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Social Anxiety Disorder

Don't Let Fear and Anxiety Dictate Your Social Interactions

 Go past your fears of being judged with treatments for social anxiety disorder. Face social situations with confidence and build your self-esteem. Find a Therapist 855-722-4422

What is Social Anxiety Disorder?

Social anxiety is more than being introverted or shy; it leads to pain and disruption in a person's life. You are not alone; we are here to help you every step of the way.

The nervous feelings before and during a social interaction, attending events or interviews, giving presentations, or even when just making eye contact can be debilitating for some. We understand how uncomfortable these situations can be. This intense fear of being in social situations where you feel you'll be watched or evaluated by others can make you miss valuable moments. Social anxiety disorder is more than shyness or periodic nerves. Our social anxiety disorder therapists are here to help you talk about your fears and work together to make the necessary changes for you to live a better life.

What is Social Anxiety Disorder?
Social Anxiety Therapy for Men Social Anxiety Therapy for Men

Social anxiety disorder in men interferes with their daily functioning leading to extreme distress and performance anxiety.

Social Anxiety Therapy for Women Social Anxiety Therapy for Women

In women, social anxiety disorder may present as difficulty meeting new people, maintaining relationships, and attending social events.

Social Anxiety Therapy for Adolescents Social Anxiety Therapy for Adolescents

Children with social anxiety disorder experience extreme distress over everyday situations. Constant feelings of being watched or judged may cause them to isolate or shut down.

Don't Ignore These Signs of Social Anxiety Disorder

The experience may vary from person to person, but if you have social anxiety, you may face some of these symptoms.

  • Excessive self-consciousness

  • Avoiding social situations

  • Sweating & trembling

  • Accelerated heartbeat

  • Blood Pressure issues

  • Muscle Tension

  • Inability to Catch a Breath

What Causes Social Anxiety Disorder?

Social Anxiety Disorder can arise from other mental health issues, such as depression or trauma. Or, it can develop from a mix of factors such as:

  • Genetics
  • Disposition to fear and anxiety
  • Family conflict
  • Childhood bullying
  • Parenting styles

How Can Social Anxiety Be Treated?

Based on the severity and persistence of your symptoms, our social anxiety disorder specialists work closely with you and prepare a customized social anxiety disorder treatment plan to help you recover.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is recommended for treating social anxiety disorder. Based on the belief that what you think affects how you feel and how you feel affects your behavior, CBT aims to work on addressing negative, untrue thoughts surrounding social situations. Our experts in social anxiety disorder assist you in learning how to control your anxiety by using breathing exercises and relaxation methods. We help you confront the social situations you fear gradually and methodically rather than avoiding them. We also support you in challenging the negative thoughts that lead to and exacerbate social anxiety and replacing them with more balanced viewpoints.

Interpersonal Therapy

This type of psychotherapy helps you deal with underlying personal problems that are interfering with your personal, professional, or social life. This may sometimes be related to unresolved pain, abrupt changes in your routine, or arguments with family members and friends. The goal of this treatment for social anxiety disorder is to learn effective communication techniques and how to apply them to the process of resolving problems and conflicts. It's among the most widely used therapeutic approaches for the management of social anxiety.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

The objective of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is to change your behavior to align with your values, even if this means confronting your anxieties. It asks the question: If you weren't anxious, how would you act? And then helps you bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be. It highlights acceptance as a way to deal with unhealthy thoughts, emotions, signs, or circumstances & also prompts increased commitment to a healthy & healing journey. ACT is a great option for people ready to commit to the therapy process and are willing to be uncomfortable in order to achieve their goals. It's value-based techniques makes it a great choice for those who believe strongly in their morals and values.

Teletherapy

It’s found that teletherapy can help those with social anxiety disorder who might defer or avoid in-person treatment. This is expected due to anxiety on encountering someone new in person, even if their role is a therapist. Having that extra space and time can improve results for people with social anxiety since their anxiety isn’t intensified by being in the physical existence of a therapist. Online therapy has been proved just as effective as in-person options, and some people experience even more growth with online therapy than they would with in-person counseling.

