Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder

Introduction

If you suffer from social anxiety disorder, it can be difficult to go about your everyday life. You may be afraid or embarrassed to speak up in groups, or have trouble meeting new people because you feel too self-conscious. If this sounds like you, don't worry—help is available! CBT is a type of therapy that can help treat social anxiety disorder and give you the tools necessary to succeed in all areas of life.

What is CBT?

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on the way people think about their problems and how these thoughts affect their behavior. CBT can help you manage your social anxiety disorder by changing the way you think about things, or your thoughts. To change one's feelings you have to alter your thoughts or behaviors prevalent to that feeling.

For example, if someone with social anxiety feels anxious because they are afraid of being judged by others when talking in front of a group, CBT will teach them another way to think about it — perhaps by reminding themselves that most people don't actually pay attention when others are speaking and/or thinking about other things besides what's being said (so why worry so much?). Your therapist will also help you spot when you are having cognitive distortions (unhelpful thinking styles) that are causing your feelings of worry and fear.

What is Social Anxiety Disorder?

Social Anxiety Disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by overwhelming fear of being judged or scrutinized by others. It's a common mental health condition that causes discomfort, embarrassment and difficulty in making friends. People with Social Anxiety Disorder often feel anxious about things like speaking up in class or during a meeting, conversing with new people, being in large crowds, eating and drinking in front of others, or other everyday activities.

Social Anxiety Disorder is treatable; however, many people with this condition don't seek treatment for it because they mistakenly believe there's nothing that can be done to help them overcome their fears and worries. In fact, research shows that CBT has been shown to be effective in treating social anxiety disorder.

What Does Social Anxiety Look Like?

Social anxiety is a type of phobia, where you're afraid of being judged by others. It can cause a number of different symptoms.

• Physical symptoms include blushing, sweating, trembling or shaking and rapid heartbeat.

• Emotional symptoms include feeling nervous or tense in social situations, feeling embarrassed or self-conscious about making mistakes in front of others, feeling like you want to escape from the situation, and avoiding social situations because they make you feel uncomfortable.

• Cognitive symptoms are thoughts about what other people might be thinking about your appearance or behavior that make it difficult for you to engage in conversation with other people or behave normally around them (e.g., “They must think I'm stupid”).

• Behavioral symptoms include avoiding situations where there will be lots of people (e.g., public speaking) or trying not to talk too much because they fear they won't say something right—which leads them into silence instead!

How Does Social Anxiety Impact People's Lives?

Social anxiety is a disorder that affects the way you feel and behave in social situations. It makes it hard to do things like speak in front of people, ask questions or even smile at someone you don't know well.

Social anxiety can be debilitating, but there are effective treatments available. People with social anxiety may also have other mental health conditions like depression or substance use disorders. They are more likely than others to avoid doing things they enjoy (like going out) because of their fears about how they might react when faced with certain situations (for example, having a panic attack). They're also less likely to get promotions at work and tend not to get along well with others outside of their families or closest friends.

If left untreated, this lack of success can lead the person living with social phobia down a path toward isolation and unhappiness.

Who Gets Social Anxiety Disorder?

Social anxiety disorder can affect anyone, but it's more common in women than men. You're also more likely to have social anxiety if someone in your family has it or if you have another mental health condition—like depression or an eating disorder—that involves being nervous around other people.

Social anxiety is often more intense than the nervousness you might feel before a big test or job interview. It can make those situations extremely stressful and uncomfortable, leading to feelings of shame and self-blame when they're over (for example, after failing that test). Some people even avoid these events altogether because they don’t want to feel so overwhelmed by anxiety beforehand or experience embarrassment afterward.

How can CBT Help Social Anxiety Disorder?

• Identifying and Challenging Negative Thoughts: People who struggle with social anxiety tend to have a long list of negative thoughts about themselves, others, and any situation they might encounter. These thoughts can be very harmful because they make you feel bad about yourself or scared about what might happen in the future. This cycle of negative thinking causes more stress that makes it harder for you to cope effectively in social situations or at work/school.

• Learning New Ways of Behaving: If you want to change your behavior (or change how people react toward you), then it's important that you learn new ways of behaving instead of relying on old habits that don't work well anymore.

How do I find a Mental Health Professional that Utilizes CBT?

There are a few ways to find a mental health professional who utilizes CBT.

If you live in the United States, go online and do a simple google search for psychotherapists near me using “psychologist” or “counselor” as the keywords. On this website (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists), you can search by location or by specialty area (e.g., anxiety disorders). You may also want to look at their client feedback page as well as their credentials page to see if this therapist is qualified and has experience working with Social Anxiety Disorder and utilizing an evidence-based approach like CBT

Conclusion

In conclusion, CBT is one of the most effective treatments for social anxiety disorder. It can be used to treat a variety of symptoms and help you become more confident in your interactions with others. If you're interested in learning more about this treatment option, contact Burch Tree Counseling Center today!