases with similar symptoms:

Agoraphobia is an illness from the neurotic spectrum, which is classified as alarming- phobic disorders. A characteristic manifestation of pathology is the fear of being in public places and open spaces. It is worth noting that agoraphobia includes not only the fear of open space, but also the fear open doors, fear due to presence large quantity people. Usually a person’s feeling of panic arises due to the fact that he does not have the opportunity to hide in a safe place.

Social phobia is a common disease, the consequence of which is decreased ability to work. Starting early adolescence and left untreated, the disorder can persist and progress throughout the patient's life. Social phobia is widespread among the population. However, only about 5 patients out of 100 suffering from similar pathologies, seek help and receive quality therapy.

Early diagnosis helps eliminate symptoms and avoid the development of additional (comorbid) disorders.

• Show all

  Social phobia

  In ICD-10, social phobia is classified under “Neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders.” These are phobic pathologies (agoraphobia, social and specific phobias), in which anxiety is caused by specific objects and situations.

  Social phobia – mental illness, characterized by a feeling of anxiety that paralyzes a person’s will and thoughts when communicating with other people. The main characteristic of pathology is considered to be a prolonged feeling of fear of social situations or conditions in which success is assessed. Encountering them almost always causes such a reaction, so they are most often avoided or endured with great tension.

  Social anxiety is a state of emotional discomfort, fear, apprehension and anxiety when meeting society and being judged by other people. A person with such a disorder, when interacting with society, thinks that he looks funny or stupid, and others may judge or humiliate him. A social phobe is a person who experiences panic fear when in public places or when communicating with other people.

  General information

  Social phobia (social anxiety disorder) is accompanied by obsessive fear being the center of attention in relatively small groups of people (unlike agoraphobia) and avoiding such situations.

  This phobia may be a result of imagined or actual surveillance by society. A person with social phobia realizes that his fears are excessive or unreasonable, but this does not make overcoming them any easier. Some patients are afraid of a wide range of social situations, while others are afraid only of specific conditions, for example, in which they need to demonstrate their abilities. Symptoms of the disease range from mild degree severity to extremely severe, when a person, because of his fears, locks himself in a room and does not leave the house for several days.

  TO psychological signs social phobia as the disease progresses, physiological and vegetative ones are added: hyperemia (overflow of blood vessels) skin, sweating, tremor (trembling) of the limbs or the whole body, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, nausea. In rare cases, stupor, stupor, and confused speech are observed. In conditions accompanied severe stress, panic attacks may develop.

  Social phobias are common among men and women with equal frequency. Anxiety disorders begin to appear in early childhood and adolescence. 50% of patients suffering from this disease exhibit typical symptoms before the age of 11, 80% before they reach the age of 20. Because the disease begins to appear early, the risk of developing comorbid disorders, for example, depression. According to some researchers, this pathology is associated with high risk suicide and abuse of surfactants (surfactants).

  Social phobias can be divided into:

  • discrete, i.e. relating to some specific situation(eating food in public, public speaking, meeting members of the opposite sex, etc.);
  • diffuse, i.e. relating to all social cases.

  Social phobias are often combined with:

  • low self-esteem and painful self-criticism;
  • severe autonomic disorders (tremor, hyperhidrosis ( excessive sweating), nausea, imperative urge to urinate, etc.), which are sometimes regarded by patients as the main disorder.

  As social phobia progresses, panic attacks may develop, while anxiety is always limited only to a certain social situation, it is intense and uncontrollable.

  

  Reasons for development

  In most cases, the causes of the disease should be looked for at an early age - up to 1 year. Those suffering from social problems anxiety disorders more often than healthy people, live alone, have low level education and are in a poor financial situation. Research into the causes of social anxiety disorders covers wide range theories and fields of knowledge - from neurobiology to sociology.

  The causes of the development of neurosis are:

  • deficit in childhood of adequate assessment, praise and consent from parents;
  • placing high demands on the child;
  • bullying in children's groups;
  • conflict situations in the environment or family;
  • antisocial lifestyle of parents;
  • unsuccessful first sexual experience;
  • concomitant somatic diseases;
  • genetic predisposition.

  According to recent studies, in the occurrence of neurosis important role plays hereditary predisposition in combination with social factors and environmental phenomena. It has been proven that the risk of developing a condition of social pathological anxiety increases by 2-3 times if any of the immediate family suffered from such a disorder. This happens due to genetic inheritance or as a result of children copying their parents' social phobias through observation.

  In studies involving twins raised different parents, it turned out that if one of the children has social phobia, for another, the possibility of developing this disorder is 30-50% higher than the average in the population.

  Overprotectiveness or excessive criticism of children in the family increases the risk of developing anxiety by 10 times. Often it is parents who, with insults uttered in a fit of anger and resentment (“You’re a rag,” “Who needs you with your character”), instill fear and self-doubt in the child.

  There is evidence of the existence of behavioral inhibition in newborns. This is a pathological ability to function nervous system, in which the child concentrates on himself and his experiences and begins to fear society. About 15-20% of people have this trait at birth, which increases the risk of developing an anxiety disorder later in life.