Exposure Therapy

Exposure Therapy is an innovative technique that has proven highly effective in treating social anxiety. During Exposure Therapy, your therapist will slowly introduce a trigger—either in real life or through mental visualization—and then help you stay calm through coping mechanisms. By practicing coping mechanisms and facing your fears in this safe environment, you are training your mind and body to stay calm and in control. When you encounter the trigger in real life, you can fall back on your coping mechanisms and keep yourself from spiraling.

Treatment and Process

Meet Our Team of Social Anxiety Disorder Therapists

Our team of social anxiety disorder therapists and counselors can help you with customized treatment plans to help overcome the challenges.

Insurance We Accept

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Anxiety is a common feeling in certain social situations. For example, you might get butterflies in your stomach before a presentation or a date. However, if you suffer from social anxiety disorder, commonly referred to as social phobia, you feel ashamed and self-conscious and are continuously concerned about how other people will perceive you in social situations. When you have a social anxiety disorder, your life may be disrupted by avoidance caused by fear and anxiety. Extreme stress may negatively impact your relationships, daily routines, job, studies, and other activities. Some symptoms to mention are:

 

  • Persistent, severe anxiety or dread that you would be harshly judged, shamed, or humiliated in a particular social scenario
  • Avoiding uncomfortable social situations or going through them with great fear or anxiety
  • Excessive anxiety that is unjustified given the circumstances
  • Social anxiety in adults often affects how they live their life
  • Any form of fear or anxiety that cannot be explained by disorder, medication, or substance addiction

Social anxiety disorder most likely results from a complex mix of biological and environmental factors, similar to many other mental health conditions. Potential reasons include:

  • Inherited qualities - Anxiety disorder tend to run in families. However, it is unclear how much anxiety is learned behavior and how much is inherited.
  • Brain architecture - The amygdala is a part of the brain that may regulate the fear response. People with an overactive amygdala can experience a more intense fear reaction, making them more anxious in social circumstances.
  • Environment - Some people may experience severe anxiety after being in an uncomfortable or embarrassing social situation, suggesting that social anxiety disorder may be a learned behavior. Additionally, there may be a link between social anxiety disorder and parents who are either more controlling or overprotective of their kids or exhibit anxious behavior in social circumstances.
  • Negative Encounters -  Children who are the targets of bullying, taunting, rejection, or other forms of humiliation may be more likely to suffer from social anxiety disorder. In addition, a variety of traumatic life events, including abuse, trauma, and family conflict, may be connected to this illness.

 A person suffering from social anxiety may look confident and gregarious, but in reality, they may be very uncomfortable in social situations. They might not even be able to detect the unease in others. Shyness is more evident, despite the fact that it often seems situational. Put another way, shyness frequently shows up at specific times. Some indications that an adult may have social anxiety include:

  • Rapid heart rate.
  • Trembling.
  • Sweating.
  • Nausea or a stomachache.
  • Having trouble breathing.
  • A feeling of faintness or dizziness.
  • Having the impression that your mind is blank

Although treatment for social anxiety disorder typically involves consulting a licensed therapist, you might attempt some of these strategies as well to deal with circumstances that are likely to elicit symptoms:

  • Learn techniques for reducing stress
  • Get some exercise or keep yourself moving frequently
  • Get adequate rest
  • Consume a nutritious, balanced diet
  • Skip the alcohol
  • Limit or avoid caffeine

If you have been experiencing the symptoms mentioned above. We suggest you look for help. You can connect with Lifebulb to book your appointment by calling us on our 24x7 active helpline. You can also find us online by simply searching 'social anxiety therapist near me' or ‘therapist for social anxiety near me.’

The condition of social anxiety is curable. But it can be crippling if left untreated. A person's professional and social life may be severely disrupted by the symptoms of social anxiety disorder, which can also lead to a loss of social support, poor performance at work and elsewhere, deteriorated relationships, and a lower quality of life. The symptoms of social anxiety disorder may be lessened with proper care, significantly enhancing the quality of life. Low self-esteem, despair, substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts are just a few mental health issues to which social anxiety disorder is linked. If you have been experiencing any symptoms, simply search 'social anxiety therapist near me' or 'social anxiety cure' to reach out to Lifebulb immediately.

