For example, avoidance of a feared object or situation prevents a person from learning that it is harmless.ДЄ key element of CBT for anxiety is exposure, in which people confront the things they fear. A major aim of CBT and behavioral therapy is to reduce anxiety by eliminating beliefs or behaviors that help to maintain the anxiety disorder. Social anxiety disorder is often treated effectively with two forms of treatment: psychotherapy and medications.Д¬ognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that is very effective in treating severe social anxiety. Most anxiety disorders can be treated successfully by a trained mental healthcare professional.

Displaying a rigid body posture, poor eye contact, or speaking too quietlyДЄdditionally, the diagnosis can specify whether the anxiety or fear is present only when the person is speaking or performing in public.

Blushing, sweating, trembling, experiencing a rapid heart rate, or feeling the вЂњmind going blankвЂќ.

The physical symptoms of social anxiety disorder include the following:

The avoidance, anxious anticipation, or distress interferes significantly with the person's social, academic, or occupational functioning.

The fear or anxiety is persistent and typically lasts for six months or longer.

The fear or anxiety is out of proportion to the actual threat posed by the social situation.

The feared situation is avoided or endured with anxiety and distress.

Exposure to social situations almost always causes intense anxiety.

The individual fears behaving in a manner that causes embarrassment or being negatively evaluated.

Examples include meeting unfamiliar people, being observed eating or drinking, or giving a speech or performance.

The individual fears one or more social or performance situations in which he or she is exposed to possible scrutiny by others.

The DSM-5 provides the following criteria for diagnosing social anxiety disorder: Some people with social anxiety disorder self-medicate with alcohol or other drugs, which can lead to addiction.ДЄ diagnosis of social anxiety disorder is made only if this avoidance, fear, or anxious anticipation of a social or performance situation interferes with daily routine, occupational functioning, and social life or if there is marked distress as a result of the anxiety. Social anxiety disorder often runs in families and may be accompanied by depression or other anxiety disorders, such as panic disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Because these visible symptoms heighten the fear of disapproval, they themselves can become an additional focus of fear, creating a vicious cycle: As people with social anxiety disorder worry about experiencing these symptoms, the greater their chances are of developing them. Physical symptoms, which often accompany the intense stress of social anxiety disorder, include blushing, sweating, trembling, nausea, and difficulty speaking. For example, it may keep people from work or school or prevent them from making friends.

If left untreated, social phobia can have severe consequences. Social anxiety disorder can be limited to only one type of situation-such as a fear of public speaking-or a person can experience symptoms whenever they are around other people. In addition, they often experience low self-esteem and depression.

They often worry for days or weeks in advance of a dreaded situation. While many people with social anxiety disorder recognize that their fear of being around people may be excessive or unreasonable, they are unable to overcome it. Their fear may be so severe that it interferes with work, school, or other activities. People with social anxiety disorder have a persistent, intense, and chronic fear of being watched and judged by others and of being embarrassed or humiliated by their own actions. Social anxiety disorder, formerly referred to as social phobia, is an anxiety disorder characterized by overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations.

Social anxiety disorder dsm 5