  Past negative socialization experiences can trigger the development of social phobia in individuals with excessive sensitivity. These are suspicious people, highly suggestible, disliking others, fixated on themselves. In half of those suffering from anxiety disorders, a clear relationship was found between psychological trauma(humiliating or painful situations) and worsening symptoms of the disease. Not only personal, but also social experience is of great importance: observing the failures of other people makes the development of social phobia more likely.

  Social anxiety has a cumulative effect: difficulty finding common language with the team, rejection or rejection by peers, long years of psychological abuse. Shy teenagers and anxious adults in own stories They especially emphasized that situations of rejection from acquaintances often arose in their lives. One study showed that popularity in society reduces social anxiety. Presumably, children with social phobia have the ability to receive fewer positive reactions from peers, which leads to the formation of avoidant behavior.

  

  Symptoms

  All signs of an anxiety disorder can be divided into several categories, including:

  • cognitive;
  • psychological;
  • physiological;
  • behavioral.

  Cognitive signs characterizing neurosis include:

  • the desire to always look good;
  • increased demands on oneself and on others;
  • a feeling of fear that someone may be observing the behavior;
  • thoughts about yourself in a negative way.

  Social phobics fear how they will be judged by observers. They are almost always too fixated on their personality, appearance and behavior in society. Such people place high demands on themselves. A person suffering from social phobia tries to impress others, but is sure that he will not be able to do this. Patients tend to play out in their imagination possible scenarios for the development of circumstances accompanied by anxiety, analyzing their behavior. These thoughts can be intrusive and bother a person for weeks after the stressful situation has occurred. Social phobes have an inadequate understanding of their capabilities; they tend to look at themselves from the worst side. The memory of such people retains more bad events than good ones. The character of patients is varied: from pronounced shyness to inexplicable self-confidence, hot temper, aggressiveness, which often does not correspond to their usual behavior.

  Social phobia disorder differs from normal shyness in that it results in... serious consequences in the patient's life. He begins to avoid meeting people, especially small groups, dates, parties. A person avoids any situations that provoke anxiety.

  Physical symptoms of the disorder are characterized by:

  • increased sweating of the palms and feet;
  • hyperemia of the skin, especially the face;
  • the appearance of hand tremors, tremors in the limbs;
  • rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing;
  • development of stupor, unintelligible speech;
  • gait disorders;
  • emotional lability (mood swings);
  • the formation of panic attacks and even temporary stuttering.

  All of these easily noticed physical reactions by others further increase anxiety in the presence of other people.

  Associated conditions

  There is a high degree of comorbidity between social phobia disorders and other mental disorders. This means the presence of an additional clinical picture that was observed previously or may appear independently and coexist with the underlying disease, differing from it in symptoms. Typically, social phobia is accompanied by low self-esteem and depression, which develop due to the lack of personal relationships and long periods of isolation associated with the fear of meeting and communicating with people. When trying to get rid of symptoms of anxiety and depression, a person is prone to alcohol abuse and narcotic substances, which increases the risk of addiction. According to statistics, about 20% of patients with anxiety disorders suffer from alcoholism.

  The most common comorbidity is depression. According to the study, among 14,263 people, 2.4% were diagnosed with social phobia, of which 16.6% were diagnosed with depression. Also often diagnosed are post-traumatic stress disorder (36%), panic disorder (33%), suicide attempts (23%), generalized anxiety disorder (19%), and substance abuse (18%). In patients with concomitant alcoholism, panic states or depression, social phobia preceded the development of the disorder in 75%, 61% and 90% of cases, respectively. There is data proving the relationship between pathology and autism, dysmorphophobia, bipolar disorder and attention deficit disorder.

  Treatment

  Many people try to cure social phobia on their own, which is fraught with great difficulties and aggravates the course of the disease. If you notice symptoms that resemble an anxiety disorder, you should consult a psychiatrist or psychotherapist. It is these specialists who will be able to help a person with the problem that has arisen.

  Diagnosis of social phobia is complicated by the similarity of the clinical picture with panic disorder and the fact that when patients consult a doctor, they most often complain about comorbid disorders (dependence on psychoactive substances, mood swings). Among patients who do not receive drug treatment, people with mild and practically invisible phobias that do not affect daily activities predominate. Such social phobes, experiencing some discomfort, do not consider it necessary to seek help from a psychiatrist. In the absence of drug treatment, patients with subclinical anxiety may experience chronicity of the process, development of symptoms of depression, decreased mood, and worsening of somatic diseases. To identify social phobia, it is recommended to use convenient scales for assessing the condition (Taylor, Spielberger-Hanin, Zung, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), which are filled out by the patient independently.

  The choice of the optimal treatment regimen is determined by the type of anxiety disorder and severity (determined using the Spielberg and Hamilton scales). A mild form (total score below 20 points) requires only psychotherapy. Patients with a long history of the disease and acute forms of the disease require medications. Combined methods therapies are recommended for people with concomitant personality disorders, alcohol and other types of addictions.

