The Physical Effects Of Social Anxiety

Social anxiety is the fear of social situations. This- Difficulty talking - the person may be
fear causes both mental and physical symptomsexperiencing so much fear that they find it
that are extremely uncomfortable for the persondifficult, if not impossible to talk. This is one of the
experiencing them. Both mental and physicalmost feared symptoms by people with social
symptoms can be so intense that they eventuallyanxiety, because they worry that people will think
lead to additional health problems.that they are stupid or incompetent.
The most common physical symptoms of social- Muscle Tension - muscle tension is caused when
anxiety are as follows:a person experiences extreme or prolonged
- Heart palpitations or a rapid heartbeat - This is astress or fear. Muscle tension can become so bad
very common symptom of social anxietythat it causes muscles to become sore.
disorder, but it is also a common symptom for- Dry throat or mouth - adrenaline rush causes a
several other health problems. If you have neverdry mouth, and fear that is associated with social
experienced this before, you should see a doctoranxiety causes an adrenaline rush.
to determine whether another health problem- Muscle twitches - adrenaline can rush through
exists.the body so fast that it causes muscles to jump.
- Tremors - tremors, or shaking, usually cannot- Dizziness - adrenaline can cause dizziness, but
be controlled. The trembling can be very mild, orthis could also be a sign of a more serious medical
very strong and noticeable.problem. If you become dizzy, you should see a
- Sweating - some people will sweat more thandoctor.
others. Some people only experience sweaty- Shortness of breath, feelings of smothering -
palms, or feel too warm, while others sweatThis is a common sign of an anxiety attack, but it
profusely.could also signal another health problem. You
- Diarrhea - social anxiety causes stress, andshould seek medical treatment.
stress causes diarrhea. Diarrhea may last as long- Chest pain - This is another common sign of an
as the person is feeling the stress.anxiety attack, but it is also a common sign of a
- Confusion - when fear exists, a personsheart attack. If you experience chest pain, go to
adrenaline level rises. This major increase inthe nearest emergency room and seek medical
adrenaline can cause a person to appear to betreatment, or call an ambulance.
confused. They may even actually be confused- Difficulty swallowing - fear makes you feel like
because they are focusing on the fear, and notyou have a lump in your throat. That lump,
on the situation.whether it is real or imagined, makes swalling
- Blushing - People with social anxiety disorderdifficult.
may or may not blush. Blushing is generally- Pale skin - both stress and nausea can cause a
associated with shyness, but shyness and socialperson to turn pale.
anxiety are not the same thing.These are the most common symptoms of social
- Nausea - fear usually causes feelings of nausea.anxiety. You may experience other symptoms, or
Depending on the level of fear that the person isthese symptoms in varying degrees. If the
experiencing, the nausea usually goes away oncesymptoms that you experience are new or
the person is removed from the situation. It can,severe, you should visit the doctor as soon as
however, result in vomiting.possible.