acute social anxiety disorder Archives

Apr 02 2022

Signs That You Have a Social Anxiety Disorder

Everyone feels a little shy or uncomfortable in some social situations. Things like the first day of school, the first few weeks at work, attending a party in a new neighborhood, etc, can all cause anxiety, but that nervousness isn’t social anxiety disorder. Many people experience a crippling sense of nervousness and anxiety even in the most mundane situations. These individuals may have an undiagnosed social anxiety disorder. In some cases, the signs of social anxiety remain invisible and undiagnosed.

1. Emotional

Emotional symptoms are the most noticeable among the different responses to social anxiety. They start showing up even before you’re in social interaction. These can include:

Fear of being dismissed or rejected.
Fear of interacting with people, even if they are familiar to you.
Intense fear of engaging with strangers.
Avoiding being the center of attention or conversation.
Refraining from commenting on topics or entering into discussions even if you’re interested.
Being extremely self-critical after the social engagement is over.
In children, the emotional response can lead to crying and temper tantrums.

These are the typical emotional responses if you’re facing a social situation and have a disorder. If you or your loved one experiences these, it is a good idea to consult with a professional.

2. Physical Responses

The body responds to emotional stimuli and will react if you experience distress. If you are concerned that someone has a social anxiety disorder, watch out for the physical signs mentioned below:

Rapid breathing and heartbeat.
Trembling and shaking.
Excessive sweating.
Tense muscles, especially in the jaw.
Blushing and avoiding eye contact.
Dizziness or a feeling of lightheadedness.
Upset stomach, including nausea.
Inability to form thoughts or ideas for a moment.
Feeling drained and tired after every social interaction.

These are the common physical signs of social anxiety disorder. Many people can even go into panic attacks because they are unable to handle the social stimulus.

3. Behavioral Symptoms

People suffering some social anxiety will adopt certain behaviors on a fairly regular basis. While a person without any disorder may experience the issues mentioned below, they will not face them consistently. Some of these symptoms include:

Avoiding interacting with people, especially strangers.
Skipping work or school regularly.
Avoiding dating or even making new friends.
Inability to eat in front of other people.
Avoiding using a public restroom.
Missing opportunities to further your education or career.
Consistently avoiding eye contact.

It is important to keep in mind that the symptoms can change over time, especially as a person grows older and the nature of their emotional response changes. The responses can also change based on the type of social situation.

These are the most common signs of social anxiety disorder. Acute social anxiety can become a big problem. It is best to book an appointment with a therapist to get an official diagnosis and treatment, especially if the concern is impacting your life significantly. eTherapy Pro offers effective and convenient online therapy solutions to help people with social anxiety. You can attend a few sessions for free so see if it is a good solution for you.

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Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed in this post and any associated articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect opinions or policies of eTherapyPro. These posts and articles are shared for your enjoyment and consideration. Read them or not at your sole discretion and liability. They are not intended to replace counseling services rendered by licensed professionals. Consult with your counselor before implementing any content from these articles into your life.

Dec 30 2020

What is Anxiety?

Dec 30, 2020

The American Psychological Association (APA) defines anxiety as “an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure.”

It is important to understand the difference between normally occurring anxiety and a diagnosable anxiety disorder that is disruptive to daily life and requires professional intervention. Everyone experiences anxiety at times throughout their life. It is a normal and biologically helpful response to certain types of stress. Anxiety is not always a bad thing; in some instances it may keep you safe and even alive.

Anxiety distress, or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune, is a natural response to many of life’s events. For example, while awaiting the results of a serious medical test it is common to feel some anxiety. It is stressful and worrisome not knowing if you have a life-threatening disease. During this time you may have trouble sleeping, or concentrating on work. These responses are to be expected, and do not indicate that you have an anxiety disorder. After the results are in, and the crisis is over, the anxiety dissipates, and life returns to normal.

Similarly, if you experience a fright, like seeing a rattlesnake while hiking, you might momentarily experience some intense feelings of anxiety. Your heart rate might increase and you will find yourself in fight, flight or freeze mode. Those are necessary, and useful responses to the physical threat of a poisonous snake in your path. That instinct is your body’s way of keeping you safe and alive. Once the danger has passed, your heart rate returns to normal, and the fight, flight or freeze response subsides.

The APA describes a patient as having an anxiety disorder when they are,“having recurring intrusive thoughts or concerns” and the level of anxiety they are experiencing is out of proportion with the reality of their surroundings. Physical symptoms may be present, such as nausea, increased heart rate, or excessive sweating. Persons with an anxiety disorder often find their daily life disrupted by powerful physical and emotional symptoms. They often miss work or school, have trouble sleeping, find concentration difficult, all without a clearly definable stressor of a magnitude equal to their response.

If you have been experiencing Anxiety please start a FREE trial of online counseling and get help today.

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Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed in this post and any associated articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect opinions or policies of eTherapyPro. These posts and articles are shared for your enjoyment and consideration. Read them or not at your sole discretion and liability. They are not intended to replace counseling services rendered by licensed professionals. Consult with your counselor before implementing any content from these articles into your life.

Oct 06 2019

How to deal with Acute Stress Disorder

Acute Stress Disorder

April 15, 2018

Acute stress disorder (ASD) is an anxiety disorder, and more specifically a trauma and stress or related disorder, where the person has suffered a trauma, or witnessed a trauma, and certain symptoms follow. The disorder may sound very similar to post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD), and some argue that ASD is a precursor to PTSD, as they are very similar. The differences include ASD having solely anxiety and fear-based symptoms, while PTSD has some symptoms that are not normally associated with anxiety. For an ASD diagnosis, the symptoms must occur anywhere from three days after the traumatic event, to one month later.

Acute stress disorder symptoms can include:

A subjective sense of numbing, detachment, or absence of emotional responsiveness
A reduction in awareness of his or her surroundings (i.e., “being in a daze”)
Derealization
Depersonalization
Dissociative amnesia (i.e., inability to recall an important aspect of the trauma)

While it is easy to see what causes acute stress disorder, it is harder to determine who will develop this anxiety disorder. The stressful event is obvious, but many people are able to cope with trauma without developing ongoing symptoms. What is known is that people with other mental health conditions seem to be more vulnerable to developing ASD. Also, having had a history of trauma and stress, and an avoidant coping style are shown to be connected to developing ASD and PTSD. An avoidant coping style means that a person attempts to bury their problems rather than address them.

One thing that is known to help people cope with trauma and stress is a psychological debriefing, following the stressful event. A psychological debriefing is often very helpful in preventing the development of any further mental health problems after a trauma. A debriefing is a structured group session, where everyone involved in the trauma talk about what they saw and experienced, their reactions, and receive some basic education on what is normal coping and what is potential problematic coping. Preventative interventions are frequently seen as the intervention of choice after a traumatic event.

There is also treatment available for people who have already been diagnosed with ASD. Cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness interventions have been shown to help treat anxiety disorders. Medication is available to help treat some of the symptoms of the disorder, and education of appropriate, and helpful ways to cope with an anxiety disorder.

Being a part of a life-threatening trauma can be hard enough, but sometimes it’s the after effects that are most painful. If this sounds like you or someone you care about, please reach out for help. The sooner you get the help you deserve, the easier it will be to overcome the symptoms.

If you have been experiencing acute stress disorder please start a FREE trial of online counseling and get help today.

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Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed in this post and any associated articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect opinions or policies of eTherapyPro. These posts and articles are shared for your enjoyment and consideration. Read them or not at your sole discretion and liability. They are not intended to replace counseling services rendered by licensed professionals. Consult with your counselor before implementing any content from these articles into your life.