Social anxiety disorder in adolescents is a big problem in the world. Kids learn at a young age whether they’re peers are accepting them or not. As they grow up, they feel socially awkward around other people if their not included in the social hierarchy. Social anxiety can spring up in social situations such as crowds, parties, and in the classroom. A traumatic event can cause social anxiety in adolescents. If that individual has negative feelings from that event, they try to avoid the same situation at all costs.

Social Anxiety, Fear Of Being Judged

Social anxiety, the fear of being judged by ones peers. Classmates should accept you for who you are and not who they think you should be. That’s where the problem starts! Society has this idealistic human being that is perfect in every way, but there isn’t such a thing. You make a mistake, then you’re not part of the “in” crowd. You know what, those that think they’re better than everybody else, become bullies. In the long run, you’re going to kicked off your high horse and fall down with us not in the popular crowd. If your peers are judging you because of your mistakes, then they don’t deserve to be your friends.

Social Anxiety In Crowds

Social anxiety with adolescents in crowds is a common experience for people with social anxiety disorder. Some of the symptoms of social anxiety in crowds may include:

Intense fear: People with social anxiety in crowds may experience an intense fear of being around other people, which can lead to a sense of panic and a desire to flee the situation.

Physical symptoms: Social anxiety in crowds can cause a range of physical symptoms, including sweaty palms, shaking, increased heart rate, and shortness of breath.

Avoidance: Some people with social anxiety in crowds may avoid social situations altogether in order to prevent exposure to the crowd, which can lead to a decrease in quality of life.

Negative thoughts: People with social anxiety in crowds may experience negative self-talk and may worry about being judged or rejected by others in the crowd.

Loss of control: Social anxiety in crowds can sometimes cause a sense of losing control, which can lead to overwhelming emotions and feelings of helplessness.

Difficulty speaking or interacting: People with social anxiety in crowds may have difficulty speaking or interacting with others, which can make social situations very uncomfortable and anxiety-provoking.

Social Anxiety At Parties

Parties often involve socializing and interacting with others, which can be challenging for adolescents with social anxiety disorder. At parties, adolescents with social anxiety may experience the following symptoms:

• Excessive worry about how others perceive them
• Fear of being the center of attention
• Avoiding social situations or withdrawing from group activities
• Physical symptoms such as sweating, tremors, and rapid heartbeat
• Negative self-talk, such as feelings of inadequacy or self-criticism

Adolescents with social anxiety at parties may find it challenging to interact with unfamiliar people, engage in small talk, or participate in group activities. They may also be hesitant to join in social activities such as dancing or games. This can lead to feelings of isolation, low self-esteem, and missed opportunities for socialization and connection with peers.

Social Anxiety In The Classroom

In the classroom, adolescents with social anxiety disorder may experience the following challenges:

Poor academic performance – Social anxiety disorder may lead to problems with attention and memory, which can result in lower grades and academic underperformance.

Avoidance of participation – Adolescents with social anxiety may avoid participating in classroom discussions, group activities or presentations to avoid feeling embarrassed or judged by others leading to problems in acquiring new knowledge.

Isolation – Adolescents with social anxiety may withdraw from their peers or feel extremely anxious in social situations, leading to feelings of isolation.

Lack of assertiveness – Adolescents with social anxiety may struggle with asserting themselves in the classroom, which can make it difficult for them to ask questions, express their opinions, or advocate for themselves.

Social Anxiety And Panic Attacks

Although social anxiety and panic attacks are different conditions, they can have some common symptoms and features. For example, both conditions can lead to physical symptoms such as trembling, sweating, or rapid heartbeat. Additionally, people with social anxiety may experience panic attacks in certain social situations, particularly if they feel trapped or unable to escape.

Having panic attacks from social anxiety unfortunately is common. If you can’t handle the situation and the fear is great, panic attacks are going to happen. You just have to learn to deescalate the situation before it ends up like that. It doesn’t always work, but it is better than constantly having panic attacks.

Trauma And Social Anxiety

Trauma can take many forms, including physical, emotional, and sexual abuse; neglect; violence; accidents; natural disasters; and many other experiences. Traumatic experiences can lead to a wide range of emotional and physical symptoms, including anxiety and depression.

Social anxiety is a common result of traumatic experiences, particularly if the trauma involved social situations or social rejection. Traumatic experiences can lead to negative beliefs about the self, such as feeling inferior or unworthy, which can contribute to social anxiety. In addition, traumatic experiences can lead to a heightened sense of vigilance and anxiety, making people feel on high alert in social situations.

Conclusion

How do you overcome social phobia (or the fear of being judged phobia)? Not to sound pessimistic, but I’m still dealing with it 30+ years later. All those events just compound on one another until you have (essentially) a pile of crap. You drag it around like a lead brick. Even if you go to therapy, it takes years to peel off layer by layer, at a time. Therefore, if you could just reach out to one adolescent who suffers from social anxiety,
you’d be saving them a lot of money from going to therapy and medication (if prescribed any). Anyway, it’s about that time, so I’m going to bid you a farewell and until next time…

Articles 

-What Is Social Anxiety?

https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/social-phobia.html

-Social Anxiety In Teens: Signs, Symptoms, And How To Help

https://polaristeen.com/articles/social-anxiety-in-teens/

-Social Anxiety In Adolescents

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2951647/

Have a Good One,

Cindee Murphy, One Voice – Unstoppable

“You’re not alone!”