Social Anxiety Disorder

Social anxiety is the fear of social situations and the interaction with other people that can automatically bring on feelings of self-consciousness, judgment, evaluation, and inferiority.

Put another way, social anxiety is the fear and anxiety of being judged and evaluated negatively by other people, leading to feelings of inadequacy, embarrassment, humiliation, and depression.

If a person usually becomes anxious in social situations, but seems fine when they are alone, then "social anxiety" may be the problem.

Social anxiety disorder (formerly termed "social phobia") is a much more common problem than past estimates have led us to believe.  Millions of people all over the world suffer from this devastating and traumatic problem every day, either from a specific social anxiety or from a more generalized social anxiety.

Counselling / Therapy

People with social anxiety disorder usually experience significant emotional distress in the following situations:

  • Being introduced to other people
  • Being teased or criticized
  • Being the centre of attention
  • Being watched while doing something
  • Meeting people in authority ("important people")
  • Most social encounters, especially with strangers
  • Going around the room (or table) in a circle and having to say something
  • Interpersonal relationships, whether friendships or romantic

This list is certainly not a complete list of symptoms -- other feelings have been associated with social anxiety as well.

Counselling / Therapy

Peter and his wife (who attended an intensive CBT course in the United States run by Dr Thomas Richards, one of the world's leading experts in Social Anxiety) have been running successful therapy groups for over six years.

The groups are run solely for sufferers of Social Anxiety as this has been proven to be the best method. A Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) approach, based on Dr Richard's therapy course is used as, again, this has been shown to be most effective.

Individuals will be accepted for group therapy only after their suitability is established at a one-to-one session and groups normally last for 15 weeks and are currently held on Monday in Twickenham, London or on Wednesday evenings in Chesham, Bucks, HP5 1JD.

For further Information and details of courses visit: www.socialanxietytherapy.org