SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER
Social anxiety disorder (SAD), also known as social phobia, can make it really hard to do things like talk to people, go to parties or even feel comfortable sitting in a classroom due to fears of being judged. Do you find yourself worrying excessively before social situations? Or making excuses to get out of a social commitment? During social interactions, do you have trouble speaking or making eye contact or do you blush, sweat, tremble, or feel light-headed? When you’re having a conversation with someone that you just met, are you in your head judging yourself and worrying about how you are coming across (“spectatoring”). Do you try to say as little as possible to avoid saying the wrong thing? After a social interaction, do you replay it over and over in your mind, worrying about what you said (or didn’t say) or did or didn’t do?
Because social anxiety disorder typically begins earlier than most anxiety disorders, it’s possible you have lived and coped with it for a long time, thinking it was just part of your personality.
But there is very effective treatment for SAD!
AT ATCA, we understand that people with SAD tend to overestimate the risk of rejection, criticism, or embarrassment in any given social situation and at the same time tend to underestimate their ability to cope with any potential rejection, criticism, or embarrassment. And we set out to reduce the perceived threat and increase your social confidence! We use individually-tailored hands-on creative strategies to help you choose long-term freedom over short-term comfort and ultimately overcome your social anxiety disorder.
The cornerstone of our work at ATCA is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a therapy approach that capitalizes on understanding how your thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and bodily sensations interact and contribute to your anxiety. Within CBT, we incorporate Cognitive Restructuring (identifying and changing unhelpful thinking patterns), Exposure Therapy (gradually facing avoided or feared situations), Response Prevention (reducing and eliminating counterproductive coping strategies), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (accepting uncomfortable thoughts and feelings while focusing on valued activities).
We may also incorporate conversation and communication skills training (e.g., disclosing to friends or family that one struggles with social anxiety and that social anxiety is quite common). As an added bonus, we offer group therapy sessions at ATCA. Group therapy is often an ideal way for people with social anxiety to practice facing their fears in a supportive environment alongside others who can relate to their concerns.