SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER

anxiety disorder

symptoms

Marked and disproportionate fear consistently triggered by exposure to potential social scrutiny

Exposure to the trigger leads to intense anxiety about being evaluated negatively

Trigger situations are avoided or else endured with intense anxiety

behavioral conditioning

• Conditioning may occur, similar to specific phobia; true alarm

Ex: if you give a speech during class and things are going horribly, it's possible you won't ever want to give a speech again

biological factors

preparedness and infant temperament trait of inhibition (Kagan research)

preparedness

• Maybe we are prepared to fear angry, critical, or rejecting people

• Critical vs. accepting expressions research

  • Those with social anxiety remember those with critical expressions

  • Those without social anxiety remember happier and more accepting expressions

• Greater activation of the amygdala

infant temperament trait of inhibition (Kagan research)

• Some infants are born with a ______ (extreme shyness)

  • Can see this as early as 4 months old

  • Become more agitated, more upset when exposed to new stimuli

  • Higher risk for developing social anxiety

cognitive factors

• Higher standards for their performance

  • Unrealistic expectations

• Negative beliefs about consequences of their social behaviors

• More self-focused, concern about negative evaluations

  • Worried they are being perceived negatively

exposure

can take place in groups with others that have social anxiety

social skills training

• can benefit people when they are encouraged to get rid of safety behaviors

cognitive restructuring

• identify the negative automatic thoughts and help change those thoughts

medication

• Benzodiazepines: Xanax and Valium

  • Minor tranquilizers

  • Can be addictive psychologically and physiologically

• SSRIs: Prozac and Zoloft; Preferred

• If you only take one medication, you relapse

  • Need to combine medication with additional treatment