Social Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Social anxiety disorder is characterized by an intense fear of social and performance situations. The most commonly feared situations include initiating conversations, unstructured peer activities, performing in front of others, speaking up in class, and inviting others to get together. Avoidance of these situations significantly interferes with the quality of youngsters' lives, often impairing their school performance and attendance, as well as their ability to socialize with peers and to develop and maintain relationships.
The onset of SAD peaks in adolescence when establishing and managing friendships independently is a crucial part of healthy development. If untreated, it can persist into adulthood and increase the risk for later depression or alcohol abuse.
Parents and teachers may not be aware of the warning signs of social anxiety, or may not consider extreme shyness as a problem warranting professional attention.
Some signs to recognize are:
* Hesitance, passivity and discomfort when in the spotlight
* Avoidance or refusal to initiate conversations, perform in front of
others, invite friends to get together, call others on the telephone for
homework or other information, or order food in restaurants
* Avoidance of eye contact and speaks very softly or mumbles
* Minimal interaction and conversation with peers
* Appearing isolated and on the fringes of the group
* Sitting alone in the library or cafeteria, or hanging back from the
group at team meetings
* Overly concerned with negative evaluation, humiliation or
embarrassment
* Difficulty with public speaking, reading aloud, or being called on in
class
When faced with feared situations, the child can suffer anxiety symptoms, including:
- sweating
- racing heart
- stomach ache
- dizziness
- crying
- tantrums
- freezing
- avoidance or intense dread of feared situations
Tips to Help Your Socially Anxious Child or Student
For Parents:
* Expose your child to different social situations, e.g., play groups,
birthday parties, after school activities, where the child will have
more chances to interact with his/her peers.
* Don't speak for your child, but encourage him or her to speak up,
e.g., when ordering food in a restaurant.
* Praise or offer rewards to your child for speaking up. For example,
offer to take the child to the movies if he/she will ask for the tickets at
the box office.
* Lead by example. Teach your child how to handle social situations
by allowing him/her to see how you handle the situation.
For Teachers:
* Change your classroom procedures to get the child more involved.
* Explain to the student why you are doing this, that you want to help
them feel more comfortable in class, and not trying to make them
feel embarrassed.
* Remind them that speaking out in class will get easier with practice.
* Do not single the child out, but call on all students for answers.
* Incorporate public speaking into your curriculum, if possible. This
will help all of your students develop confidence in speaking in front
of others.
These tips were adapted from Triumph Over Shyness, by Murray B. Stein, M.D., and John R. Walker, Ph.D. This book is available through the ADAA Bookstore.
The above text is from the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA).
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