Online Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder
What is social anxiety disorder?
Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), also termed ‘social phobia’, is a type of anxiety disorder characterised by an overwhelming fear of social situations. Social anxiety is more than being simply shy. Central to SAD is a fear of social situations that does not go away and affects everyday activities, self-confidence, relationships and work or school life. Many individuals occasionally worry about social situations, but someone with SAD will be overly worried before, during and after entering social situations.
Examples of social situations an individual with social anxiety might find challenging include:Â
- Meeting new peopleÂ
- Making and taking phone calls
- Asking for help in public spaces
- DatingÂ
- Participating in an interview
Social anxiety disorder is a common mental health condition that can affect anyone. Symptoms of social anxiety usually start during later childhood and early teenage years.Â
What are the symptoms of social anxiety?
The main symptom of social anxiety is the ongoing fear of being negatively judged, watched, and embarrassed during social situations. Social anxiety can manifest in a range of symptoms:Â
- Blushing, sweating, and shaking
- Having an increased heart rate during social situations
- Feeling nauseous during social situations
- Having a stiff posture when around other people
- Avoiding eye contact when interacting with other people
- Feeling self-conscious, awkward, or embarrassed when around other peopleÂ
- Avoiding social activities and situations, like parties and eating with other peopleÂ
- Finding it difficult to do things when other people are watchingÂ
- Being unsure of what to say to people in social situations
When to seek treatment for social anxiety disorder
You should consider seeking treatment for your social anxiety disorders when:
You often worry that individuals will notice that you seem anxious, and that they will judge you negatively based on this.
You worry about embarrassing or humiliating yourself.
You notice that you are feeling so anxious about socialising that you avoid it entirely.
You notice you often sit and think before social situations about what you will say and do.
You think after social situations about how you could have said or done something in a different way.
You often overthink about how individuals might experience you during a social situation.
Social anxiety therapy with Onebright
At Onebright, we support over 60,000 people a year across the UK with a range of mental health conditions. We provide expert-led, evidence-based therapies for a range of anxiety disorders in children, teens, and adults, including:
- Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- Panic disorders
- Health anxiety
- Performance anxiety
Our online cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) services are used to treat social anxiety disorder, as there is a good evidence base to suggest this is one of the most effective treatments available.
Learn more about our online therapy services- Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- Panic disorders
- Health anxiety
- Performance anxiety
Our online cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) services are used to treat social anxiety disorder, as there is a good evidence base to suggest this is one of the most effective treatments available.
Benefits of CBT for social anxiety
CBT is an evidence-based, goal-oriented, and collaborative psychological therapy approach that focuses on understanding the past and present connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviours (termed the ‘formulation’).
It also offers powerful tools, strategies, and techniques to identify, challenge, and reframe unhelpful thought patterns and associated feelings and behaviours, helping to significantly improve mental health and quality of life.
CBT can help you recognise and change challenging thoughts and behaviours so you can approach social situations with a new perspective and improved confidence.
Book a cognitive behavioural therapy appointmentIt also offers powerful tools, strategies, and techniques to identify, challenge, and reframe unhelpful thought patterns and associated feelings and behaviours, helping to significantly improve mental health and quality of life.
CBT can help you recognise and change challenging thoughts and behaviours so you can approach social situations with a new perspective and improved confidence.
Simply fill in the contact form below or call our specialist team on 020 8175 4908.
Looking for support with social anxiety? Contact Onebright today to find out more about how we can help you treat and manage your social anxiety.
Our client liaison team are available Monday to Friday between 9am-5pm (excluding bank holidays).
You must be aged 18 years or above to access our therapy services.
You must be aged 18 years or above to access our therapy services.
Social anxiety disorder FAQs
There is not one single cause of social anxiety, and it is thought to be a result of a mix of biological, social, and environmental factors, including:
- A hyperactive nervous system
- Decreased levels of serotonin
- Childhood trauma
- Hypercritical parenting style
- Family history of social anxiety
- Introverted, shy personality
- A hyperactive nervous system
- Decreased levels of serotonin
- Childhood trauma
- Hypercritical parenting style
- Family history of social anxiety
- Introverted, shy personality
Social anxiety can make you feel intense fear and worry when thinking about or engaging in social situations. This worry might manifest in physical feelings of anxiety, such as:
- Sweating
- Increased heart rate and heart palpitations
- Nausea
- Shaking
- Feeling tense and stiff
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
- Increased heart rate and heart palpitations
- Nausea
- Shaking
- Feeling tense and stiff
- Shortness of breath
There are different methods you can use to try to treat, manage, and overcome social anxiety. Self-help methods like breathing exercises, meditation, mindfulness and journaling can help you understand and regulate the thoughts and feelings you are experiencing.
If your social anxiety is continuing to affect your everyday life, you might want to consider professional treatment. Cognitive behavioural therapy is an effective social anxiety treatment as it teaches strategies for identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviours. In certain cases, a health professional might also prescribe you medication to help you cope with anxiety.
If your social anxiety is continuing to affect your everyday life, you might want to consider professional treatment. Cognitive behavioural therapy is an effective social anxiety treatment as it teaches strategies for identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviours. In certain cases, a health professional might also prescribe you medication to help you cope with anxiety.
Social anxiety can impact your everyday life and make you avoid social situations that might be intimidating or stressful. Examples of situations that an individual with social anxiety might find challenging include:
- Attending parties and social gatherings
- Going to work or school
- Talking to people they are unfamiliar with
- Approaching people and starting a conversation
- Entering a room where people are already seated and gathered
- Making eye contact
- Dating
- Eating in front of people
- Talking on the phone
- Engaging with people in public spaces, like in shops or restaurants
- Participating in an interview
- Attending parties and social gatherings
- Going to work or school
- Talking to people they are unfamiliar with
- Approaching people and starting a conversation
- Entering a room where people are already seated and gathered
- Making eye contact
- Dating
- Eating in front of people
- Talking on the phone
- Engaging with people in public spaces, like in shops or restaurants
- Participating in an interview