Help! I Have Social Phobia! Social Anxiety Treatment Options Explored!

There's no doubt that social anxiety disorder is common and can be a debilitating and frustrating problem. In my last article, we talked about the signs and symptoms of social anxiety disorder, commonly known as social anxiety phobia. Now I want to discuss social anxiety treatment so you can get the help you need to approach social situations without fear.

There are two main approaches to the treatment of social anxiety disorder. These are:

1. Cognitive Behavior Therapy

Cognitive Behavior Therapy is a form of therapy that uses various behavioral techniques to help you develop strategies for overcoming your fear and anxiety. Rather than delving into the subconscious causes of your social avoidance, this approach looks for practical behavioral solutions to the problem of social phobia. It addresses abnormal behaviors and thought patterns directly and helps you take the practical steps necessary to change them. Some of the interventions used with social anxiety phobia include developing anxiety management skills such as relaxation and breathing techniques that can be used to reduce anxiety in social situations.. You would then be gradually introduced back into the feared social situations and encouraged to use these techniques to reduce some of your fear and anxiety. Do these techniques work? The good news is,a study showed that around 3/4 of patients diagnosed with social anxiety disorder benefited from this type of therapy .

2. Drug Therapy

There are a variety of medications on the market that can be used to treat social anxiety disorder. These include various antidepressant medications and antianxiety drugs. In some cases where these medications have failed to work, your doctor may prescribe an antiseizure medication for treatment of social anxiety disorder. Unfortunately, these medications do have some side effects which may include sexual dysfunction, headaches, dizziness, lightheadedness, and nausea in addition to a variety of others.