Social Anxiety: What You Don’t Want People to Notice | ’ask dorothy’ | A Real Life Client Story | The WISDOM podcast S2 E79

2021-06-09

'ask dorothy' Social Anxiety: What You Don't Want People to Notice| A Real Life Client Story The WISDOM podcast Season 2 Episode 79 Have you ever felt anxious or awkward in social settings? I explained to my client Kara that social anxiety is an experience that happens to us all. An invitation to a party; work colleagues that you know fairly well but there is also a room of other people that you will have only just met. You arrive late and after a long shift at work; but in honesty you’ve been procrastinating as you got ready and secre...

'ask dorothy'

Social Anxiety: What You Don't Want People to Notice| A Real Life Client Story

The WISDOM podcast Season 2 Episode 79

Have you ever felt anxious or awkward in social settings?

I explained to my client Kara that social anxiety is an experience that happens to us all.

An invitation to a party; work colleagues that you know fairly well but there is also a room of other people that you will have only just met. You arrive late and after a long shift at work; but in honesty you’ve been procrastinating as you got ready and secretly hoped that you could maybe just blow the party off; except you do want to go. When you arrive, everyone is already seated around a large dining table, eating, talking, laughing; and now all eyes are on you. You have difficulty breathing and making eye contact as the host introduces you to each person around the table. You wish you stayed home but everyone seems so friendly, well maybe everyone except her; the woman that staring you up and down. You’ve forgotten what you’ve just said to a question someone has asked, and you don’t know where you should sit and is that an open seat? ...and why is this so difficult?

These are some of the rapid fire thoughts that cross your mind as your heart is racing; pounding so loud that your own voice seems inaudible. You feel self-conscious; you should have worn the other outfit you had lying on your bed; you dressed up way too much compared with everyone else. What have you gotten yourself into?

Join me in this episode as we discuss:

What is a social situation?

When does social anxiety becomes a problem?

The symptoms of social anxiety disorder; and

The best treatment approaches.

Please use the following assessment tools to help you:

Online Social Anxiety Self-Assessment

Criteria for Self-Diagnosis

Resources and Recommended Reading:

Common Signs of Social Anxiety

Social Anxiety Disorder

Social Anxiety Disorder: Resources and Help