Social Anxiety Treatment

It may not bother you that you have few if any friends or that you prefer your own company to that of others. But when your isolation leads to feelings of inadequacy or hinders potential opportunities, seek treatment for a common disorder called social anxiety. Social anxiety can leave your life empty and devoid of positive relationships. Call Online Psychiatrists to talk with a professional who specializes in anxiety.

What Is Social Anxiety?

Social anxiety disorder, also referred to as social phobia, is a mental health disorder marked by acute anxiety and fear in social situations. People who suffer from social anxiety have a chronic and overwhelming fear of being scrutinized, embarrassed, or negatively looked at by others. This fear is frequently exaggerated in comparison to the real threat posed by the situation at hand.

Phobias are very common — about 12.5 percent of people in the United States will experience a specific phobia in their lives.

Social anxiety may have a substantial impact on an individual's quality of life, relationships, and overall health, with symptoms showing physically as well as emotionally. Seeking the help of a social anxiety doctor is critical to receiving an accurate diagnosis and developing an appropriate treatment plan.

There are a variety of ways to approach social phobia treatment. Experienced psychotherapist at Online Psychiatrists designs a treatment that works for you, either through in-person or video appointments. Results that lead to a more productive and fulfilling life are the only things that matter to Dr. Zlatin Ivanov.

Do I Have Social Anxiety?

Most people care about others; it’s human nature. And if you’re like most people, you care about what others may think of you and your behavior. This quality allows you to form relationships, do well at work and be dependable. But it can also cause social anxiety, a fear of being observed and evaluated by others.

Social anxiety is an extremely common experience. Based on our observations, anxiety disorders are the most common mental health conditions in the country. Through a series of questions and a thorough medical history, your top-rated psychiatric doctor at Online Psychiatrists can tell you if you suffer from social anxiety disorder or not.

Is It a Disorder or Am I Normal?

Only a professional can diagnose and confirm that your social phobia meets the criteria for a disorder. But even if you don’t have an official diagnosis, treatment can still help you improve the quality of your life and deal with situations that you find fearsome.

Phobias are a normal part of life, but having a phobia disorder can disrupt your life in a multitude of ways, such as avoiding:

• Social gatherings
• Going out on dates
• Entering a public restroom
• Eating in restaurants
• Maintaining eye contact
• Voting in an election
• Having a job that requires you to be around others

For social phobia, one of the biggest issues is how much distress it causes you. Fear of public speaking, for example, is acceptable if you never have to speak in public. But if you end up changing your whole career or life to avoid the object of your phobia, then it becomes a serious problem, even if it doesn’t get an official diagnosis.

What Are the Risk Factors of Social Anxiety?

There are many factors that put you at risk of developing social anxiety, for instance:

• Your genes and your environment both contribute to your risk of developing social anxiety disorder.
• A difficult childhood may play a role, but you can develop social anxiety without any childhood trauma.
• If you’re a devoted introvert, you may not be too worried about having social anxiety, but spending too much time alone can mushroom into a mental health condition.

Many people with social anxiety disorder end up having regrets, feeling like they aren’t fully living life. They do want to have relationships with others.

Their problems usually begin when social anxiety prevents you from:

• Achieving your goals
• Taking healthy risks
• Having satisfying relationships with others

We recognize that it can be difficult for someone suffering from social anxiety to seek therapy. Therefore, we make every effort to establish a welcoming environment for you. Dr. Ivanov's goal is to help you in reducing the impact of anxiety on your social life so that you may become a more confident and empowered version of yourself.

Does Talk Therapy Work?

Psychotherapy, usually referred to as talk therapy, is an effective tool to help you overcome social anxiety. Sharing your concerns and feelings with a compassionate professional helps you build the courage to make changes.

Specific therapy treatments include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) teaches you to examine your thoughts and challenge negative thinking patterns that lead to social anxiety.
• Mindfulness techniques show you how to be aware of your sensations and experience the moment without judgment.
• Social education, called psychoeducation, provides a primer on how to behave with others. You can even use talk therapy sessions to practice social skills.

All talk therapy available through Online Psychiatrists work well during in-person sessions or through the advanced techniques involved with telepsychiatry. Your experienced talk therapy doctor specializes in remote therapy.

What Is Exposure Therapy and Can It Treat Social Anxiety?

The best treatment for social anxiety is probably exposure therapy.

It works in a series of steps:

• You typically make a list of the situations that are most scary to you.
• Starting with the least frightening one, your social anxiety doctor guides you to experience each situation in your imagination.
• Eventually, you may be given homework assignments such as greeting a stranger, asking someone on a date, telling a joke or letting your guard down in situations where you’d normally be frightened.
• These experiences help you become desensitized to the anxiety. They also build up your self-confidence and self-compassion.

Dr. Zlatin Ivanov has extensive expertise in behavioral exposure therapy for anxiety, with positive outcomes in a variety of diagnostic categories. You and your social anxiety doctor will work together to create a treatment plan tailored to your specific situation.

Patient Experience

Do Other Therapies Treat Social Anxiety?

Using these same approaches in a group therapy setting can be beneficial as well. Groups give you an opportunity to practice your social skills in a safe setting. Group members, who may also suffer from various stages of social anxiety, may have insight into your behavior. You may even be surprised to hear their positive comments about you.

Do I Need Medication?

For most phobias, medication isn’t normally recommended. With a condition like a social phobia, you experience a fair amount of anxiety. So in this case, you may be prescribed medications that are ordinarily used to treat depression or anxiety.

Your psychotherapist decides if it’s appropriate, and if so, manages your medication appropriately.For social phobias, medication is usually provided when it’s combined with an integrative therapy approach.

The best treatment for social anxiety in New York City may be combination therapy, which uses talk therapy along with medication. Your doctor prescribes and manages your medicine to find the right social anxiety medication and dosage for your unique needs.

The effects, however, usually don’t last long, unless combined with talk therapy. Your therapist is flexible and always takes into consideration your goals when designing your social anxiety disorder treatment. Contact Online Psychiatrists today to get started on a path to a full, exciting life.