Many times people feel nervous in social situations, and that’s normal. When you are giving a presentation or going on a date can cause a feeling of Social anxiety disorder also known as a social phobia. It can cause fear, nervousness, an embarrassment in you, because you fear going out, interacting with others as you have a worry of being judged by others.
People with social anxiety disorder have fear and anxiety that leads to avoidance of social interactions that interrupts their daily life routine life going to school, college, work, functions, and other activities
Social anxiety disorder is a serious mental health issue. But you can control it by learning new skills in psychotherapy and taking medications that will help gain your confidence back and you will be to improve your ability to interact with others.
Social anxiety disorder can be serious in adulthood or old age. Because in adulthood people can get some other physical and mental health issues that can worsen social anxiety disorder and it can lead to a decrease in the quality of life in adults.
Physical and mental Problems
Many times your anxiety disorder might not get the diagnosis or treatment because it may be confusing to understand the symptoms if they are physical or mental. It happens most of the times with adults and old age people.
When you have thyroid or cardiovascular system or other health issues then your physical symptoms might overlay with mental health issues. Adults may experience anxiety and dementia both at the same time.
As an adult, When you complain your doctor about racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, or having trouble in thinking then there are chances that your doctor might think that these are physical symptoms rather athan mental symptoms. Doctors and mental health professional should be more aware of it.
Symptoms of Social Anxiety in Older Adults
Both younger and adults experience many of the same life problems when they are living with a social anxiety disorder(SAD). Some of the feelings are:
- They feel anxiety when they are around people with authority
- They have a fear of being judged negatively by others
- They hesitate while public speaking
- They fear while eating in front of others
- They worry about using a public restroom
- They fear to go to public places like parks, malls
Many times adults suffering from anxiety disorders may express their anxiety symptoms as physical or mental symptoms rather than psychological distress. People should talk to their family doctor first rather than seeking the help of mental health professional.
Types of Anxiety Disorders in Adults
There are many types of anxiety disorders and people who have any kind of mental health issues are more likely to have more than one at a time.
- Panic disorder
- Social phobia
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Afraid of Seeking Help
Many times people feel hesitate or embarrassed to talk with a doctor about their social fears. People feel fear of being judged by others and that’s why they don’t tell the doctor about the causes of social anxiety-like racing heart, shortness in breath, etc.
If you are an adult with social anxiety then its a triple threat for you:
- Your symptoms can be easily confused as a physical cause in older age.
- As an adult, you may feel worried or nervous to talk to your doctor about how you are really thinking.
- You should explain your symptoms more clearly to the doctor like your hands are shaking or fast heartbeat, etc. so that they can understand the symptoms if they are mental or physical and then accordingly will provide the treatment.
What the Adult can do?
When you book your appointment with a doctor before that you should write down all your feeling. Is will be helpful both you and the doctor as you will get intimidated when you will go inside the office of the doctor. So it will be helpful to prepare a summary of your concerns. The doctor will read the whole paper and then will treat you accordingly.
Outcomes of Social Anxiety in Older Adults
Social anxiety disorder can be harmful and it can affect your quality of life if you are an adult. If you didn’t get the treatment on time then it may lead to other mental health issues like depression. The reasons for anxiety in the adult are:
- Chronic illness
- Physical disabilities
- Due to more medically unexplained symptoms
- Low quality of life
An adult who is over 65 years of age is three to ten times more likely to get hospitalized then the younger people.
Old people with social anxiety can be like a large burden on their families. Because of:
- Impaired memory
- Increased loneliness
- Lower life satisfaction
All the adults or old age people who are suffering from anxiety disorder need a lot of empathy from us. They all need our support and love.
Treatment
The procedure of treatment of social anxiety disorder is much the same in both older adults and younger individuals. Mostly used treatment is therapies, such as:
- Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
- Interpersonal therapy (IPT)
- Exposure therapy
Other than therapies medications are also used for treatment. There can be many complications in the treatment of adults as they can have many other issues like depression, other medical problems, etc.
Social anxiety disorder in adults or old age is treatable and you should visit a psychiatrist for the treatment as he is the best option for the treatment. A psychiatrist provides treatment in many ways like through therapies, medication, etc.
If you are from Jaipur or nearby places and want treatment of social anxiety disorder then you should visit the best psychiatrist of Jaipur Doctor Sanjay Jain. with an experience of more than 13 years in the field of psychiatry, he is the best psychiatrist of Jaipur. When it comes to treating social anxiety problems with medication he is the best psychiatrist of Jaipur. Along with medications he also uses other options of treatment like psycho-education, therapies, lifestyle changes, etc.
His main aim is to heal the minds of patients os that they can live a happy and healthy life. He empowers his patients to be part of the decision-making process regarding the type of treatment they are more comfortable with.
He spreads awareness about mental health and social anxiety so that everyone can get treatment on time and no one has to suffer from these problems.
