Social anxiety can make one feel very isolated. The mental health condition may make it highly difficult for an individual to relax in a public setting. Social anxiety disorder symptoms can be very uncomfortable to live with. Even after learning the effective strategies needed to cope with social anxiety in past treatment, it is common for one to still find it challenging to manage their condition. Fortunately, group therapy can help ease one’s persistent symptoms. Many individuals gain benefits from participating in outpatient group therapy at Renaissance Ranch. Our program has helped many individuals maintain healthy connections and achieve long-term recovery.
What Is Social Anxiety Disorder?
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), it is common for one with social anxiety disorder to experience a strong sense of brain fog when speaking with others. This may hinder their ability to make healthy connections. An individual may be so self-conscious, panic about what they are going to say next, and freeze up in a social setting. This can feel very awkward for both parties.
Thus, many individuals choose to avoid making contact with others due to their extreme fear of embarrassment, humiliation, or rejection related to their condition. Social anxiety disorder comes with more than just being shy. If an individual has experienced nervousness for at least 6 months, and finds it difficult to effectively complete daily tasks and interact with others at school or work, they may have a social anxiety disorder.
What Causes Social Anxiety Disorder?
There is no known cause of social anxiety disorder. Even though this may be true, stress and environmental factors often play a wide role in one developing social anxiety disorder. Having a history of being bullied, family conflict, abuse, neglect, or past trauma can also be linked to the condition. An individual with low self-esteem or confidence may fear from past mistreatment that they may be judged once again.
How Does Living With Social Anxiety Disorder Feel?
Social anxiety can bring on intense fear that can negatively affect one’s ability to function. An individual facing problems with social anxiety disorder may strongly dislike making speeches, dating, job interviews, answering questions, or simply talking to customer service can be daunting.
Social anxiety disorder symptoms may make one feel as if their presence in a social setting is never-ending. It is common for one to feel confident accepting an invitation for an outing but as the days and hours get closer they may experience great discomfort. To cope, an individual may avoid eating, fill their time with fun activities, and experience difficulty meeting daily priorities. They may want to curl up in a ball just before they are “locked” in the social setting.
Not everyone experiences the same effects of the disorder, but common symptoms include:
- Blushing or trembling
- Sweating
- Having a high-pitched voice
- Increased pulse
- Racing thoughts
- Feeling sick or having stomach issues
- Mind goes blank
- Having a rigid posture
- Find it difficult to make eye contact
- Avoiding public settings
- Bobbing back and forth
- Clenching teeth
What Is Outpatient Group Therapy?
Although social anxiety disorder may make one feel as if they are constantly out of place against society, outpatient group therapy can help. Research indicates that group psychotherapy is not only a common therapeutic approach for social anxiety disorder but is highly superior to other treatment options.
For instance, one study conducted by the Journal of Anxiety Disorders found that out of 2,171 participants, those who attended outpatient group therapy experienced alleviated symptoms of social anxiety disorder. Therefore, outpatient group therapy is an efficacious treatment option for those looking to overcome the negative effects of their condition and are seeking improvement in various areas of their life.
Gain the Benefits By Participating in Outpatient Group Therapy at Renaissance Ranch
Group therapy may be the last place an individual with social anxiety may want to see themselves. This therapeutic approach typically requires one to sit with others in a social environment. Even though attending outpatient group therapy may seem uncomfortable at first, many individuals do find comfort in knowing everyone else in the room may be experiencing similar symptoms. It may be hard for everyone to connect at the start but once everyone opens up about their condition, it becomes easier to express themselves.
Outpatient group therapy is a safe place for everyone to discuss the challenges with their mental health. Although an individual’s treatment program has been completed, attending group therapy in recovery can help one stay on track to ongoing mental stability. Participating in group therapy with peers can provide one with new coping skills needed to freshen up their social well-being. Group therapy can provide healthy connections and can provide a comfortable place for one to confide in others. Benefits from outpatient group therapy can promote long-term recovery. Advantages of outpatient group therapy include:
- Helps one find their voice
- Facilitates giving and receiving support
- Helps one realize they are not the only one suffering
- Provides new perspectives about their condition
- Increases one’s level of confidence
- Embraces confidentiality
Reaching out to patients with our unique treatment methodology has made Renaissance Ranch the foremost authority in outpatient addiction recovery in Utah. By concentrating our healing efforts on not just the physical aspect of treatment but on the spiritual side as well, we help a person’s mind and body reach long-term recovery. Depending on the specific needs of our clients, we create an individualized treatment program that includes medications, a series of therapies such as outpatient group therapy, and discussions on Gospel principles. This approach has helped numerous affected individuals overcome their struggles internally and externally, making ours one of Utah’s most trusted outpatient programs. Call Renaissance Ranch at (801) 308-8898 to overcome social anxiety disorder.