What are the signs and symptoms of social anxiety?
Signs
Symptoms.
Physical Symptoms
Symptoms.
Physical Symptoms
- Blushing or red faced
- Shaking or trembling
- Fast heart rate or tightening in chest
- Sweating or hot flashes
- Lost train of thought
- Shaky or soft voice
- Problems concentrating
- Urge to use the toilet
- Breathing rate increases causing shortness of breath
- Dizziness or fainting
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Urge to avoid or escape
(Bernard, F. (2008), Smith, M. Jaffe-Gill, E.. (2013), Hartstone, M. (2014))
Behavioural Symptoms
- Avoiding the situation completely
- Avoiding similar sorts of situations to what a person is afraid of
- Leaving early
- Focusing on themselves
- Trying not to draw attention to themselves
- Keeping quiet
- Staying in the background
- Not making any eye contact
- Dependant on someone to be their door, (have someone to hide behind and be the conversationalist)
- Drinking alcohol to sooth nerves
(Bernard, F. (2008), Smith, M. Jaffe-Gill, E.. (2013), J. (2014))
Emotional Symptoms
- Excessive anxiety and self consciousness in everyday life e.g. shopping.
- Intense worry for long periods of time over a planned social situation.
- Fear of being watched or judged by others.
- Fear that your actions will humiliate or embarrass yourself.
- Feel others will notice the nervousness being experienced.
(Smith, M. Jaffe-Gill, E.. (2013), University of Adelaide, (2014))