Social Anxiety is a rather common condition that affects a lot of people, at one level or the other. This common form of anxiety can range from minor annoyance to a crippling state of mind.
According to research, shy people are more likely to experience anxiety when exposed to social situations. It comes as a tiny part of their personality. There are many other conditions that either cause or trigger social anxiety. One of the starting steps towards elevating this form of anxiety is to establish its root. To this effect, below are the 6 key causes of social anxiety today.
Low Self-Esteem
Parents and caretakers have made self-esteem to be an extremely important quality. For some people, low self-esteem is no joke. It makes them feel unlovable, incompetent, undeserving and unattractive. These feelings are almost always wrong, but they can go a long way towards triggering social anxiety. Recognizing low self-esteem as a problem is a great way to get started feeling better.
Poor Self Image
There’s no disputing the fact that society values external appearances and has placed top-line standards for beauty. Individuals with a poor self-image will constantly measure themselves against impossibly high standards. The effect of this is that they find that they are lacking. When someone cannot recognize their own strengths and weaknesses, especially among other people, this leads to anxiety.
Abuse
Being abused or neglected during childhood is a common cause of social anxiety. This tends to be a very serious issue to deal with especially without professional assistance up to adulthood. It also triggers multiple other behavioral problems that might make people appear withdrawn shy, or even highly anxious in social situations.
Lack of a Support System
Since people who suffer from social anxiety avoid circumstances or situations in which they might have to interact with others, they gradually lose membership in any viable support systems. These include clubs, churches, and other groups that typically result in friends and people to talk to. So instead of increasing social contacts, the affected person cuts them and as a result increases social anxiety when the situation manifests.
Bullying
Bullying and all other sorts of hazing experiences especially during public school life can be devastating later in life. Shy people tend to perceive these experiences as rather painful. So instead of overcoming and outgrowing the problem, the negative life event takes over and culminates in extreme anxiety. Anyone who feels like this will go out of their way to avoid similar embarrassing and painful experiences later in future.
Lack of Positive Experiences
Socially anxious people likely have missed out on multiple positive outcomes in their lives. They have little reason or motivation to pursue social experiences. Over time, social awkwardness triggers an avoidance of social situations, which in turn reduces any real chance that the affected individual will encounter a good experience. It’s like a negative chain reaction that results in more anxiety.
Do you Have Social Anxiety?
If you suspect that you have social anxiety, a simple online test can help determine whether or not your suspicion is based on the reality. Simply head to Google.com and search for ‘anxiety test’. You’ll have a list of multiple free tests to choose from. If you find that you have this condition, the next step is to seek help. Milder forms of social anxiety can be solved using self-help techniques, while more serious cases may need the help of a professional such as a psychologist or psychiatrist.
Wait… Before you go, I would like to ask you to join me on my journey to making this world a better place. I'm releasing new mentalizing content every week, teaching my students how to use Mentalism and the power of the mind to become more successful and help other people around them. Please join me by subscribing so I can update you about every new lesson I'm releasing… CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE