CBT can help manage social anxiety symptoms

CBT can help manage social anxiety symptoms

Many people feel anxious or nervous during a public performance or social gathering. While it may be a normal reaction for those who experience it occasionally, for those who experience it more frequently it may be an indication of an underlying mental illness (called social anxiety disorder (SAD) or social phobia).

SAD is a common disorder with a lifetime prevalence of up to 12 percent in the United States. Typically, symptoms of SAD first appear in childhood and adolescence, which can lead to mental health problems such as substance abuse and severe depression. If left undiagnosed or untreated, this disorder is also known to impair cognitive function and reduce quality of life.

Recognize social anxiety

Social anxiety is characterized by extreme and persistent feelings of nervousness, worry, and fear that occur either in social situations or when thinking about facing social situations.

Typically, SAD can do one:

• Do you think they would end up in an embarrassing situation

• Very sensitive to what others would think of them

• Feel confident with others around you

• Worried because they think that if they try to be friends with someone, people will laugh at them or reject them

If you notice any of these key signs in yourself or someone you know, it's time to see a therapist.

Role of CBT in the management of SAD

Research studies have highlighted the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in relieving social anxiety disorders.

According to a study by researchers at the University of Zurich, successful treatment of an anxiety disorder involves changes in the key brain structures responsible for processing and regulating emotions. The stronger the changes, the better the treatment result.

Talking about the role of psychotherapy, the researchers said, “Psychotherapy normalizes brain changes associated with social anxiety disorder.”

How does CBT work?

CBT has been reported to be the most effective psychotherapy for treating SAD. CBT for SAD involves identifying and correcting maladaptive cognitions associated with social situations.

During a CBT session, the therapist works with the patient like a coach. They offer the patient a learning opportunity and guide him to interpret the situation and behave accordingly. As treatment progresses, the patient is exposed to their fears and gains the confidence to deal with them.

CBT approaches that target specific maintenance factors or vulnerabilities of SAD patients have been shown to be more effective in treating social phobia. In one of the CBT approaches, a patient who was afraid of the idea of ​​bothering others because she thought she was not intelligent enough to be the center of attraction was asked to perform several similar tasks that targeted her weaknesses.

For example, she was asked to interrupt a group of people at a restaurant to practice a toast for a maid of honor speech to combat reluctance to bother others and be the center of attention. Similarly, to combat her fear of unintelligence, she was asked to ask strangers in a bookstore to read the back of a book because she could not read.

In simple words, CBT can help people with SAD recognize negative thought patterns and replace them with positive but realistic affirmations. For example, a patient would learn to replace "Oh my God! I don't fit in here" with "I may not like it here much, but I don't have to think about it much." Another example would be replacing "Others in the house expect me to do something wrong" with "People have their eyes on me, but come on, I have other things to worry about."

CBT also helps individuals develop coping skills to deal with feelings of anxiety and other related physical symptoms that arise in social situations.

CBT can be administered in both group and individual therapy settings. Group therapy is a traditional approach in which two therapists help a group of four to six patients during a half-hour session over 12 weeks. The individual treatment format involves targeting a single patient with 60-minute sessions each week or fortnightly, depending on the severity of symptoms and individual factors. Patients must attend sessions for up to 15 weeks. Group CBT is beneficial in that it provides patients with actual exposure to social situations that can help them overcome their social anxiety problems.

CBT is available near you

People with SAD experience different symptoms and reactions to social situations, meaning they require an individualized CBT approach.

Alternative practitioner psychotherapy

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