  Combination of medications psychological assistance and general strengthening procedures will help the patient overcome the disease as quickly as possible. A psychotherapist will teach a social phobia person adequate self-perception, self-control, and how to deal with negative thoughts and feelings. Cognitive behavioral psychotherapy helps a person calmly experience stressful situations and stop being anxious. When diagnosed with social phobia, meditation and hypnosis are effective.

  The development of new interests and values ​​should not contradict the basic life principles of the patient. An effective way to help a patient is to combine group psychotherapy with exposure. There is a step-by-step elimination of fear through daily training under the supervision of a psychotherapist. Gradual adaptation to situations that previously caused anxiety in a person develops.

  Help restore communication skills in patients who have avoided social contacts for a long time role playing games and therapeutic auto-training. Behavioral methods psychotherapy contributes to the formation of self-esteem and allows one to interpret the reactions of others to the actions of the patient. Social phobes develop new mental attitudes towards disturbing situations and get rid of comorbid physiological symptoms. Relaxation therapy plays an important role.

  In the human body, in response to stimulation of anxiogenic (anxiety) processes, natural anti-anxiety processes are activated; the balance of these two systems determines the development of adaptation or maladaptation. The formation of physiological anxiety occurs with an optimal ratio of the activating and inhibitory systems. With a deficiency of inhibitory mechanisms, excessive anxiogenic activation occurs, which leads to depletion of functional reserves and the development of maladaptation. An important goal of therapy is to establish a balance between the two systems, based on the activation of anti-anxiety processes.

  Effective treatment of social phobia must be carried out over a long period of time. It is important not only to reduce anxiety, but also to increase stress resistance and activate individual anxiogenic mechanisms. Medicines occupy an important place in the treatment of social phobia and are the main method of helping with decompensation of an anxiety disorder, as well as when the patient refuses psychotraining. Medicines help overcome symptoms such as anxiety, sleep disturbances, obsessive thoughts and fears.

  Antianxiety medications

  Anxiolytic drugs (benzodiazepine derivatives) are used in most cases to treat anxiety. The effectiveness of this group of drugs has been proven in acute anxiety states(panic attacks). In the presence of persistent phobic disorders, monotherapy with anxiolytics is ineffective.

  Drugs from the group of nonspecific anxiolytics, which have an anti-anxiety effect, have become extremely popular in the treatment of social phobia. The use of such drugs corresponds to the principles of long-term therapy. This group of drugs includes antidepressants (TCAs - tricyclics, SSRIs - selective inhibitors serotonin reuptake inhibitors, SIRSiN - selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors), which are most effective in the combination of anxiety and depression. A significant disadvantage of these funds is the slow therapeutic effect, which develops no earlier than two weeks after taking the optimal dose. Therefore, in clinical practice in the first two to three weeks, treatment with these drugs is combined with short courses of tranquilizers.

  The group of nonspecific anxiolytic drugs includes antipsychotics, hypnotics, sedatives and antihypertensive drugs (b-blockers), which significantly reduce the autonomic symptoms of the cardiovascular system that accompany disorders.

  They have anti-anxiety properties antihistamines(hydroxyzine) and hormonal (melatonin-inhibiting antidepressants, etc.). Preparations containing magnesium, which have a membrane-stabilizing effect and lead to a pronounced decrease in excitability, are considered effective. nerve cells and reducing anxiety and fear. Magnesium also takes part in the synthesis of ATP, the accumulation of high-energy compounds helps to increase the functional resources of the body and the development of adequate adaptive reactions.

  Among psychotropic drugs, tranquilizers are prescribed, including sedatives and hypnotic effects(Atarax, Stresam, Afobazol). In complex therapy, small doses of antidepressants (Prozac, Ixel, Valdoxan) and “minor” antipsychotics (Olanzapine, Sonapax, Melleril, Sulpiride) are used.

  
  

  General strengthening techniques involve the appointment vitamin complexes(B 1, B 6), nootropic drugs(Phenibut, Pantogam, Picamilon), physiotherapy and acupuncture.

  
  

  Medicines, most often used in the treatment of social phobic anxiety disorders:

  
  

  Treatment of children and adolescents

  There is limited information about the treatment of social anxiety disorder in children and adolescents due to parental resistance to their participation in clinical trials.

  However, there is evidence of the effectiveness of Fluvoxamine in the treatment of minors with a variety of anxiety disorders, including social phobia.

  Efficacy of therapy

  Usually for an adequate assessment drug therapy it takes about 2–3 months. The choice of treatment method for people with pathological anxiety must meet the principles of continuity, duration and ease of repetition and must include a system of psycho-adaptive procedures. The effectiveness of therapy is assessed by entries in self-analysis diaries, which the patient keeps daily, and by the results of anxiety scales.

  Significant or partial reverse development clinical symptom complexes and the phenomena of maladjustment. The effect is assessed by the decrease:

  • anxiety that develops at the time of actions and social contacts;
  • fear of anticipation of a threatening situation;
  • avoidance of social activity and contacts;
  • associated disorders (depression, panic attacks).