Top 5 Hopeful Facts About Social Anxiety Disorder

Introduction

Social anxiety disorder is a very common mental health condition, that is treated at Burch Tree Counseling Center. In fact, it’s estimated that about 15 million adults in the United States have social anxiety disorder. So, if you have Social Anxiety Disorder (and millions of other people do), you're not alone!

An estimated 12.1% of adults experience Social Anxiety Disorder at some point in their life

Although social anxiety disorder (commonly known as social phobia) is a very common mental health condition, many people don't realize that it affects more than 12% of the population at some point in their life. Even though social anxiety is a common problem and it can be treated successfully with psychotherapy or medication, many people who experience this type of anxiety avoid treatment for years.

In fact, an estimated 80% of individuals with Social Anxiety Disorder have never received any kind of professional help for their symptoms due to a number of different possibilities. This means that 80% of individuals with SAD go through this on their own when they could be getting the help that they need to overcome these hindrances from a professional.

Social Anxiety has been found to lessen with age

One study conducted by Bjorn Karlsson indicates that 21 (3.5 percent) of people with SAD that were evaluated had had social anxiety at baseline. Five years later, 10 (48 percent of the 21) appeared to be free of social anxiety.

One explanation is the socially anxious individuals "grew out" of the disorder, so to speak. The more you practice socializing, the easier it becomes and your confidence grows with each interaction, which allows you to overcome your fears and become less cautious in situations where there are strangers or new people involved. In fact, one popular treatment for social anxiety disorder is Exposure Therapy which allows the individual to take baby steps towards facing their fears of social situations.

Most people with Social Anxiety Disorder NEVER seek treatment for it

When you have social anxiety, there's a good chance that you've never sought treatment for it. That's because when it comes to mental health issues like this one, people tend to avoid seeking help. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), only 25% of people with a diagnosable mental illness ever seek treatment.

This statistic is not specific to Social Anxiety Disorder but can be applied at large: because it's common to feel shame around having any kind of mental health issue, many people choose not to get help even if they need it. In fact, some research suggests that about half of all people with social anxiety issues had never been diagnosed before getting help from a professional.

Social Anxiety can be genetic

• Research shows that social anxiety can be genetic.

• If you have a family member with this condition, you are more likely to develop it.

Social Anxiety Disorder is VERY Treatable

Social anxiety disorder doesn't have to be a permanent condition, and with proper treatment you can learn to manage it to the point where it is not negatively impacting your life. There are many treatment options available that can help you to reduce your symptoms and regain control over your life. Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is considered to be the most effective form of therapy for SAD as it helps patients learn new ways of thinking and behaving that will help them cope with their symptoms. Therapists may also recommend other types of psychological modalities and interventions such as group therapy or self-help books and online programs.

Conclusion

It's important to remember that Social Anxiety Disorder is treatable and can be managed. If you know someone who suffers from this disorder, do not hesitate to reach out and offer support. You may even want to consider offering some reading materials on the subject or sharing some resources with them so they can learn more about what they're going through. Burch Tree Counseling Center specializes in treating social anxiety disorder. Schedule a FREE 15 minute consultation below!