We’ve all been in an uncomfortable situation at least once in our lives. It’s not uncommon to feel anxious about giving speeches or even delivering a toast at a wedding reception.

Feeling nervous is normal in many social situations, especially if you are required to be at the center of attention.

We muddle through it, as gracefully and tactfully as we can, without much resistance and get over it as quickly as possible. This isn’t the case in people living with social anxiety.

Not only do they experience the emotional responses, but it’s also coupled with sometimes debilitating physical reactions.

Social anxiety is said to affect about 7% of the population at any given time and it’s ranked the third largest mental health diagnosis in the world. Continue reading →

This brings to mind the old saying, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” Can social anxiety disorder cause depression?

Or is it the other way around? It’s both actually.

• Social anxiety disorder makes people withdraw out of fear.
• Depression makes people withdraw due to lack of joy.

It’s kind of a catch-22 situation here. Not everyone with social anxiety will experience depression, and not everyone with depression will experience social anxiety, but the likelihood is there and it is not unusual.

Below we will look at some situations where social anxiety and depression actually do go hand-in-hand. Continue reading →

First and foremost, before we can help children suffering from social anxiety, it is imperative we understand the difference between typical childhood shyness, and the disorder, social anxiety. Only then can we begin any number of modalities to help these children.

Childhood shyness is characterized by an aversion to unfamiliar social stimuli without gentle encouragement. Social anxiety in children comes with a much more complex symptomology.

For instance, little Sally has a few close friends and will even gladly go to birthday parties, but if she’s invited to a sleepover where she might encounter children other than her close friends, she will feel nervous about going and possibly decline the invitation. This is normal shyness. Continue reading →