& Techniques to help calm social anxieties
Diagnostic Criteria
According to the DSM V the criteria for Social Anxiety is as follows:
A. Marked fear or anxiety about one or more social situations in which the individual is exposed to possible scrutiny by others. Examples include social interactions (e.g., having a conversation, meeting unfamiliar people), being observed (e.g., eating or drinking), and performing in front of others (e.g., giving a speech).
Note: In children, the anxiety must occur in peer settings and not just during interactions with adults.
The individual fears that he or she will act in a way or show anxiety symptoms that will be negatively evaluated (i.e., will be humiliating or embarrassing; will lead to rejection or offend others).
B. The social situations almost always provoke fear or anxiety.
Note: In children, the fear or anxiety may be expressed by crying, tantrums, freezing, clinging, shrinking, or failing to speak in social situations.
C. The fear or anxiety is out of proportion to the actual threat posed by the social situation and to the sociocultural context.
D. The social situations are avoided or endured with intense fear or anxiety.
G. The fear, anxiety, or avoidance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
F. The fear, anxiety, or avoidance is persistent, typically lasting for 6 months or more.
H. The fear, anxiety, or avoidance is not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or another medical condition.
I. The fear, anxiety, or avoidance is not better explained by the symptoms of another mental disorder, such as panic disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, or autism spectrum disorder.
J. If another medical condition (e.g., Parkinson’s disease, obesity, disfigurement from burns or injury) is present, the fear, anxiety, or avoidance is clearly unrelated or is excessive.
Techniques to Help Ease Symptoms
It starts with you sitting comfortably, close your eyes and taking a couple of deep breathes. In through your nose (count to 3), out through your mouth (to the count of 3).
Now open your eyes and look around you. Name out loud:
5 – things you can see (you can look within the room and out of the window)
4 – things you can feel (the silkiness of your skin, the texture of the material on your chair, what does your hair feel like? What is in front of you that you can touch? A table perhaps?)
3 – things you can hear (traffic noise or birds outside, when you are quiet and actually listening things in your room constantly make a noise but typically we don’t hear them).
2 – things you can smell (hopefully nothing awful!)
1 – thing you can taste (it might be a good idea to keep a piece of chocolate handy in case you are doing this grounding exercise! You can always leave your chair for this one and when you taste whatever it is that you have chosen, take a small bite and let it swill around your mouth for a couple of seconds, really savoring the flavor).
Take a deep breath to end.
Ritschel, C. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/anxiety-5-4-3-2-1-mindfulness-activity-trick-how-does-it-work-ease-anxiousness-immediately-a8199296.html
PATIENT VIDEO- CARTOON SCENARIO OF SAD - “Teen Titans Go“ Robin Stood up on a date
Tools/Resources
VIDEO - Guided Meditation for Social Anxiety
POPULAR JOURNAL LITERATURE- How to deal with social anxiety- https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/wellness/a28083105/how-to-deal-with-social-anxiety/
Journal - Social anxiety disorder: A review of environmental risk factors
Journal - Shame and Guilt in Social Anxiety Disorder: Effects of Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Association with Social Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms
Website - Tools for Social Anxiety
PDF - Self Help for Social Anxiety
What is Social Anxiety Disorder? Symptoms, Treatment, Prevalence, Medications, Insight, Prognosis
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