The DSM-5 Definition Of Social Anxiety

One in fifteen people suffer from social anxiety. According to the DSM-5 definition of social anxiety disorder in 2013, it is recognized as “a persistent fear of one or more social or performance situations in which the person is exposed to unfamiliar people or to possible scrutiny by others. The individual fears that he or she will act in a way (or show anxiety symptoms) that will be embarrassing and humiliating” (“DSM-IV-R Social Anxiety Definition”). The thought of embarrassment and humiliation often scares and gives even more anxiety to the individual causing them to avoid social situations more frequently than they already do. Despite being the third largest mental health problem in the world today, people are still confusing social anxiety

Social anxiety tends to “interfere with normal routines, academic functioning, social activities, and relationships with others” (Connolly, Simpson, and Petty 44). It makes an individual unable to give a speech or answer a simple question in class. Their anxiety is so high that the person with social anxiety will spend every second of the day thinking about how they will mess up and embarrass themselves, or how they might fail at whatever they do. This fear leads to a hard time developing socially. It is a good idea to look for signs of social anxiety in a peer or a family member. For example, someone who is constantly “withdrawn from school activities or wanting to spend most of their time at home,” away from social situations, may have social anxiety (Albano). Be careful, social anxiety disorder can lead to depression, dropping out of school, and an increased risk of alcohol or drug abuse. Also, since most people do not understand it, people with social anxiety disorder normally receive comments from family and friends like: “relax, you are fine,” “just do it,” do not worry,” “it is no big deal” (“Social Anxiety Disorder is not Shyness”). These comments are ineffective and do not work. They can even make the situation worse, putting more pressure and negative thoughts into the individual’s brain. A person’s knowledge on social anxiety disorder can either help or

Someone who suffers with social anxiety faces their fears everyday. An example of a situation would be that a person with social anxiety “refrained from participating in class because they thought others would think what they said was stupid” (Connolly, Simpson, and Petty 41). An individual will suffer with reading out loud in class, asking others for help, working in groups, taking tests, giving speeches, and talking to a person in authority. Obviously, taking tests are a requirement, but being forced to read in front of a class when it clearly could make a person with social anxiety have a panic attack, can be changed. It is the same with speeches. When put in those terrifying situations, they are “more likely to pay attention to details that confirms their beliefs than they do to details that contradicts their beliefs” (Antony 9). For example, people with social anxiety seem to notice people in the audience who look uninterested and bored rather than people who seem interested. Imagine a person that has a broken leg. Would they still be able to participate in their sport? No, they would not and could easily sit out for the season. It is the same concept for someone with social anxiety, but individuals that suffer from this actually have to go through with it. A person with social anxiety being forced into giving a speech is like telling a cheerleader with a broken leg to