Social Anxiety and Depression

Social Anxiety and Depression

Facts about Social Anxiety and Depression

• It came first. Social anxiety usually precedes depression. 
• Social anxiety is the most common anxiety disorder.
• The onset of social anxiety disorder, unlike with other disorders, is almost always in childhood or adolescence.
• People don’t normally know they have it!Social anxiety is difficult to diagnosis. I have had many clients come to therapy describing other other symptoms only to learn that the true issue was social anxiety.
  
• Its likely holding you back. Social anxiety impacts not only social success, but reduces educational attainment, and job success. People with social anxiety are less likely to apply for higher positions, and are more likely to miss work days and be unproductive because of their social anxiety.
  
• You’ve probably had it for a long time. There is a very strong correlation with social anxiety in early adolescence, in particular, and later depressive episodes.
  

If you recognize yourself in this checklist it’s important to get help. Social anxiety is usually chronic, and causes the most disruption during during the first three decades of life.  If there is early intervention to treat social anxiety, subsequent depressive episodes may be prevented or the severity of them lessened.

Lack of support and understanding for Teens and Children

Parents often become frustrated with socially anxious children and teens. Instead of understanding and being able to offer assistance parents can appear disapproving. Additionally, parents with socially anxious children often struggle with anxiety themselves, which further compounds the child’s anxiety. You have may had this experience as a teen, and now as an adult struggle with the consequences of how you were treated.  Most adults with social anxiety had an onset in adolescence. Some of the consequences become habits, and then it feeds the cycle. Below are some of the habits that might have developed from your social anxiety  and how they related to depression.

Isolation

Not asking for help

Social anxiety increases the likelihood that a person will attempt to solve their problems alone, without consulting others or seeking help. Without understanding the source of the difficulty they are having, they may be more likely to conclude that they are defective, and become hopeless and withdrawn thus contributing to the likelihood that they will get depressed.

Withdrawing when overwhlemed

Social anxiety ensures that a person will avoid when they feel overwhelmed. Therefore, it is likely to lead to not only the emotional isolation described above, but also to a physical isolation. This often hinders any opportunity they might have at having successful social interactions that could lead to a corrective experience. When you are isolated, your depression is more likely to be exacerbated.

Social anxiety and depression, when they occur together, complicate the course of depression. People who have social anxiety and depression are more likely to have a longer course of depressive illness, and also to exhibit more serious symptomlogy including suicidality.

Causes you to feel bad about yourself and have a low self esteem

Social anxiety affects people as they are developing their unique personality and sense of place in the world.

In adolescence and early adulthood we are developing our social network, career, and friendships. Social anxiety also impairs the development of a strong self esteem, the belief that you can successfully set and reach goals, and the sense that you are important and loved by others.

Self compassion work is crucial in treatment.

Trouble making choices and problem solving

Social anxiety and depression can feed off of one another. When a person is depressed, they are less able to effectively problem-solve. Their ability to seek social support and assistance is impaired and because they are frequently isolated and others may not fully notice.

When a person with social anxiety and depression is seeking therapy the therapist and client should carefully examine all the symptoms before determining what to treat first and how to treat it.

What should I do if I have Social Anxiety and Depression

Please find a therapist who works with social anxiety and depression. It’s scary and hard to start therapy. It needs to go at your own pace. Therapy needs to address the issues you feel safe addressing.  You can find one on psychology today, or at the adaa website. 

Pages on Social anxiety on this website:

Social anxiety and anger

Social anxiety and valerian root

SOcial anxiety and generalized anxiety

SOcial anxiety and adhd

Medical information obtained from this website is not intended as a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you have a problem, you should consult a healthcare provider.