Social Phobia
Social anxiety can affect every facet of our lives making our world feel smaller and smaller. Many of our clients who otherwise perform at extremely high levels are held back back by the discomfort they experience in social situations.
We give clients the tools to conquer their social anxiety by helping them reduce negative thinking about their performance. Social anxiety can also come with physical symptoms that become an additional obstacle. Intestinal distress, headaches, muscle tension and chest discomfort are just some of the physical symptoms associated with social anxiety that we help our clients regulate and reduce to help them feel more free.
Characteristics
- Involves a persistent fear of social or performance situations
- Individual worries they may show symptoms of anxiety that will be embarrassing (i.e sweaty hands, trembling voice).
- Individuals with social phobia are likely to avoid parties and gatherings and they have difficulty initiating interactions with people that are unfamiliar.
- They may also be reluctant to perform relatively basic activities in public like speaking, eating, drinking, and using public restrooms.
Effective Solutions
- Cognitive therapy is effective in shifting the perceptions client’s have of social interactions
- Behavioral Techniques such graded exposure allow the client to experience fearful situations and manage more effective with specific tools and strategies
- Group therapy for social anxiety is offered to help clients conquer their fears alongside and with the help of others experiencing similar issues.
Contact Behavior Therapy of New York to learn more about treatments for social phobia.
