Title: DOES SOCIAL ANXIETY HOLD YOU BACK? Author: Dave Turo-Shields, ACSW, LCSW Email: mailto:editor@overcoming-depression.com copyright: by Dave Turo-Shields, ACSW, LCSW Web Address: http://www.Overcoming-Depression.com Word Count: 631 Category: Self-Help

Does Social Anxiety Hold You Back?

In "Anxiety Disorders" section of manual entitled "Diagnostic Criteria from DSM IV," which is used for diagnosis of mental health conditions, there are 12 anxiety diagnoses covered.

The fifth, and what may appear to be a soft diagnosis, is Social Phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder). In contrast to "Posttraumatic Stress Disorder," "Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder" and "Panic Disorder" this diagnosis may seem to be lighter than rest.

Please don't be fooled by names or sound of names or even fact that many of others have achieved more press time. Social phobia is a very real threat to quality of life for many individuals.

What is Social Anxiety Disorder? Glad you asked. Following is a list of life areas impacted by social anxiety --

1. Meeting new people 2. Answering door 3. Interacting with merchant clerks at banks, grocery stores etc. 3. Setting appointments with doctor’s offices etc. 4. Attending church 5. Buying or returning items at retail outlets 6. Sick days where your anxiety has made you sick 7. Driving (fear other drivers looking at or thinking of you) 8. Paying at gas station 9. Eating in front of other people 10. Signing your name in front of others 11. Attending or hosting social events 12. Dating 13. Talking in a small or large group 14. Expressing your opinion 15. Performance situations, such as playing on an athletic team, singing in a choir etc. 16. May or may not have panic attacks 17. Fear of what others are thinking of you 18. Fear of being embarrassed or humiliated

Next is a general physical symptom list of physical signs of social anxiety --

*As with many of us, I am always able to find something that might not be going just as I would like, something I wish to be better, or different, or a whole other something. But as I watch others, and listen to challenges they face and problems they are experiencing, my world seems almost perfect. In fact, my life is perfect.

*My belief is that more life throws at you, more crucial it is to work on living in present moment. I believe our lives are pieces of a puzzle. But we’re not given ALL pieces nor are we given a picture of puzzle to help us put it together or to show us what it should look like once complete. Our job is to fit pieces we are given together best we can and work with what we have until more pieces arrive.

*Isn't that fascinating!?

*I have found that I am more and more able to work patiently with pieces I am given knowing that rest are on their way. Furthermore, I have faith that when those pieces do arrive, they will be for best, even though it might not look that way at time.

*Thinking this way has had several wonderful benefits for me. I am much calmer in face of what might appear as an awful situation. I can literally stop and strike up a conversation with my Self…"Isn't this fascinating?" "I wonder what is really going on here that I am not seeing yet?"