Social Phobia: Fear Of Being Judged
Social phobia is an irrational fear that involves great discomfort in the face of social situations. Those who suffer from this phobia manage to keep their distance from people and remain isolated. It makes them uncomfortable and stressed to be in all kinds of relationships or to have any kind of interaction with others.
This is a type of phobia that has many limitations because human contact is a fundamental part of our lives. We must relate to the people around us in every important sphere of our lives, whether it is about working life, family life, meeting a potential partner or starting and maintaining a friendship.
People who suffer from social phobia avoid circumstances where they are forced to interact with other people. In many cases, however, this is not possible. So they have no choice but to confront situations that are very difficult for them, especially since they can not stop thinking that they are constantly being judged.
Although there are many phobias, social phobia is one of the most misunderstood and disabling. All social events, parties, meetings – in short, situations where we have to expose ourselves to other people – are the events that are most feared.
The deepest rooted fear in this phobia is to end up in a devoted situation that turns out to be shameful or humiliating. This feeling is either based on the consequences of their own fear or their belief that they are incapable of tackling said situation.
Those who suffer from social phobia feel misunderstood and to some extent marginalized. The complexity and significance lies in the fact that people need the social contact they simultaneously avoid. So they feel trapped in a way that generates an unpleasant feeling.
In order for this phobia to be diagnosed, it must limit the people who suffer from it. Furthermore, it must disrupt their lives in a disabling way, create serious discomfort and prevent development in various spheres of daily life.
There can be many causes for this phobia. The most sensitive period when it can begin to develop is adolescence. It can be related to parents who are overprotective, but can also arise from a lack of social skills.
The victims experience strong anxiety in situations where they expect social interactions, where there may be some form of social contact and intimacy. The psychophysiological activation that takes place in these situations can lead to symptoms such as tachycardia, anxiety, tremors, redness, stuttering and constant sweating.
Once the person has developed this phobia, it is best to see a specialist. The main goal will be to control the irrational fear and discomfort created.
In one way or another , we all have a fear that others will judge us based on our abilities, actions, or feelings, whether they are from the past, present, or even the future. The problem can be seen when this begins to make us obsessed, limited and pathological.
The most common complaint is that no one understands us. We complain about others’ lack of empathy without realizing that our attitude and actions create this loneliness and promote the lack of affection that we deeply plead for.
Awareness and introspection help us not to fall into the trap of thinking that everything that affects us is the fault of others. In our way of looking at things and acting, there must be consequences. We are responsible for what life experiences we get to take part in.
