What is Anxiety Disorder? Recognize The Causes and Symptoms

Social anxiety disorder is a health condition in social interactions that causes irrational anxiety in a person. Social anxiety disorder often causes stress, fear, and so on.

Maybe some of you don't know the difference between anxiety and panic; anxiety is a term to describe a person's mental disorder. Meanwhile, panic is a fear that appears suddenly and intensely, sometimes without a clear cause.

A social anxiety disorder can cause bad influence or dangerous conditions. Because not a few of them find it difficult to socialize and the impact of this, they choose drugs, alcohol, and so on as a place of escape.

The Factors Causing Social Anxiety 

Quote from gramedia.com, a social anxiety disorder can occur due to several factors, including:

1. Environment

Families that are too restrictive and controlling can be one of the causes of social anxiety disorder in a person. Other social environments, such as wrong friendships, can also form social anxiety disorder, for example, in cases of bullying experienced by someone.

2. Inherited traits

A child will likely experience social anxiety disorder if it comes from parents who have social anxiety disorder and cannot control this anxiety.

3. Brain structure

When a brain structure called the amygdala is too active due to anxiety about facing social problems, the response to fear will increase. The amygdala itself is a brain structure that is very influential with fear.

4. Negative experiences

Bad social treatment in the past can be a factor in creating social anxiety disorder so that someone feels afraid to face the same social problems in the present or the future.

5. Drugs and alcohol

Undeniably, the bad effects of drugs on the body are significant. For people with social anxiety disorder, drugs, and alcohol can worsen things.

6. Accumulated stress.

Unmanaged stress will continue to form a negative character in our minds.

Symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder

Some of the symptoms of a social anxiety disorder include:

1. Fear of doing daily activities

Usually, someone who experiences social anxiety will tend to be afraid to carry out daily activities that are socially related, such as conversations, talking, working, or other things.

2. Avoiding or worrying excessively in social activities

As already explained, sufferers tend not to be able to socialize and prefer to be alone. If we invite them to eat together, parties, and so on that involve social activities; they tend to reject it.

3. Always feel worried

illustration of social anxiety disorder - always worried |  hallosehat.com

Worry is sometimes needed so that we can be careful in all things. However, people with social anxiety usually worry excessively about something they are doing.

4. Fear of receiving input or suggestion

This one symptom of social anxiety disorder is very dangerous because criticism and suggestions from others are important to increase one's potential in various ways.

5. Fear of other people's judgment

As previously explained, people with social anxiety fear input and criticism from others. This is related to the judgment of others.

So, if you have some of the symptoms of social anxiety as above, we suggest trying to get rid of it, or if you feel you can't, you try to consult a doctor or someone who is an expert in that field.

Image source: Illustration of Social Anxiety Disorder |  gramedia.com