Social anxiety disorder can benefit from a variety of treatments. The effectiveness of social anxiety therapy will differ from person to person. Some clients only require one kind of treatment, while others can require a combination. Your primary care physician may recommend therapy or refer you to a psychologist or mental health professional. Some options are:

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT teaches you new coping mechanisms for anxiety, such as switching out negative ideas with optimistic ones.
  • Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT): Clients discover how to live a values-based life despite unpleasant feelings by using mindfulness, acceptance, and behavioral methods.
  • It's found that teletherapy can help those with a social anxiety disorder who might defer or avoid in-person treatment. It is expected due to anxiety on encountering someone new in person, even if their role is a social anxiety disorder specialist. Having that extra space and time can improve results for people with social anxiety since their anxiety isn't intensified by being in the physical presence of a social anxiety disorder specialist.
  • Peer support programs allow people who have gained considerable healing from social anxiety treatments to aid others in their recovery journeys. Peer specialists prompt healing, enhance hope and network through role modeling and activation, and augment existing treatment with teaching and empowerment.

Lifebulb therapists and counselors specialized in providing in-person or online social anxiety therapy, counseling, care, and treatment for a wide variety of mental healthcare needs and issues, including, but not limited to, anxiety, depression, grief & loss, trauma, PTSD, couples counseling, marriage counseling, life transitions, adjustment disorders, bipolar, schizophrenia, eating disorders, child counseling, teen and adolescent therapy, anger management, career coaching, life coaching, ADHD treatment, family therapy, panic or social anxiety attack, phobias, substance abuse, virtual therapy, online counseling, EMDR, EFT, and many more.

Your first session with a Lifebulb social anxiety disorder specialist or counselor won't simply be a background or demographic information-gathering session - We know deciding to get help is a big deal and a difficult step. That's why our first offline or online social anxiety therapy session with you will be about providing you with the service you're seeking and proving that the therapy process can work with the right effort and commitment from both sides.

We believe getting access to a social anxiety disorder specialist or counselor should be quick and easy. So our process is straightforward. Simply browse our therapists' bios to find the right fit for you and schedule a virtual counseling or in-person counseling session online. Or call our office, and a team member can help make sure you're matched with the right social anxiety disorder specialist or counselor for you and your goals. Whether online social anxiety disorder treatment therapy or offline therapy, your therapist will help you with an individualized social anxiety disorder treatment plan to help you reach your specific goals.

If you are experiencing an emergency right now, please call 911 right away. While Lifebulb is not a crisis center and Lifebulb social anxiety disorder specialists and counselors are not emergency services, we understand that urgent matters can and will pop up from time to time. You will have direct email and phone access to your therapist or social anxiety treatment center, who will make their best effort to be available to you when you reach out. Depending on your specific social anxiety disorder treatment plan, your social anxiety disorder specialist may provide you with resources to use or contact when situations occur beyond the scope of your online therapy or offline therapy work together.

When you book a session with your therapist or counselor, our team will email you a confirmation of your appointment date and time with a link to the virtual social anxiety therapy room. Click the link and log in to the virtual therapy room a few minutes before your session, and your social anxiety disorder specialists will meet you there.

Yes. All of our therapists are able to provide best online social anxiety therapy and social anxiety disorder treatment services to our clients.

We use a HIPAA-compliant video counseling service integrated into our Electronic Health Records System to provide a smooth process for our clients to engage in online social anxiety therapy sessions. Booking a session with us is easy. Simply call our office or request a specific session time from our website, and a team member can book you with the best possible fit as a social anxiety disorder specialist or confirm your online session details. We'll review insurance information and a few simple policies and email you a confirmation of your session date and time, whether in-person or virtual therapy.

