Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia) What Is Social Anxiety Disorder Social Anxiety Disorder ( SAD ), which is also referred to as Social Phobia , is a disorder that causes a person to feel intense fear in social situations that involve interaction with other people, or in public performances, such as public speaking. People with social anxiety often fear that they are being watched, judged, and evaluated by other people. It is often confused with shyness or low self-esteem. According to the Social Anxiety Association, Social Anxiety Disorder is the third largest psychological problem in the world today (about 7% of people suffer from this condition). The fear that people with social anxiety experience is brought on by many different types of social situations, including speaking in public, speaking to strangers or meeting new people, using public restrooms, speaking on the telephone, eating, drinking, or writing in public, attending parties or large gatherings, talking to aut

Self Help for Social Anxiety Are you hiding from the world? These social anxiety self-help tips are designed to help you close the door on social phobia. With social anxiety disorder (a.k.a social phobia) you desperately want to avoid any situation that would lead to judgment and embarrassment. Plus, you're worried that you'll be found lacking. The fear of being judged is so intense that you avoid people and situations that trigger this anxiety. Signs and Symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder Just because you feel shy about being around others doesn't mean that you have social anxiety disorder. Emotional Symptoms You're very self-conscious and anxious during everyday social situations You worry for days, weeks, or sometimes even months before an upcoming social event You can't stop worrying about things that make you anxious You're horrified of being watched and judged by others, especially by strangers You're scared of doing something "stupid" an

Phobia What is phobia? Phobia is a kind of anxiety disorder where the sufferer has a permanent dread of a given situation, creature or place. A phobia is an abnormal fear which is attached to a particular event. For example, David, developed a phobic response to snakes, after being cornered in the bathroom one time when he was a teenager. David is now 32 years old and still “runs a mile” when he sees snakes – even at the zoo. He, like all sufferers, has an overwhelming desire to keep away from anything that remotely reminds him of snakes, and he chooses not to go to garden or go on holidays in the country because of it. Phobic individuals will do anything to avoid their particular perceived source of danger, which, is greater in their own minds, than what is there in reality. Sufferers, will experience great distress, when confronted by their “danger” and it can interfere with normal life… quite severely if not taken control of. Anyone who suffers from phobias has a hard tim

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Post-traumatic stress disorder ( PTSD ) is an anxiety disorder  that can develop after one is exposed to one or more terrifying events that threaten or caused grave physical harm. It is also a severe and ongoing emotional reaction to an extreme psychological trauma. PTSD has far reaching effects to a wider population than most people would like to think. Although prevalent with the men and women in uniform who are deployed in battlegrounds, PTSD affects a whole lot of other individuals ranging from kids to the elderly. The aftermath of a disaster, whether natural or man-made, can have traumatic results on anyone who directly experiences it or even to anyone who is a witness. People suffering from PTSD have witnessed or experienced a traumatic event - physical or sexual assault, torture, war, a plane crash, or a natural disaster. This can also affect rescue workers working at the site of mass casualties. These events can cause fear, horror, and

Adjustment Disorder Life is stressful. Many of these stressors are obvious and easy to identify - death (of spouse, loved one or friend), divorce, marital separation, jail term, personal injury or illness, being fired or other problems in career/occupation, legal or financial trouble, family conflict, etc. But there are many less obvious stressors we encounter every day that have smoothly and surreptitiously integrated themselves into our regular daily routine. Some of these feel so normal that they are practically invisible. Commitments (towards job/profession, to our children, spouses, our home, community, and more…) Procrastination – postponing stuffs to pile up stresses us out Disorganization – visual clutter making it difficult to find stuff we need stresses us out Being late – then having to rush to get ready, rush to get there - always stresses us out Exerting control over our environment - is a sure way to get stressed out Multitasking – actuality slows us down from actually fo

How to Overcome Shyness Have you ever experienced a situation when you were afraid or uncomfortable around the people surrounding you? Have you ever been hesitant to speak to someone or even speak up for yourself because you were afraid that you would say or do the wrong thing? Does your palms get sweaty, heart start pounding, or you get a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach when you have to be in the spotlight even for a few minutes? If the answer is yes, then you have experienced shyness at some point in your life, as most people have. No matter how shy you are, the good thing is you can always conquer it. There are many ways to overcome shyness, and while it may take some practice, it is really not all that difficult to conquer. This article on  how to overcome shyness  will help you to finally go out of your nutshell, shook away shyness, and become a better person. Everyone of us experiences diffidence at one point or another in life. There are people who are hesitant to talk i