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- [Instructor] Hey Psych2goers,
and welcome back to another video.
Before we start, we would like to give you a big thanks
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Psych2gos mission is to make psychology and mental health
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Now let's begin.
Are you extremely afraid of being judged by others?
Are you very self-conscious in everyday social situations?
Do you avoid meeting new people?
These are all trademark signs of social anxiety,
which affects approximately 15 million people
in the United States alone.
Social anxiety disorder is classified
as a significant amount of fear, embarrassment
or humiliation in social or performance-based situations.
It goes far deeper than mere shyness,
where shyness is more of a personality trait,
social anxiety disorder can cause significant disruption
of your daily life.
Before we begin, we would like to mention
that this video is created for educational purposes only,
and is not intended to substitute a professional diagnosis.
If you suspect you may have social anxiety disorder
or any mental health condition,
we highly advise you to seek help
from a qualified mental health professional.
With that said, here are nine things
that social anxiety makes us do.
One, repeatedly double checking the location and time.
Do you find yourself repeatedly checking your phone
to make sure you're in the right place?
It can be terrifying for those with social anxiety
to arrive late or walk into the wrong room,
so double or even triple checking information
is a must.
Even if you know you've got the details right,
it can bring you peace of mind just to make sure,
it may be the difference between walking in with confidence
or hesitation.
Two, rehearsing conversations in your head ahead of time.
While this may be a subconscious practice at first,
many people who face social anxiety rehearse things
they're going to say before they have
the actual conversation.
This often begins as imagining future conversations
or running through a list of important points to discuss.
Some people find it more helpful
to physically practice having a conversation as well.
That being said, not everyone who rehearses
their conversations beforehand,
necessarily has social anxiety.
Memorization and practice are both common tools
to aid you in feeling nervous,
whether you're anxious about public speaking,
talking to a specific person or being social in general.
Number three, avoiding phone calls.
Even though it's become a bit of a joke
among millennials and Gen Zers who prefer to text,
avoiding phone calls is actually a fairly common behavior
for people with social anxiety.
Psychologist, Lindsay Sharfstein told Headspace,
anxiety is typical for all of us,
it's a universal emotion that we can all relate to.
For the most part, we know that individuals
are not afraid of phones,
they have phones in their office, backpack, purse,
what they're typically afraid of
is the evaluation or judgment that may happen
when they're on a phone.
This may be why some people prefer to text,
instead of talk on the phone.
The more one can put between themselves
and the other person, the more comfortable
they generally feel interacting.
Four, faking phone calls.
Have you ever pretended to be in the middle of a call
just to avoid talking to someone,
or worn headphones to discourage others
from approaching you?
Although it's safe to assume that phone calls
are not something that people with social anxiety
look forward to, faking a call can come in handy.
It can be a lot easier to act busy
rather than face the awkwardness
of an unwanted conversation,
so this can become a habit of avoidance
if you have social anxiety.
Five, constantly worrying about how everyone sees you.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association
of America, those with a social anxiety disorder
are increasingly concerned about
how they are perceived by others.
The last thing they want is to come off as awkward,
fumbling or boring.
You've likely felt this way at some point
throughout your life,
whether it's the desire to fit in with friends
or making a good impression on a potential employer,
with social anxiety however,
this pressure to perform feels constantly heavy
and can lead to full blown panic attacks
when in social or performance-based situations.
Number six, feeling lonely,
even when you're surrounded by people.
People with social anxiety can share this feeling
with those who battle depression
and other mental illnesses as well.
So unfortunately, a lot of people can relate
to this isolating feeling.
When social anxiety keeps you from being your true self,
it can be difficult to feel included at all.
It's frustrating to be close to others,
but not be able to connect with them in a comfortable way.
If you're struggling to properly communicate
and are extremely hesitant to even start a conversation,
that adds to your feelings of loneliness,
even when you're surrounded by others.
Number seven, clenching your teeth
and other physical discomforts.
You feel shaky or lightheaded
when faced with a social situation.
Does your heart rate speed up, or do your hands tremble?
The stress that comes with social anxiety
can manifest through physical symptoms.
Many of the symptoms are signs of nervousness,
such as sweating, flushing, and feeling shaky.
According to Mayo Clinic,
you might also be dealing with muscle tension,
feeling that your mind has gone blank
or have trouble catching your breath.
Number eight, obsessing over how you look.
When you're constantly worried about
how others perceive you,
you're likely to be concerned with how you look as well.
You might have a distorted body image
and think that you're less physically attractive.
Your thoughts can flit from your hair to your clothes
or flaws in your skin, thinking that it's just all wrong.
In an attempt to feel comfortable in your own skin,
you might spend in an inappropriate amount of time and money
on fixing your appearance,
such as shopping for better clothes,
getting high end beauty products or going on diets
if you think you're overweight.
And number nine, you feel more like yourself
around the people you're comfortable with.
You think you're picky about who you spend time with
and triumph over shyness,
conquering social anxiety disorder,
Dr. Marie B. Stein and John R. Walker
discuss behavior in children called selective mutism.
This is when a child speaks and acts normally
around select individuals, but is completely silent
around everyone else, or when placed in certain situations,
this is a more extreme example,
but it shows how those with social anxiety
are more likely to relax and open up
around people they already know and trust.
Do you or anyone you know resonate
with any of these points mentioned in this video?
If you're concerned about social anxiety disorder,
we encourage you to speak with a mental health professional,
they can help you overcome any fears
or debilitating problems you might have.
If you enjoyed watching this video, give us a thumbs up
and share it with someone who might find it helpful as well.
The studies and references used in this video
are listed in the description below.
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and as always, thanks for watching,
and we'll see you next time.