Arranging a session with us is a straightforward and adaptable process, offering various options. You may contact our office, and a team member will assist you in booking with the most suitable therapist. After reviewing insurance details and some basic policies, we will email you a confirmation of your session date and time, whether in-person or virtual. Alternatively, you can choose your preferred social anxiety disorder specialist from our website, select a session time that suits you, and we will contact you to confirm your appointment details.

 Our cancellation policy is flexible. To cancel or reschedule an online social anxiety therapy session, contact our office or your counselor or social anxiety disorder specialist at least 24 hours before the scheduled time, incurring no additional cost.

 Social anxiety disorder treatment is typically a prolonged process aimed at enhancing overall mental health. While therapy can positively impact feelings and behaviors, and facilitate healthy adjustments to the brain and body, there's no absolute guarantee of a "cure." Therapy, however, plays a crucial role in making positive lifestyle changes.

We accept numerous major commercial insurance plans for social anxiety therapy, including Aetna, Amerihealth, Cigna, Optum Health, United Healthcare, Tricare, and others.  If your insurance is not listed, we can verify your benefits, and if not eligible, we offer an affordable self-pay rate.

 Lifebulb operates without any ongoing membership or fees. We believe in providing the best online social anxiety therapy service experience without additional out-of-pocket fees. Your only costs will be those set by your insurance provider or our low self-pay rate.

 While many practices accept only self-pay clients, Lifebulb keeps costs low by accepting most major insurance plans. The out-of-pocket expense per online social anxiety therapy session is often a low copay determined by your specific insurance plan. We also offer a competitive self-pay rate for those without insurance.

 At Lifebulb, we prioritize hiring qualified social anxiety disorder specialists, but we understand that preferences may vary. If your therapy experience falls short, we'll assist you in connecting with a therapist of your preference.

 While many clients use insurance for social anxiety therapy, we also offer a low self-pay rate for those who prefer this option.

 We take privacy seriously and comply with HIPAA guidelines. As a covered entity, all your information is protected. For privacy inquiries, contact us at privacy@lifebulb.com.

 Our online sessions are conducted in private spaces, and our video platform is within our HIPAA-compliant Electronic Health Records system, ensuring the privacy of your face, voice, and data.

 Yes, Lifebulb is considered a covered entity under HIPAA guidelines, adhering to all rules and regulations.

At Lifebulb, our biggest difference lies in our therapists. Many practices, large and small, often put growing businesses before growing people. It may sound simple, but at Lifebulb, we treat our social anxiety disorder specialists like valuable people that provide a valuable service. What does that mean for our clients? While we believe therapists and counselors, regardless of where they work, do their best for their clients, we've found that social anxiety disorder specialists who genuinely enjoy where they work are able to provide the best treatment for social anxiety disorder to those they help. To that end, our primary goal at Lifebulb is to provide our therapists with the best possible environment in which to operate. In doing so, we believe Lifebulb clients are best positioned to accomplish their treatments for social anxiety disorder goals through in-person counseling or virtual therapy for social anxiety disorder.

At Lifebulb, we are extremely selective about the therapists we hire because we know choosing the right therapist can make all the difference in our clients reaching their goals. Our social anxiety therapists are all educated at the masters level and above and have received several years of hands-on training before becoming fully licensed clinicians. Even among the pool of highly trained therapists, we only work with those who align with our core values. That way, we know your social anxiety disorder specialist will go the extra mile to help you and offer the best treatment for social anxiety disorder online or in-person counseling.

Lifebulb’s social anxiety services are located across many states, including: Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia.

 Our counselors undergo extensive education, training, background checks, and in-house training to provide the best in-person and online social anxiety therapy services.

Clients can review detailed therapist bios before choosing. If you have a specific preference, we can schedule you accordingly. We also assist in finding the right match within our team if needed.

 Yes, we employ licensed clinical psychologists to offer a broader range of services, including the best online social anxiety therapy and psychological testing.

 A professional counselor is a master's or PhD-level mental health professional licensed by a state board. Common license names include LMHC, LPC, LCPC, and LPCC.

Resources

Explore our comprehensive resources to learn more about social anxiety disorder.